Accountant Salary by State
States have differing populations, businesses and demands for financial services. Thus, the average accountant salary varies by location. Click the map from the U.S. Department of Labor to view a larger version.
Highest Wages
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following three states have the highest average accountant salary as of May 2011. (Compare this to the average accountant salary and CPA salary.) In all cases, accountants earn far more than the average state wage.
- New York has a population of over 19.4 million, making it the third most populous state.
It also has the third largest highest mean wage at $24.86 per hour or $51,700 for its 8.3 million workers.
This state boasts the highest means of $40.90 per hour or $86,030 per year for its over 92,000 accountants. - New Jersey comes in at number 11 for population with over 8.8 million individuals.
It ranks fifth for mean wages, which are $24.39 per hour or $50,730 per year for 3.7 million workers.
The average accountant pay is $39.06 per hour or $81,250 per year for over 34,000 workers. - Massachusetts’ population of 6.5 million puts it at number 14 for people.
It is number four for salaries at an average $24.46 hourly or $50,880 annually for 2.4 million workers.
The mean accountant salary is $36.75 per hour or $76,430 per year for over 33,370 positions.
Lowest Wages
The following three states have the lowest average accountant salary and also some of the lowest populations. Though in all cases, accountants still make more than the average state income.
- Mississippi’s 2.9 million individuals makes the state 31st for population.
Its mean wages of $16.72 hourly or $34,770 yearly for a million workers places it in last place for salaries.
The 4,830 accountants here average $27.27 per hour or $56,730 per year. - South Dakota has 824,000 people ranking it 46th for population.
It has the second-to-the-lowest mean wages at $17.01 per hour or $35,390 per year for over 392,000 workers.
The average accountant salary is $26.83 per hour or $55,820 per year for its 3,990 professionals. - North Dakota is at number 48 for population with its 683,000 people.
It ranks 39th for salaries because its 371,000 workers average $18.69 hourly or $38,870 annually.
The state shows 2,910 accountants making a mean $26.00 per hour or $54,080 per year.
All States
The following table shows the number of accounting jobs, mean hourly wages and mean yearly salary for each state.
| State | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 92,630 | $40.90 | $85,070 |
| New Jersey | 34,380 | $39.06 | $81,250 |
| Massachusetts | 33,370 | $36.75 | $76,430 |
| Maryland | 23,220 | $36.36 | $75,630 |
| California | 121,590 | $36.02 | $74,910 |
| Virginia | 35,210 | $35.74 | $74,340 |
| Connecticut | 15,230 | $34.90 | $72,590 |
| Colorado | 29,760 | $34.76 | $72,300 |
| Illinois | 41,720 | $34.29 | $71,330 |
| Georgia | 30,500 | $34.06 | $70,840 |
| Alaska | 2,380 | $33.99 | $70,700 |
| Pennsylvania | 51,730 | $33.97 | $70,650 |
| Texas | 83,560 | $33.71 | $70,120 |
| Rhode Island | 3,420 | $33.57 | $69,820 |
| Michigan | 28,150 | $32.69 | $67,990 |
| Washington | 21,950 | $32.18 | $66,930 |
| North Carolina | 27,500 | $32.10 | $66,770 |
| Ohio | 37,390 | $31.94 | $66,440 |
| New Hampshire | 3,730 | $31.84 | $66,230 |
| Delaware | 4,520 | $31.78 | $66,100 |
| Florida | 71,420 | $31.46 | $65,440 |
| Utah | 10,020 | $31.36 | $65,240 |
| Indiana | 17,940 | $31.34 | $65,190 |
| Vermont | 2,630 | $31.07 | $64,620 |
| Nebraska | 7,700 | $31.04 | $64,570 |
| Wisconsin | 17,480 | $30.95 | $64,370 |
| Nevada | 6,730 | $30.90 | $64,260 |
| Minnesota | 22,350 | $30.25 | $62,910 |
| Alabama | 14,090 | $29.94 | $62,270 |
| Oregon | 11,280 | $29.91 | $62,210 |
| Missouri | 25,420 | $29.74 | $61,850 |
| New Mexico | 5,380 | $29.72 | $61,810 |
| Hawaii | 4,580 | $29.69 | $61,750 |
| Iowa | 9,480 | $29.59 | $61,550 |
| Arizona | 18,630 | $29.48 | $61,320 |
| Kansas | 10,190 | $29.34 | $61,030 |
| Louisiana | 11,940 | $29.20 | $60,730 |
| Idaho | 3,360 | $29.19 | $60,720 |
| Wyoming | 1,630 | $29.09 | $60,500 |
| Tennessee | 17,010 | $28.99 | $60,290 |
| Maine | 3,230 | $28.90 | $60,110 |
| Arkansas | 5,400 | $28.42 | $59,100 |
| South Carolina | 13,290 | $28.36 | $59,000 |
| Montana | 3,050 | $27.80 | $57,830 |
| West Virginia | 4,190 | $27.66 | $57,520 |
| Kentucky | 9,310 | $27.46 | $57,130 |
| Oklahoma | 13,890 | $27.37 | $56,940 |
| Mississippi | 4,830 | $27.27 | $56,730 |
| South Dakota | 3,990 | $26.83 | $55,820 |
| North Dakota | 2,910 | $26.00 | $54,080 |
References
Very detailed info. .
You must have spent quite somo time on our behalf THX
How updated is it?
These are the latest from the U.S. government. But expect an update within a month.
Nice job with all the details in one page, it is very helpful and I believe it is helpful to other people as well.
Thanks for sharing such great info and keep up the good work.
I appreciate your stopping by, Bruce. It’s nice to know that readers find my efforts useful.
It looks as if I should have became an accountant. I took a year of it in high school and liked it, but never thought of pursuing it as am not really a math whiz. My son is the math whiz in the family..lol.
I do all my accounting myself, though saving me lots of money
Linda
Linda recently posted..How to Block Your IP from Google Analytics
Hi Linda,
Maybe you should let your son do all the accounting
Thanks for stopping by.
Leo
Interesting to see the differences among the states for salaries for an accounting professional. Quite a contrast in some cases.
Astro Gremlin recently posted..Beatles and Jaan Pehechan Ho
i searching for those rate hourly with the accounting job. thanks for this information. give me detail and information about basic salary
vamert recently posted..What exactly is provision for reinstatement charges and ways to account for it
You’ll find links to the different salaries on the right, vamert.