SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data. Excludes “Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents” (13-2081).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 13-2011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $56,020 | $4,668 | $1,077 | $26.93 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $67,020 | $5,585 | $1,289 | $32.22 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $83,680 | $6,973 | $1,609 | $40.23 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $109,810 | $9,151 | $2,112 | $52.80 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $144,090 | $12,008 | $2,771 | $69.27 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Accountants and Auditors is $83,680, which is 64% higher. Among the 32 occupations of the field Business and Financial Operations, it ranks number 9 by median pay. With 1,449,500 jobs, it makes up about 93 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($94,750) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Accountants and Auditors pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($111,530), New York ($102,640) and New Jersey ($100,830). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($43,530), Guam ($50,410) and Virgin Islands ($59,060). The most jobs were in California (175,360), Texas (116,470) and New York (109,830). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 1.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 9,810 | $111,530 | $122,680 | $53.62 |
| New York | 109,830 | $102,640 | $114,070 | $49.35 |
| New Jersey | 42,250 | $100,830 | $110,590 | $48.48 |
| Massachusetts | 46,230 | $99,460 | $107,170 | $47.82 |
| Connecticut | 16,770 | $97,550 | $101,810 | $46.90 |
| California | 175,360 | $97,050 | $103,760 | $46.66 |
| Colorado | 35,410 | $97,030 | $103,150 | $46.65 |
| Washington | 34,740 | $96,550 | $102,700 | $46.42 |
| Rhode Island | 6,570 | $95,820 | $99,880 | $46.07 |
| Delaware | 6,570 | $95,020 | $97,930 | $45.69 |
| Virginia | 47,100 | $93,290 | $100,660 | $44.85 |
| Maryland | 26,170 | $89,370 | $98,210 | $42.97 |
| Oregon | 14,920 | $85,800 | $93,870 | $41.25 |
| New Hampshire | 7,000 | $83,470 | $92,570 | $40.13 |
| Alaska | 2,190 | $83,460 | $90,350 | $40.13 |
| North Carolina | 49,270 | $82,050 | $93,810 | $39.45 |
| Georgia | 44,020 | $81,900 | $93,640 | $39.37 |
| Minnesota | 30,530 | $81,600 | $94,060 | $39.23 |
| Nevada | 6,930 | $81,600 | $89,310 | $39.23 |
| Texas | 116,470 | $80,920 | $90,370 | $38.91 |
| Illinois | 54,930 | $80,230 | $88,910 | $38.57 |
| Utah | 15,490 | $79,990 | $87,700 | $38.46 |
| Arizona | 27,410 | $79,970 | $88,400 | $38.45 |
| Wisconsin | 25,100 | $79,400 | $87,870 | $38.17 |
| Oklahoma | 16,720 | $79,370 | $91,350 | $38.16 |
| Ohio | 50,440 | $79,320 | $88,280 | $38.14 |
| Florida | 91,000 | $79,250 | $88,210 | $38.10 |
| Kansas | 13,610 | $79,000 | $86,130 | $37.98 |
| Pennsylvania | 54,290 | $79,000 | $86,070 | $37.98 |
| Vermont | 2,630 | $78,890 | $85,280 | $37.93 |
| South Dakota | 5,820 | $78,880 | $85,030 | $37.92 |
| Michigan | 41,460 | $78,820 | $86,990 | $37.89 |
| New Mexico | 6,300 | $78,580 | $84,320 | $37.78 |
| Indiana | 25,660 | $77,720 | $84,000 | $37.36 |
| Wyoming | 2,670 | $77,620 | $83,820 | $37.32 |
| Maine | 3,860 | $77,480 | $84,880 | $37.25 |
| Iowa | 13,210 | $77,440 | $83,640 | $37.23 |
| Tennessee | 27,340 | $76,840 | $82,260 | $36.94 |
| Missouri | 28,000 | $76,590 | $83,180 | $36.82 |
| South Carolina | 15,270 | $76,560 | $85,390 | $36.81 |
| Montana | 4,730 | $75,810 | $82,750 | $36.45 |
| North Dakota | 4,430 | $75,730 | $80,090 | $36.41 |
| Kentucky | 11,930 | $75,270 | $80,790 | $36.19 |
| Alabama | 24,300 | $74,880 | $81,080 | $36.00 |
| Idaho | 5,570 | $74,730 | $79,940 | $35.93 |
| Hawaii | 4,670 | $74,500 | $79,300 | $35.82 |
| Louisiana | 14,050 | $73,810 | $79,130 | $35.49 |
| West Virginia | 4,900 | $73,320 | $78,020 | $35.25 |
| Nebraska | 10,340 | $72,080 | $77,660 | $34.65 |
| Mississippi | 7,350 | $68,100 | $77,680 | $32.74 |
| Arkansas | 7,870 | $66,330 | $76,980 | $31.89 |
| Virgin Islands | 340 | $59,060 | $67,870 | $28.39 |
| Guam | 610 | $50,410 | $55,510 | $24.24 |
| Puerto Rico | 12,370 | $43,530 | $49,470 | $20.93 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Labor Relations Specialists$95,420 a year
- Financial Examiners$94,160 a year
- Budget Analysts$91,640 a year
- Credit Analysts$83,510 a year
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other$83,050 a year
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$82,890 a year
Common questions
How much do Accountants and Auditors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $83,680 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $56,020 and the highest-paid 10% more than $144,090.
How many people work as Accountants and Auditors?
About 1,449,500 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.