Accountants and auditors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $56,020 | $26.93 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $83,680 | $40.23 |
| Mean (average) | $94,750 | $45.56 |
| 90th percentile | $144,090 | $69.27 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Accountants and auditors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $74,880 | $50,240 | $123,170 | 24,300 | 1.23 |
| Alaska | $83,460 | $57,690 | $125,810 | 2,190 | 0.72 |
| Arizona | $79,970 | $55,430 | $128,890 | 27,410 | 0.91 |
| Arkansas | $66,330 | $45,810 | $119,520 | 7,870 | 0.65 |
| California | $97,050 | $61,770 | $160,520 | 175,360 | 1.03 |
| Colorado | $97,030 | $60,760 | $162,160 | 35,410 | 1.32 |
| Connecticut | $97,550 | $64,230 | $156,670 | 16,770 | 1.06 |
| Delaware | $95,020 | $60,500 | $132,550 | 6,570 | 1.45 |
| District of Columbia | $111,530 | $71,470 | $185,220 | 9,810 | 1.5 |
| Florida | $79,250 | $50,280 | $131,930 | 91,000 | 0.98 |
| Georgia | $81,900 | $51,830 | $145,960 | 44,020 | 0.97 |
| Guam | $50,410 | $36,160 | $78,720 | 610 | 0.98 |
| Hawaii | $74,500 | $49,860 | $117,840 | 4,670 | 0.8 |
| Idaho | $74,730 | $48,170 | $121,820 | 5,570 | 0.7 |
| Illinois | $80,230 | $54,510 | $131,990 | 54,930 | 0.97 |
| Indiana | $77,720 | $50,950 | $125,880 | 25,660 | 0.86 |
| Iowa | $77,440 | $51,420 | $123,700 | 13,210 | 0.91 |
| Kansas | $79,000 | $52,960 | $129,800 | 13,610 | 1.02 |
| Kentucky | $75,270 | $50,750 | $121,230 | 11,930 | 0.64 |
| Louisiana | $73,810 | $48,950 | $117,110 | 14,050 | 0.78 |
| Maine | $77,480 | $55,640 | $125,130 | 3,860 | 0.65 |
| Maryland | $89,370 | $59,760 | $156,660 | 26,170 | 1.02 |
| Massachusetts | $99,460 | $70,460 | $160,100 | 46,230 | 1.36 |
| Michigan | $78,820 | $52,620 | $131,080 | 41,460 | 1.01 |
| Minnesota | $81,600 | $58,280 | $138,960 | 30,530 | 1.11 |
| Mississippi | $68,100 | $45,440 | $120,290 | 7,350 | 0.68 |
| Missouri | $76,590 | $49,290 | $128,300 | 28,000 | 1.02 |
| Montana | $75,810 | $49,250 | $125,290 | 4,730 | 0.99 |
| Nebraska | $72,080 | $48,590 | $114,530 | 10,340 | 1.08 |
| Nevada | $81,600 | $58,630 | $128,760 | 6,930 | 0.48 |
| New Hampshire | $83,470 | $59,920 | $131,110 | 7,000 | 1.1 |
| New Jersey | $100,830 | $65,710 | $167,080 | 42,250 | 1.06 |
| New Mexico | $78,580 | $52,390 | $125,420 | 6,300 | 0.78 |
| New York | $102,640 | $63,700 | $171,030 | 109,830 | 1.22 |
| North Carolina | $82,050 | $53,610 | $146,100 | 49,270 | 1.07 |
| North Dakota | $75,730 | $49,330 | $124,960 | 4,430 | 1.11 |
| Ohio | $79,320 | $52,140 | $131,400 | 50,440 | 0.97 |
| Oklahoma | $79,370 | $47,670 | $155,480 | 16,720 | 1.05 |
| Oregon | $85,800 | $62,590 | $130,650 | 14,920 | 0.81 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,000 | $50,680 | $130,270 | 54,290 | 0.96 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,530 | $27,530 | $77,860 | 12,370 | 1.41 |
| Rhode Island | $95,820 | $59,920 | $150,320 | 6,570 | 1.41 |
| South Carolina | $76,560 | $50,370 | $131,220 | 15,270 | 0.71 |
| South Dakota | $78,880 | $61,190 | $115,470 | 5,820 | 1.36 |
| Tennessee | $76,840 | $49,920 | $122,160 | 27,340 | 0.89 |
| Texas | $80,920 | $53,380 | $132,040 | 116,470 | 0.89 |
| Utah | $79,990 | $48,770 | $131,590 | 15,490 | 0.96 |
| Vermont | $78,890 | $59,770 | $118,800 | 2,630 | 0.93 |
| Virgin Islands | $59,060 | $42,280 | $108,830 | 340 | 1.15 |
| Virginia | $93,290 | $60,000 | $156,730 | 47,100 | 1.23 |
| Washington | $96,550 | $66,330 | $152,310 | 34,740 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | $73,320 | $49,240 | $115,210 | 4,900 | 0.75 |
| Wisconsin | $79,400 | $58,340 | $127,800 | 25,100 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | $77,620 | $50,900 | $126,520 | 2,670 | 1.02 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for accountants and auditors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 115,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 5.5%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for accountants and auditors
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Accounting and Computer Science CIP 30.1601
- Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation CIP 43.0405
- Accounting CIP 52.0301
- Auditing CIP 52.0303
- Accounting and Finance CIP 52.0304
- Accounting and Business/Management CIP 52.0305
- Taxation CIP 52.1601
Licenses and certifications
Certified Management Accountant
Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
Certified Public Accountant
State boards of accountancy (Connecticut State Board of Accountancy, through the CT Department of Consumer Protection); exam by AICPA and NASBA
Enrolled Agent
Internal Revenue Service (IRS); exam delivered by Prometric
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
- Process invoices for payment.
- Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.
- Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.
- Prepare adjusting journal entries.
- Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
- Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.
Technology skills
- Intuit QuickBooks (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Alteryx software (hot technology)
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Google Sheets (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Intuit TurboTax (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Service Orientation, Time Management.
Common job titles: Accountant, Accounting Officer, Audit Partner, Auditor, Cost Accountant, CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Financial Auditor, Financial Reporting Accountant, General Accountant, Internal Auditor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do accountants and auditors make?
The national median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $56,020 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $144,090. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do accountants and auditors need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is accountants and auditors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of accountants and auditors to change +5.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 115,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay accountants and auditors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($111,530), New York ($102,640), New Jersey ($100,830). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.