Accountant pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical accountant pay ranges from $76,270 in Grand Rapids, MI to $121,700 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Charlotte, NC, Providence, RI.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Accountants and Auditors, SOC 13-2011).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $121,700 | $79,100 |
| 2 | Charlotte, NC | $92,910 | $73,000 |
| 3 | Providence, RI | $95,020 | $71,400 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $100,020 | $71,300 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $99,370 | $70,900 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $95,940 | $70,700 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $110,730 | $69,800 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $85,090 | $69,700 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $102,140 | $68,800 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $100,150 | $68,800 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $83,120 | $68,600 |
| 12 | Memphis, TN | $76,960 | $68,300 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $78,650 | $67,800 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $77,280 | $66,700 |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $80,040 | $66,500 |
| 16 | Nashville, TN | $78,080 | $66,200 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $105,650 | $66,000 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $81,700 | $65,800 |
| 19 | Cincinnati, OH | $80,640 | $65,700 |
| 20 | Cleveland, OH | $80,000 | $65,700 |
| 21 | Buffalo, NY | $82,120 | $65,500 |
| 22 | Las Vegas, NV | $80,530 | $65,400 |
| 23 | Jacksonville, FL | $79,960 | $65,400 |
| 24 | Richmond, VA | $84,220 | $65,400 |
| 25 | Atlanta, GA | $85,820 | $65,300 |
| 26 | Birmingham, AL | $78,660 | $65,200 |
| 27 | Dallas, TX | $82,620 | $64,900 |
| 28 | Sacramento, CA | $92,110 | $64,900 |
| 29 | Raleigh, NC | $81,950 | $64,900 |
| 30 | Milwaukee, WI | $80,290 | $64,400 |
| 31 | San Diego, CA | $96,340 | $64,200 |
| 32 | St. Louis, MO | $78,880 | $63,900 |
| 33 | Tampa, FL | $78,990 | $63,800 |
| 34 | Indianapolis, IN | $79,290 | $63,400 |
| 35 | Orlando, FL | $78,630 | $63,300 |
| 36 | Portland, OR | $92,200 | $62,900 |
| 37 | Louisville, KY | $76,320 | $62,600 |
| 38 | Minneapolis, MN | $86,500 | $62,300 |
| 39 | Salt Lake City, UT | $82,100 | $62,300 |
| 40 | Virginia Beach, VA | $79,450 | $62,300 |
| 41 | Los Angeles, CA | $94,360 | $62,200 |
| 42 | Philadelphia, PA | $85,990 | $61,900 |
| 43 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,820 | $61,800 |
| 44 | Pittsburgh, PA | $76,940 | $61,500 |
| 45 | Grand Rapids, MI | $76,270 | $61,100 |
| 46 | Chicago, IL | $82,360 | $60,700 |
| 47 | Riverside, CA | $83,920 | $60,400 |
| 48 | Detroit, MI | $80,650 | $60,300 |
| 49 | Baltimore, MD | $85,160 | $59,600 |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $80,920 | $57,600 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays accountants the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical accountant pay among the 50 largest US metros: $121,700 a year. The lowest is Grand Rapids, MI at $76,270. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does accountant pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical accountant pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Charlotte, NC, Providence, RI. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $57,600 in typical-US-city dollars.