Accountants and Auditors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors is $83,680, or $40.23 per hour. About 1,449,500 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $111,530 in District of Columbia to $66,330 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $111,530 | $53.62 | 9,810 | 1.50 |
| 2 | New York | $102,640 | $49.35 | 109,830 | 1.22 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $100,830 | $48.48 | 42,250 | 1.06 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $99,460 | $47.82 | 46,230 | 1.36 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $97,550 | $46.90 | 16,770 | 1.06 |
| 6 | California | $97,050 | $46.66 | 175,360 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Colorado | $97,030 | $46.65 | 35,410 | 1.32 |
| 8 | Washington | $96,550 | $46.42 | 34,740 | 1.05 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $95,820 | $46.07 | 6,570 | 1.41 |
| 10 | Delaware | $95,020 | $45.69 | 6,570 | 1.45 |
| 11 | Virginia | $93,290 | $44.85 | 47,100 | 1.23 |
| 12 | Maryland | $89,370 | $42.97 | 26,170 | 1.02 |
| 13 | Oregon | $85,800 | $41.25 | 14,920 | 0.81 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $83,470 | $40.13 | 7,000 | 1.10 |
| 15 | Alaska | $83,460 | $40.13 | 2,190 | 0.72 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $82,050 | $39.45 | 49,270 | 1.07 |
| 17 | Georgia | $81,900 | $39.37 | 44,020 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Nevada | $81,600 | $39.23 | 6,930 | 0.48 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $81,600 | $39.23 | 30,530 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Texas | $80,920 | $38.91 | 116,470 | 0.89 |
| 21 | Illinois | $80,230 | $38.57 | 54,930 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Utah | $79,990 | $38.46 | 15,490 | 0.96 |
| 23 | Arizona | $79,970 | $38.45 | 27,410 | 0.91 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $79,400 | $38.17 | 25,100 | 0.92 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $79,370 | $38.16 | 16,720 | 1.05 |
| 26 | Ohio | $79,320 | $38.14 | 50,440 | 0.97 |
| 27 | Florida | $79,250 | $38.10 | 91,000 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $79,000 | $37.98 | 54,290 | 0.96 |
| 29 | Kansas | $79,000 | $37.98 | 13,610 | 1.02 |
| 30 | Vermont | $78,890 | $37.93 | 2,630 | 0.93 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $78,880 | $37.92 | 5,820 | 1.36 |
| 32 | Michigan | $78,820 | $37.89 | 41,460 | 1.01 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $78,580 | $37.78 | 6,300 | 0.78 |
| 34 | Indiana | $77,720 | $37.36 | 25,660 | 0.86 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $77,620 | $37.32 | 2,670 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Maine | $77,480 | $37.25 | 3,860 | 0.65 |
| 37 | Iowa | $77,440 | $37.23 | 13,210 | 0.91 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $76,840 | $36.94 | 27,340 | 0.89 |
| 39 | Missouri | $76,590 | $36.82 | 28,000 | 1.02 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $76,560 | $36.81 | 15,270 | 0.71 |
| 41 | Montana | $75,810 | $36.45 | 4,730 | 0.99 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $75,730 | $36.41 | 4,430 | 1.11 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $75,270 | $36.19 | 11,930 | 0.64 |
| 44 | Alabama | $74,880 | $36.00 | 24,300 | 1.23 |
| 45 | Idaho | $74,730 | $35.93 | 5,570 | 0.70 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $74,500 | $35.82 | 4,670 | 0.80 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $73,810 | $35.49 | 14,050 | 0.78 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $73,320 | $35.25 | 4,900 | 0.75 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $72,080 | $34.65 | 10,340 | 1.08 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $68,100 | $32.74 | 7,350 | 0.68 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $66,330 | $31.89 | 7,870 | 0.65 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do accountants and auditors make?
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors in the United States is $83,680, or $40.23 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $56,020, and the top 10% earn $144,090.
How many accountants and auditors are employed in the U.S.?
About 1,449,500 people work as accountants and auditors nationwide.
Which state pays accountants and auditors the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $111,530, followed by New York ($102,640) and New Jersey ($100,830).
Which state pays accountants and auditors the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $66,330.
Where are accountants and auditors jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 1.50×.