Salary by profession · US · 2026
Accountant salary in the US
What is the average accountant salary in the US?
The median US accountant earns about $81,000 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), typically $62,000–$106,000. That's around $5,484 a month take-home in a no-tax state, and places the typical accountant in roughly the 72nd percentile of US earners — $27,990 above the median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Accountant pay and take-home
| Salary | Take-home, no-tax state | Take-home, California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | $62,000 | $51,997 | $49,577 |
| Median | $81,000 | $65,814 | $61,738 |
| Experienced | $106,000 | $83,401 | $77,001 |
How accountants compare
The US median individual income is $53,010. At $81,000, the typical accountant earns $27,990 more — around the 72nd percentile of all earners. A CPA license and a move into management or public accounting lift pay substantially.
Location matters as much as the number. The same salary stretches far further in Texas than California. See what you'd keep in your city →