Accountant Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)
By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026
Accountants and auditors earn a median of $83,680 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $66,330 in Arkansas to $111,530 in District of Columbia.
Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records, check that they are accurate and that taxes are paid correctly. The table below covers all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. median
$83,680
Highest: District of Columbia
$111,530
Lowest: Arkansas
$66,330
Employed in the U.S.
1,449,500
Accountant pay in every state
Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of accountants and auditors in the state earn within it.
| Rank | State | Median | Average | Typical range | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $111,530 | $122,680 | $71,470 – $185,220 | 9,810 |
| 2 | New York | $102,640 | $114,070 | $63,700 – $171,030 | 109,830 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $100,830 | $110,590 | $65,710 – $167,080 | 42,250 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $99,460 | $107,170 | $70,460 – $160,100 | 46,230 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $97,550 | $101,810 | $64,230 – $156,670 | 16,770 |
| 6 | California | $97,050 | $103,760 | $61,770 – $160,520 | 175,360 |
| 7 | Colorado | $97,030 | $103,150 | $60,760 – $162,160 | 35,410 |
| 8 | Washington | $96,550 | $102,700 | $66,330 – $152,310 | 34,740 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $95,820 | $99,880 | $59,920 – $150,320 | 6,570 |
| 10 | Delaware | $95,020 | $97,930 | $60,500 – $132,550 | 6,570 |
| 11 | Virginia | $93,290 | $100,660 | $60,000 – $156,730 | 47,100 |
| 12 | Maryland | $89,370 | $98,210 | $59,760 – $156,660 | 26,170 |
| 13 | Oregon | $85,800 | $93,870 | $62,590 – $130,650 | 14,920 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $83,470 | $92,570 | $59,920 – $131,110 | 7,000 |
| 15 | Alaska | $83,460 | $90,350 | $57,690 – $125,810 | 2,190 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $82,050 | $93,810 | $53,610 – $146,100 | 49,270 |
| 17 | Georgia | $81,900 | $93,640 | $51,830 – $145,960 | 44,020 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $81,600 | $94,060 | $58,280 – $138,960 | 30,530 |
| 19 | Nevada | $81,600 | $89,310 | $58,630 – $128,760 | 6,930 |
| 20 | Texas | $80,920 | $90,370 | $53,380 – $132,040 | 116,470 |
| 21 | Illinois | $80,230 | $88,910 | $54,510 – $131,990 | 54,930 |
| 22 | Utah | $79,990 | $87,700 | $48,770 – $131,590 | 15,490 |
| 23 | Arizona | $79,970 | $88,400 | $55,430 – $128,890 | 27,410 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $79,400 | $87,870 | $58,340 – $127,800 | 25,100 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $79,370 | $91,350 | $47,670 – $155,480 | 16,720 |
| 26 | Ohio | $79,320 | $88,280 | $52,140 – $131,400 | 50,440 |
| 27 | Florida | $79,250 | $88,210 | $50,280 – $131,930 | 91,000 |
| 28 | Kansas | $79,000 | $86,130 | $52,960 – $129,800 | 13,610 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $79,000 | $86,070 | $50,680 – $130,270 | 54,290 |
| 30 | Vermont | $78,890 | $85,280 | $59,770 – $118,800 | 2,630 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $78,880 | $85,030 | $61,190 – $115,470 | 5,820 |
| 32 | Michigan | $78,820 | $86,990 | $52,620 – $131,080 | 41,460 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $78,580 | $84,320 | $52,390 – $125,420 | 6,300 |
| 34 | Indiana | $77,720 | $84,000 | $50,950 – $125,880 | 25,660 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $77,620 | $83,820 | $50,900 – $126,520 | 2,670 |
| 36 | Maine | $77,480 | $84,880 | $55,640 – $125,130 | 3,860 |
| 37 | Iowa | $77,440 | $83,640 | $51,420 – $123,700 | 13,210 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $76,840 | $82,260 | $49,920 – $122,160 | 27,340 |
| 39 | Missouri | $76,590 | $83,180 | $49,290 – $128,300 | 28,000 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $76,560 | $85,390 | $50,370 – $131,220 | 15,270 |
| 41 | Montana | $75,810 | $82,750 | $49,250 – $125,290 | 4,730 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $75,730 | $80,090 | $49,330 – $124,960 | 4,430 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $75,270 | $80,790 | $50,750 – $121,230 | 11,930 |
| 44 | Alabama | $74,880 | $81,080 | $50,240 – $123,170 | 24,300 |
| 45 | Idaho | $74,730 | $79,940 | $48,170 – $121,820 | 5,570 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $74,500 | $79,300 | $49,860 – $117,840 | 4,670 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $73,810 | $79,130 | $48,950 – $117,110 | 14,050 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $73,320 | $78,020 | $49,240 – $115,210 | 4,900 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $72,080 | $77,660 | $48,590 – $114,530 | 10,340 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $68,100 | $77,680 | $45,440 – $120,290 | 7,350 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $66,330 | $76,980 | $45,810 – $119,520 | 7,870 |
| United States | $83,680 | $94,750 | $56,020 – $144,090 | 1,449,500 |
Common questions
How much do accountants and auditors make in the U.S.?
The national median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025, with an average of $94,750. The middle 80% earned between $56,020 and $144,090.
Which state pays accountants and auditors the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $111,530 a year. Of the 51 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 13 pay above the national median.
Which state pays accountants and auditors the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median wage at $66,330 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.
Which state employs the most accountants and auditors?
California employs the most, about 175,360.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 13-2011. Figures are annual wages for employed accountants and auditors and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.