1
Lead with industry benchmarks
Anchor on the BLS industry average for your track, then name the exact gap between your salary and that benchmark.
Accountant salary gap
Same title, $87,000 difference
Accountants and auditors are one of the largest professional job families in the U.S., but pay varies sharply by industry. Government entry roles sit near the bottom while tech and finance roles push into the top decile. [0]
| Benchmark | Salary | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BLS P10 (Entry, Government) | $50,440/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| BLS Median (All Accountants) | $79,880/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| Public Accounting / Tax Firms | $93,060/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| Management Consulting | $98,970/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| Software Publishers | $126,250/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| Web / Social Media Industry | $122,720-$132,450/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| BLS P90 (Top 10%) | $137,280/yr | BLS OEWS 2023 |
The CPA premium: CPA holders often earn $15,000-$30,000/year more than non-licensed peers in equivalent roles. Moving from government into tech can add $40,000-$55,000/year without changing the underlying work.
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2023, SOC 13-2011; BLS OOH Accountants and Auditors.
Accountant Raise Calculator
Accountant Raise Calculator
The BLS median is $79,880, but tech industry accountants earn $126,250+ and CPA holders can command a $15,000-$30,000 premium. Calculate your raise, find your industry track, and see what you should be earning in your state.
Data timing
Salary data: BLS OEWS May 2023; PayScale 2025; Salary.com Oct 2025; BLS OOH 2024
A 4% raise on $72,000 becomes $74,880, but inflation still matters.
Software publishers average $126,250; New York averages $113,310.
Accountant salary percentiles
Accountant & Auditor Salary Percentiles - BLS OEWS May 2023
The BLS median is $79,880/year, or $38.41/hr. The gap from P10 to P90 is $86,840/year, which is larger than the entire P10 salary itself. Industry, CPA status, and employer type matter more than title alone. [0]
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $50,440/yr | $24.25/hr | Entry-level, government/nonprofit |
| 25th | $62,720/yr | $30.15/hr | Early career, regional firms |
| 50th (Median) | $79,880/yr | $38.41/hr | National median |
| 75th | $103,990/yr | $49.99/hr | Experienced, CPA, corporate |
| 90th | $137,280/yr | $66.00/hr | Senior/Manager, tech/finance |
Industry switch: web/social media and software publishing are the highest-paying accountant-adjacent tracks in the benchmark pack.
Inflation reality check: with CPI at 3.8%, a 3% raise on $79,880 is a real pay cut.
Accountant Raise Calculator
Calculate your raise, industry switch, or Big 4 path
Accounting pay changes most when industry, CPA status, and track all move together.
Your Accountant Raise Results
Current Salary$72,000/year
New Salary$74,880/year (+$2,880)
Raise+4.0%
Take-Home Impact (New York, Single)
Current take-home$4,320/month
New take-home$4,487/month
Monthly gain+$167/month
Annual gain+$2,004/year
Tax drag~30%
Salary Percentile
New
P10P25P50P75P90
Current $72,000~22nd percentile
New $74,880~26th percentile
BLS Median$79,880 Still below
Track avg (Big 4)$93,060 Below
NY state avg$113,310 Far below
Gap to BLS median: -$5,000/year. Gap to Big 4 avg: -$18,180/year. Gap to NY avg: -$38,430/year.
Real Wage Check
Your raise+4.0%
CPI (Apr 2026)3.8%
Real raise+0.2% (+$144/year)
Your raise barely beats inflation by 0.2%. A standard 3% raise would be a real pay cut of -0.8% (-$576/year in purchasing power).
CPA Premium Alert
You indicatedCPA License: Yes
CPA premium vs. non-CPA+$15K-$30K/yr
Your current salary reflects below CPA market rate for Big 4 / New York. Recommended target: $90,000-$100,000.
Below National Median
Your salary of $74,880 is below the BLS median of $79,880. Your industry track average is $93,060. A switch into software publishing averages $126,250.
Industry Track
Accountant Salary by Industry - 2023 BLS Data
The same accounting title can land in government, public accounting, corporate finance, consulting, or tech. That change in industry often moves pay more than a promotion inside the same track.
| Industry Track | Annual Mean | Hourly Mean | vs. Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Search / Social Media | $132,450 | $63.68/hr | +$52,570 |
| Software Publishers | $126,250 | $60.70/hr | +$46,370 |
| Media Streaming / Networks | $122,720 | $59.00/hr | +$42,840 |
| Computer Hardware Manufacturing | $118,090 | $56.77/hr | +$38,210 |
| Oil & Gas Extraction | $104,220 | $50.11/hr | +$24,340 |
| Investment Pools & Funds | $101,920 | $49.00/hr | +$22,040 |
| Management / Scientific Consulting | $98,970 | $47.58/hr | +$19,090 |
| Management of Companies | $93,580 | $44.99/hr | +$13,700 |
| Public Accounting / Tax | $93,060 | $44.74/hr | +$13,180 |
| Real Estate | $87,480 | $42.06/hr | +$7,600 |
| Local Government | $79,220 | $38.09/hr | -$660 |
| National Median | $79,880 | $38.41/hr | - |
Market signal: software publishing tops the table at $126,250/year, while local government sits at $79,220/year.
Negotiation use: a move from government into tech can add roughly $50,000/year without changing the core accounting skill set.
State Pay Table
Accountant Salary by State - 2025
State differences are large enough to change career math. New York and DC sit at the top of this table while South Dakota trails the pack.
| State | Annual Mean | vs. National Median | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $113,310 | +$33,430 | Highest |
| District of Columbia | $113,190 | +$33,310 | - |
| New Jersey | $110,700 | +$30,820 | - |
| California | $100,560 | +$20,680 | - |
| Massachusetts | $99,360 | +$19,480 | - |
| Rhode Island | $99,020 | +$19,140 | - |
| Virginia | $91,290 | +$11,410 | - |
| Texas | $88,820 | +$8,940 | - |
| Pennsylvania | $83,760 | +$3,880 | - |
| Florida | $83,430 | +$3,550 | - |
| National Median | $79,880 | - | BLS OEWS 2023 |
| South Dakota | $77,840 | -$2,040 | Lowest in this table |
State gap: New York pays $113,310/year, while South Dakota averages $77,840/year. That is a $35,470 annual gap before cost-of-living adjustment. [0]
Experience & Credentials
Accountant Salary by Experience and CPA Premium
The largest step-up usually happens at the Senior Accountant to Accounting Manager transition. CPA status is the accelerant that makes that promotion easier to unlock.
| Level / Experience | Typical Salary Range | CPA Premium | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (0-2 yr, no CPA) | $47,000-$62,000 | - | PayScale P10-to-median range |
| Entry (0-2 yr, CPA) | $60,000-$75,000 | +$13K-$15K | License premium shows up early |
| Staff Accountant (2-4 yr) | $55,000-$72,000 | Emerging | Default calculator experience band |
| Senior Accountant (4-7 yr) | $72,000-$95,000 | +$15K-$20K | CPA starts separating promotion paths |
| Accounting Manager (7-12 yr) | $95,000-$130,000 | Often required | Senior-to-manager inflection point |
| Controller (10-15 yr) | $120,000-$175,000 | CPA standard | Financial reporting owner |
| CFO / VP Finance (15+ yr) | $175,000-$350,000+ | CPA + MBA typical | Executive finance leadership |
CPA inflection: the biggest premium appears at Senior Accountant to Accounting Manager, where many employers either require CPA or use it as the promotion gate.
Level signal: a CPA can also widen access to Controller and CFO tracks that are simply harder to reach without licensure.
Negotiation Guide
How to Negotiate a Raise as an Accountant or CPA
Start with market numbers, not feelings. Then show the real wage loss, the CPA premium, the industry alternative, and the state benchmark.
2
Quantify real wage loss
With CPI at 3.8%, a 3% raise is a real pay cut. Ask for a raise that at least preserves buying power.
3
Leverage your CPA premium
If you hold a CPA, connect the credential to audit quality, reporting risk, and the $15K-$30K market premium.
4
Present the industry alternative
Use tech, consulting, or public accounting benchmarks as a credible alternative without making the conversation adversarial.
5
Anchor to state market rate
Compare your pay with your state average, especially in high-paying markets like New York, DC, New Jersey, and California.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers stay anchored to BLS first, then industry track, then CPA premium and state differences.
What is the average accountant salary in 2025-2026?
BLS OEWS May 2023 reports a national median of $79,880/year, or $38.41/hour, for accountants and auditors. The mean is $90,780/year because higher-paying technology and finance roles pull the average upward [0].
Which industry pays accountants the most?
The highest BLS OEWS 2023 industry benchmarks in this page are Web Search / Social Media at $132,450/year, Software Publishers at $126,250/year, Media Streaming / Networks at $122,720/year, Computer Hardware Manufacturing at $118,090/year, and Oil & Gas Extraction at $104,220/year [0].
How much does a CPA license increase salary?
A CPA license is commonly associated with a $15,000-$30,000 annual salary premium over non-licensed accountants in equivalent roles. The premium is largest around the Senior Accountant to Accounting Manager transition, where CPA status often becomes a promotion gate.
What is the Big 4 salary progression?
Typical Big 4 ranges are Staff $60K-$75K, Senior Associate $80K-$100K, Manager $110K-$140K, Senior Manager $140K-$175K, Director $175K-$220K, and Partner $300K-$500K+. NYC, SF, and Chicago offices typically pay above national public accounting averages.
What is the job outlook for accountants?
The S-14 benchmark uses a 4% accountant and auditor employment growth outlook for 2023-2033. BLS OOH pages update over time; the current OOH should be checked before refreshing this page's job outlook language [3].
How much do accountants earn in New York vs. other states?
New York leads this state table at $113,310/year, followed by District of Columbia at $113,190, New Jersey at $110,700, California at $100,560, and South Dakota at $77,840. The NY-to-SD gap is $35,470/year [0].
Is a 3% raise good for an accountant?
With CPI at 3.8%, a 3% raise is a real pay cut of about -0.8%. On a $79,880 salary, that is roughly $639/year of lost purchasing power before considering industry, state, and CPA benchmark gaps.
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Sources
Data Sources
Salary data: BLS OEWS May 2023; PayScale 2025; Salary.com Oct 2025; BLS OOH 2024.
[0] BLS OEWS May 2023, SOC 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors
Employment 1,435,770; mean $90,780/year; P10 $50,440; P25 $62,720; P50 $79,880; P75 $103,990; P90 $137,280; industry and state salary tables.
[1] PayScale General Accountant Salary
Directional context for non-CPA and entry-level accountant compensation, updated frequently and best used as a lower-end market signal.
[2] Salary.com Accountant I Salary
Directional early-career benchmark for Accountant I roles; useful for comparing entry-level accounting compensation against the BLS median.
[3] BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Accountants and Auditors
Current outlook and qualification guidance, including the CPA and degree requirements that shape accountant compensation paths.