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Key Takeaways
- The median accountant or auditor earned $83,680 a year ($40.23 an hour) in May 2025 (BLS).
- The lowest-paid 10% earned under $56,020 and the highest-paid 10% earned over $144,090 (BLS).
- Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks had a median of $50,670, and BLS projects their jobs to fall 6% from 2025 to 2035 (BLS).
- Financial managers had a median of $166,570, and BLS projects 10% job growth (BLS).
- Accountants in accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services earned a median of $81,490, versus $93,290 in finance and insurance (BLS).
- Benefits made up 30% of private-industry employer compensation costs in June 2026, so salary is only part of what a hire costs (BLS).
- BLS figures cover all accountants and auditors, not CPAs only, and vary by location.
If you run a CPA firm, accountant salary is a hiring number you need to get right. Pay too little and the offer is declined. Pay too much and the margin disappears.
This page pulls the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) pay data for accountants, bookkeepers and financial managers, shows how firm pay compares with other industries, and explains what a hire really costs once benefits are included.
How much do accountants make?
The median accountant or auditor in the US earned $83,680 a year in May 2025, which is $40.23 an hour, according to the BLS.
Pay spreads widely around that median. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $56,020, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $144,090.
Two limits on the number. The BLS counts all accountants and auditors, not CPAs on their own, so it does not show a CPA license premium. And these are national figures, so pay in your city may be higher or lower. For how accountant pay compares with the typical US worker, see our accountant and CPA shortage statistics.
How does accountant pay compare with bookkeepers and financial managers?
Pay climbs sharply with the level of the role. Bookkeeping clerks have a median of $50,670, accountants and auditors $83,680, and financial managers $166,570.
| Role | Median pay (May 2025) | Lowest 10% earned | Highest 10% earned | Job outlook, 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks | $50,670 | Under $36,000 | Over $74,550 | Down 6% |
| Accountants and auditors | $83,680 | Under $56,020 | Over $144,090 | Up 5% |
| Financial managers | $166,570 | Under $94,310 | Over $323,270 | Up 10% |
The outlook column tells a story too. BLS projects clerk jobs to shrink, while accountant and financial manager jobs are projected to grow. Our read is that demand is shifting toward higher-level roles, which fits with firms being short of experienced staff.
How much do accountants make at CPA firms?
Accountants working in accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services earned a median of $81,490 in May 2025. That is $2,190 below the all-industry median for accountants.
Other industries pay more:
- Finance and insurance: $93,290
- Management of companies and enterprises: $91,940
- Government: $83,350
The median gap between accounting firms and finance and insurance is $11,800. Our read is that this is part of why firms compete so hard for experienced staff, and why they need more than salary to keep people.
What does an accountant really cost a firm?
More than the salary. In June 2026, benefits made up 30.0% of employer compensation costs for private industry workers, and wages and salaries made up 70.0%, according to the BLS.
As a rough illustration, if the same split applied to the median accountant salary of $83,680, total compensation would be around $119,500. That is our own arithmetic on an all-industry average, not a BLS figure for CPA firms, so use your own benefits cost for a real number.
Recruiting, training and management time sit on top of that. We break down the full comparison in CPA firm hiring: build vs. outsource.
What does this mean for CPA firm hiring?
Pay data points to three practical moves.
- Match the role to the pay level. If a task is bookkeeping or reconciliation work, you do not need to pay accountant-level salaries for it. Keep accountant and CPA time for review and advisory work.
- Compete on more than salary. With pay in firms below finance and corporate roles, flexibility, career paths and workload matter. Support for exam candidates helps too, as we explain in our guide to CPA exam pass rates.
- Add capacity without adding a full salary. Repeatable work can be handled by a dedicated offshore team, so your licensed staff can focus on higher-value work.
Etisson places dedicated offshore accounting professionals with US CPA firms. Onboarding takes 48 hours, and you can see the work before you commit with a free 40-hour pilot.
Want to see how offshore capacity would fit your team? Book a free 40-hour pilot call.
Sources
- Accountants and auditors: median pay $83,680 ($40.23 an hour), lowest 10% under $56,020, highest 10% over $144,090, accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services $81,490, finance and insurance $93,290, management of companies $91,940, government $83,350, 5% projected growth 2025 to 2035. (BLS, May 2025 data, page updated 27 Aug 2026) Source
- Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks: median pay $50,670, lowest 10% under $36,000, highest 10% over $74,550, projected change -6% for 2025 to 2035. (BLS, May 2025 data, page updated 27 Aug 2026) Source
- Financial managers: median pay $166,570, lowest 10% under $94,310, highest 10% over $323,270, projected growth 10% for 2025 to 2035. (BLS, May 2025 data, page updated 27 Aug 2026) Source
- Employer costs for employee compensation, private industry, June 2026: wages and salaries 70.0%, benefits 30.0% of total. (BLS, released 9 Sep 2026) Source
FAQs
What is the average accountant salary in 2026?
The BLS reports a median of $83,680 a year for accountants and auditors, based on May 2025 data. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $56,020 and the highest-paid 10% earned over $144,090.
How much do accountants make in an accounting firm?
Accountants in accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services earned a median of $81,490 in May 2025, according to the BLS.
How much do bookkeepers make?
Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks had a median of $50,670 a year in May 2025, according to the BLS.
Which accounting roles pay the most?
Among the roles covered by the BLS, financial managers earn the most, with a median of $166,570 in May 2025.
Does the BLS show CPA salaries?
No. The BLS reports on all accountants and auditors together, so it does not separate out CPAs or show a license premium.
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