Median pay for accountants runs from $36,030 in Guayama to $121,700 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara — a 3.38× range across 528 metropolitan areas. The national median of $83,680 sits inside that range but describes no particular market.
Ten per cent of accountants earn below $56,020 and ten per cent above $144,090 — a 2.57× band. The upside from median to 90th percentile is 72%, which is a normal amount of room for experience and specialisation to matter. An offer below the 25th percentile is worth questioning; one above the 75th is worth taking seriously.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) leads and Guayama (PR) trails, but the gap is modest. For a role like this the more useful comparison is not between cities but between the 10th and 90th percentile within one — see the band above.
| Metropolitan area | Median | Hourly | LQ | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA | $121,700 | $58.51 | 1.25 | 13,180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA | $110,730 | $53.24 | 1.14 | 25,170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ | $105,650 | $50.80 | 1.27 | 111,930 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV | $102,140 | $49.11 | 1.42 | 41,470 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury CT | $102,020 | $49.05 | 1.33 | 5,000 |
| Midland TX | $100,890 | $48.51 | 1.08 | 1,240 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna WV | $100,420 | $48.28 | 1.64 | 550 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH | $100,150 | $48.15 | 1.47 | 37,150 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial CO | $100,020 | $48.09 | 1.51 | 22,720 |
| Boulder CO | $99,990 | $48.07 | 1.33 | 2,380 |
| Napa CA | $99,640 | $47.91 | 0.72 | 520 |
| Trenton-Princeton NJ | $99,550 | $47.86 | 1.29 | 2,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA | $99,370 | $47.78 | 1.14 | 22,100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad CA | $96,340 | $46.32 | 0.94 | 13,450 |
| Barnstable Town MA | $96,110 | $46.21 | 0.86 | 760 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford CT | $95,940 | $46.12 | 1.21 | 6,780 |
| Vallejo CA | $95,800 | $46.06 | 0.51 | 690 |
| Providence-Warwick RI-MA | $95,020 | $45.68 | 1.24 | 8,250 |
| New Haven CT | $94,960 | $45.65 | 0.76 | 2,000 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma CA | $94,690 | $45.53 | 0.91 | 1,740 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater WA | $94,470 | $45.42 | 1.09 | 1,330 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA | $94,360 | $45.36 | 1.21 | 70,640 |
| Worcester MA | $94,070 | $45.23 | 0.95 | 3,090 |
| Carson City NV | $93,560 | $44.98 | 0.82 | 240 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $93,320 | $44.87 | 0.82 | 310 |
| Metropolitan area | Median | Hourly | LQ | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guayama PR | $36,030 | $17.32 | 0.44 | 50 |
| Puerto Rico nonmetropolitan area | $36,270 | $17.44 | 0.67 | 180 |
| Arecibo PR | $36,680 | $17.64 | 1.03 | 330 |
| Aguadilla PR | $36,880 | $17.73 | 1.02 | 470 |
| Ponce PR | $37,980 | $18.26 | 0.99 | 590 |
| Mayaguez PR | $38,490 | $18.51 | 0.86 | 420 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas PR | $44,470 | $21.38 | 1.59 | 10,260 |
| Hot Springs AR | $59,770 | $28.74 | 0.52 | 190 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $60,690 | $29.18 | 0.47 | 300 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $60,980 | $29.32 | 0.38 | 420 |
| Metropolitan area | Median | Hourly | LQ | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield IL | $86,440 | $41.56 | 1.7 | 1,600 |
| Montgomery AL | $75,040 | $36.08 | 1.64 | 2,530 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna WV | $100,420 | $48.28 | 1.64 | 550 |
| West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $76,590 | $36.82 | 1.63 | 950 |
| Birmingham AL | $78,660 | $37.82 | 1.61 | 7,790 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas PR | $44,470 | $21.38 | 1.59 | 10,260 |
| Cheyenne WY | $74,050 | $35.60 | 1.55 | 700 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial CO | $100,020 | $48.09 | 1.51 | 22,720 |
| Jefferson City MO | $64,040 | $30.79 | 1.5 | 1,120 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH | $100,150 | $48.15 | 1.47 | 37,150 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV | $102,140 | $49.11 | 1.42 | 41,470 |
| Sioux Falls SD-MN | $80,920 | $38.91 | 1.42 | 2,370 |
| Metropolitan area | Median | Hourly | LQ | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ | $105,650 | $50.80 | 1.27 | 111,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA | $94,360 | $45.36 | 1.21 | 70,640 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV | $102,140 | $49.11 | 1.42 | 41,470 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN | $82,360 | $39.60 | 0.98 | 41,360 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington TX | $82,620 | $39.72 | 0.99 | 37,450 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH | $100,150 | $48.15 | 1.47 | 37,150 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach FL | $80,920 | $38.91 | 1.18 | 30,950 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell GA | $85,820 | $41.26 | 1.12 | 30,150 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD | $85,990 | $41.34 | 1.09 | 29,370 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands TX | $85,090 | $40.91 | 0.93 | 28,400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA | $110,730 | $53.24 | 1.14 | 25,170 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial CO | $100,020 | $48.09 | 1.51 | 22,720 |
Figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics programme, May 2025 release, SOC code 13-2011. OEWS surveys employers, so it reports what is actually paid rather than what job advertisements claim, and it excludes the self-employed. Estimates cover 528 of 528 metropolitan areas — near-complete coverage, which means the ranges above are reliable rather than drawn from a handful of markets. Read the methodology.