Accountants and Auditors
Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) earn a median $83,680 a year ($40.23 an hour) in the United States, with 1,449,500 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What accountants and auditors do
Accountants and auditors prepare, examine, and interpret financial records. Accountants keep and organize the books, prepare financial statements, and advise on costs and budgets. Auditors examine statements prepared by others to confirm that they are accurate and that the controls behind them are sound. Auditors write up what they find, tell management how assets are being used and what the audit showed, and suggest changes. They look through data for weak controls, duplicated effort, and wasteful spending, and check ledgers and accounting systems for efficiency. Accountants and auditors may also install or advise on systems that record costs and budgetary data. The occupation excludes tax examiners and collectors and revenue agents, and it differs from tax preparers, who prepare returns. It differs from financial managers, who direct a finance unit, and from bookkeeping clerks. Auditors also inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate, and they confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
Also called: Account Auditor, Accountant, Accounting Associate, Accounting Auditor, Accounting Consultant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $26.93 | $32.22 | $40.23 | $52.80 | $69.27 | $45.56 | 1,449,500 |
| Annual | $56,020 | $67,020 | $83,680 | $109,810 | $144,090 | $94,750 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where accountants and auditors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $34.36 | $39.93 | $53.62 | $75.35 | $89.05 | $58.98 | 9,810 | 13.97 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $71,470 | $83,050 | $111,530 | $156,730 | $185,220 | $122,680 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $30.63 | $38.35 | $49.35 | $64.82 | $82.22 | $54.84 | 109,830 | 11.34 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $63,700 | $79,760 | $102,640 | $134,820 | $171,030 | $114,070 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $31.59 | $38.62 | $48.48 | $62.15 | $80.33 | $53.17 | 42,250 | 9.86 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $65,710 | $80,320 | $100,830 | $129,280 | $167,080 | $110,590 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $33.88 | $38.16 | $47.82 | $61.81 | $76.97 | $51.53 | 46,230 | 12.71 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $70,460 | $79,370 | $99,460 | $128,560 | $160,100 | $107,170 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $30.88 | $37.51 | $46.90 | $59.46 | $75.32 | $48.95 | 16,770 | 9.89 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $64,230 | $78,020 | $97,550 | $123,670 | $156,670 | $101,810 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $29.70 | $36.45 | $46.66 | $60.51 | $77.17 | $49.89 | 175,360 | 9.63 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $61,770 | $75,810 | $97,050 | $125,850 | $160,520 | $103,760 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $25.67 | $31.52 | $38.91 | $49.89 | $63.48 | $43.45 | 116,470 | 8.28 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $53,380 | $65,560 | $80,920 | $103,760 | $132,040 | $90,370 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $30.63 | $38.35 | $49.35 | $64.82 | $82.22 | $54.84 | 109,830 | 11.34 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $63,700 | $79,760 | $102,640 | $134,820 | $171,030 | $114,070 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $24.17 | $30.16 | $38.10 | $49.59 | $63.43 | $42.41 | 91,000 | 9.16 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $50,280 | $62,730 | $79,250 | $103,140 | $131,930 | $88,210 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $26.21 | $31.87 | $38.57 | $49.17 | $63.46 | $42.74 | 54,930 | 9.01 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $54,510 | $66,290 | $80,230 | $102,270 | $131,990 | $88,910 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $37.71 | $46.36 | $58.51 | $75.34 | $94.66 | $61.79 | 13,180 | 11.62 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $78,440 | $96,430 | $121,700 | $156,700 | $196,890 | $128,520 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $35.30 | $42.70 | $53.24 | $69.03 | $86.57 | $58.07 | 25,170 | 10.60 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $73,420 | $88,820 | $110,730 | $143,590 | $180,060 | $120,780 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $34.54 | $39.82 | $50.80 | $66.10 | $84.01 | $57.35 | 111,930 | 11.79 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $71,850 | $82,830 | $105,650 | $137,490 | $174,750 | $119,280 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $32.46 | $38.46 | $49.11 | $64.15 | $82.20 | $54.63 | 41,470 | 13.22 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $67,530 | $79,990 | $102,140 | $133,430 | $170,980 | $113,640 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $33.31 | $39.43 | $49.05 | $64.32 | $80.58 | $53.68 | 5,000 | 12.36 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $69,290 | $82,020 | $102,020 | $133,790 | $167,610 | $111,650 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $34.54 | $39.82 | $50.80 | $66.10 | $84.01 | $57.35 | 111,930 | 11.79 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $71,850 | $82,830 | $105,650 | $137,490 | $174,750 | $119,280 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $29.00 | $35.61 | $45.36 | $58.79 | $74.34 | $47.95 | 70,640 | 11.26 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $60,310 | $74,060 | $94,360 | $122,290 | $154,630 | $99,740 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $32.46 | $38.46 | $49.11 | $64.15 | $82.20 | $54.63 | 41,470 | 13.22 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $67,530 | $79,990 | $102,140 | $133,430 | $170,980 | $113,640 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $28.62 | $34.75 | $39.60 | $49.58 | $64.47 | $44.22 | 41,360 | 9.17 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $59,530 | $72,280 | $82,360 | $103,120 | $134,100 | $91,990 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $27.86 | $34.19 | $39.72 | $50.07 | $64.20 | $44.48 | 37,450 | 9.25 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $57,940 | $71,100 | $82,620 | $104,150 | $133,540 | $92,520 | ||||
Top industries employing accountants and auditors
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services employ 22.8% of accountants and auditors nationally (330,500 jobs) at a median $81,490 a year ($39.18 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (7.3%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (3.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services NAICS 541200 | 330,500 | 22.8% | $81,490 | $39.18 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 105,120 | 7.3% | $91,940 | $44.20 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 52,100 | 3.6% | $80,310 | $38.61 |
| Real Estate NAICS 531000 | 46,620 | 3.2% | $87,580 | $42.11 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 45,700 | 3.2% | $91,720 | $44.10 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (1,449,500). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $77,250 for accountants and auditors in May 2021 and $83,680 in May 2025, with employment of 1,318,550 and 1,449,500.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $77,250 | $37.14 | 1,318,550 |
| May 2022 | $78,000 | $37.50 | 1,402,420 |
| May 2023 | $79,880 | $38.41 | 1,435,770 |
| May 2024 | $81,680 | $39.27 | 1,448,290 |
| May 2025 | $83,680 | $40.23 | 1,449,500 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $53.62 | $111,530 | $71,470 | $185,220 | 9,810 | 13.97 | 1.50 |
| 2 | New York profile | $49.35 | $102,640 | $63,700 | $171,030 | 109,830 | 11.34 | 1.22 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $48.48 | $100,830 | $65,710 | $167,080 | 42,250 | 9.86 | 1.06 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $47.82 | $99,460 | $70,460 | $160,100 | 46,230 | 12.71 | 1.36 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $46.90 | $97,550 | $64,230 | $156,670 | 16,770 | 9.89 | 1.06 |
| 6 | California profile | $46.66 | $97,050 | $61,770 | $160,520 | 175,360 | 9.63 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $46.65 | $97,030 | $60,760 | $162,160 | 35,410 | 12.32 | 1.32 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $46.42 | $96,550 | $66,330 | $152,310 | 34,740 | 9.78 | 1.05 |
| 9 | Rhode Island profile | $46.07 | $95,820 | $59,920 | $150,320 | 6,570 | 13.10 | 1.41 |
| 10 | Delaware profile | $45.69 | $95,020 | $60,500 | $132,550 | 6,570 | 13.55 | 1.45 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $44.85 | $93,290 | $60,000 | $156,730 | 47,100 | 11.46 | 1.23 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $42.97 | $89,370 | $59,760 | $156,660 | 26,170 | 9.47 | 1.02 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $41.25 | $85,800 | $62,590 | $130,650 | 14,920 | 7.59 | 0.81 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $40.13 | $83,470 | $59,920 | $131,110 | 7,000 | 10.24 | 1.10 |
| 15 | Alaska profile | $40.13 | $83,460 | $57,690 | $125,810 | 2,190 | 6.72 | 0.72 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | $39.45 | $82,050 | $53,610 | $146,100 | 49,270 | 9.97 | 1.07 |
| 17 | Georgia profile | $39.37 | $81,900 | $51,830 | $145,960 | 44,020 | 9.00 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Minnesota profile | $39.23 | $81,600 | $58,280 | $138,960 | 30,530 | 10.35 | 1.11 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $39.23 | $81,600 | $58,630 | $128,760 | 6,930 | 4.47 | 0.48 |
| 20 | Texas profile | $38.91 | $80,920 | $53,380 | $132,040 | 116,470 | 8.28 | 0.89 |
| 21 | Illinois profile | $38.57 | $80,230 | $54,510 | $131,990 | 54,930 | 9.01 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $38.46 | $79,990 | $48,770 | $131,590 | 15,490 | 8.92 | 0.96 |
| 23 | Arizona profile | $38.45 | $79,970 | $55,430 | $128,890 | 27,410 | 8.46 | 0.91 |
| 24 | Wisconsin profile | $38.17 | $79,400 | $58,340 | $127,800 | 25,100 | 8.53 | 0.92 |
| 25 | Oklahoma profile | $38.16 | $79,370 | $47,670 | $155,480 | 16,720 | 9.79 | 1.05 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $38.14 | $79,320 | $52,140 | $131,400 | 50,440 | 9.09 | 0.97 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $38.10 | $79,250 | $50,280 | $131,930 | 91,000 | 9.16 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Kansas profile | $37.98 | $79,000 | $52,960 | $129,800 | 13,610 | 9.47 | 1.02 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $37.98 | $79,000 | $50,680 | $130,270 | 54,290 | 8.95 | 0.96 |
| 30 | Vermont profile | $37.93 | $78,890 | $59,770 | $118,800 | 2,630 | 8.66 | 0.93 |
| 31 | South Dakota profile | $37.92 | $78,880 | $61,190 | $115,470 | 5,820 | 12.72 | 1.36 |
| 32 | Michigan profile | $37.89 | $78,820 | $52,620 | $131,080 | 41,460 | 9.42 | 1.01 |
| 33 | New Mexico profile | $37.78 | $78,580 | $52,390 | $125,420 | 6,300 | 7.24 | 0.78 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $37.36 | $77,720 | $50,950 | $125,880 | 25,660 | 8.02 | 0.86 |
| 35 | Wyoming profile | $37.32 | $77,620 | $50,900 | $126,520 | 2,670 | 9.50 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Maine profile | $37.25 | $77,480 | $55,640 | $125,130 | 3,860 | 6.02 | 0.65 |
| 37 | Iowa profile | $37.23 | $77,440 | $51,420 | $123,700 | 13,210 | 8.47 | 0.91 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $36.94 | $76,840 | $49,920 | $122,160 | 27,340 | 8.34 | 0.89 |
| 39 | Missouri profile | $36.82 | $76,590 | $49,290 | $128,300 | 28,000 | 9.54 | 1.02 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $36.81 | $76,560 | $50,370 | $131,220 | 15,270 | 6.62 | 0.71 |
| 41 | Montana profile | $36.45 | $75,810 | $49,250 | $125,290 | 4,730 | 9.25 | 0.99 |
| 42 | North Dakota profile | $36.41 | $75,730 | $49,330 | $124,960 | 4,430 | 10.31 | 1.11 |
| 43 | Kentucky profile | $36.19 | $75,270 | $50,750 | $121,230 | 11,930 | 5.96 | 0.64 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $36.00 | $74,880 | $50,240 | $123,170 | 24,300 | 11.50 | 1.23 |
| 45 | Idaho profile | $35.93 | $74,730 | $48,170 | $121,820 | 5,570 | 6.50 | 0.70 |
| 46 | Hawaii profile | $35.82 | $74,500 | $49,860 | $117,840 | 4,670 | 7.44 | 0.80 |
| 47 | Louisiana profile | $35.49 | $73,810 | $48,950 | $117,110 | 14,050 | 7.26 | 0.78 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $35.25 | $73,320 | $49,240 | $115,210 | 4,900 | 6.98 | 0.75 |
| 49 | Nebraska profile | $34.65 | $72,080 | $48,590 | $114,530 | 10,340 | 10.09 | 1.08 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $32.74 | $68,100 | $45,440 | $120,290 | 7,350 | 6.32 | 0.68 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $31.89 | $66,330 | $45,810 | $119,520 | 7,870 | 6.04 | 0.65 |
Part of Business and Financial Operations Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 13-2011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 13-2011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.