Accountant pay in San Jose, CA
Accountants in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a typical $121,700 a year. The middle half earn $96,430 to $156,700, and the top 10% earn more than $196,890. About 13,180 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Accountants and Auditors, SOC 13-2011).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $78,440 |
| 25th percentile | $96,430 |
| Median (typical) | $121,700 |
| 75th percentile | $156,700 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $196,890 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 1 of 50 large metros for accountants before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $121,700, a single filer keeps about $87,400 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Jose are 10% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $79,100 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Jose No. 1 of 50 large metros for accountants after cost of living.
Where accountants’ pay goes furthest
- Charlotte, NC$92,910 typical · worth $73k
- Providence, RI$95,020 typical · worth $71.4k
- Denver, CO$100,020 typical · worth $71.3k
- Seattle, WA$99,370 typical · worth $70.9k
All 50 metros for accountants →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among accountants in San Jose. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 10 employers here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a accountant make in San Jose, CA?
The typical (median) accountant in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earns $121,700 a year. The middle half earn between $96,430 and $156,700, and the top 10% earn more than $196,890. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a accountant in San Jose?
Anything above $121,700 pays more than half of accountants in San Jose. $156,700 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $196,890 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a accountant in San Jose take home after taxes?
At the typical $121,700, a single filer keeps about $87,400 a year ($7,280 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 10% above the US average, that buys what $79,100 would in a typical US city.
Where do accountants get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical accountant pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in Charlotte, NC, Providence, RI, Denver, CO. San Jose, CA ranks No. 1.
More: Accountant pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Jose, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.