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Hourly Wage for Accounting Director Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Accounting Director?

As of October 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for an Accounting Director in the United States is $93, which translates to an annual salary of about $194,373.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $110 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $84 to $102 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76 per hour
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Accounting Director Salaries

An Accounting Director's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Accounting Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Accounting Director's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Accounting Manager (5+ years): $117,379
  • Accounting Senior Manager (5+ years): $159,727
  • Accounting Director (5+ years): $194,373
  • Vice President of Accounting (5+ years): $233,909
  • SVP of Accounting (5+ years): $292,239
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Accounting Manager5+ years$117,379
Accounting Senior Manager5+ years$159,727
Accounting Director5+ years$194,373
Vice President of Accounting5+ years$233,909
SVP of Accounting5+ years$292,239
View as Graph

How Do Accounting Director Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Accounting Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $215,210.
  • California: $214,393.
  • Massachusetts: $211,536.

Top Paying Cities for Accounting Directors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $245,163
  • San Francisco: $242,478
  • Oakland: $237,368

What Skills Can Increase an Accounting Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.34% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Client Service (Mentioned in 1.91% Job Postings): Client services are the processes and interactions organizations and members of their staff have with their clients.
  • General Ledger (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Creating and keeping track of business transactions and activities to monitor financial operations.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.34%
Client Service 1.91%
General Ledger 1.44%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Accounting Director's salary.

  • Client Management: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Medical Communications: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Business Development: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Client Management $223,529
15%
Medical Communications $221,585
14%
Business Development $215,754
11%
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Accounting Director Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Accounting Director salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $216,997. While startup companies pay approximate $183,741.

Accounting Director Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $183,741
Growth Stage 51~500 $194,283
Established 501~5000 $209,528
Enterprise 5000+ $216,997

Accounting Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Accounting Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Transportation sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Accounting Director positions in Retail & Wholesale or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Accounting Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Accounting Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$291,560$140.050%
Transportation$281,841$136.045%
Biotechnology$272,122$131.040%
Chemicals$262,404$126.035%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$252,685$121.030%

How Education impacts an Accounting Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Accounting Director enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Accounting Director with a Bachelor's Degree is between $187,800 and $199,187.

Accounting Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Accounting Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 7.7%
Associates 8.1%
Bachelors 48.3%
Masters 33.4%
Doctorate 1.5%
View as Graph

Accounting Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Accounting Director's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$175,248
Average $194,373/year
$212,165
$14,604
Average $16,198/month
$17,680
$3,370
Average $3,738/week
$4,080
$84
Average $93/hour
$102
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $212,165 $17,680 $4,080 $102
Average $194,373 $16,198 $3,738 $93
25th Percentile $175,248 $14,604 $3,370 $84

Most common benefits for Accounting Director

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Accounting Director

Here are companies hiring for Accounting Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Accounting Director

1. What are the responsibilities of Accounting Director?

Directs the operations and policies of an accounting function. Implements accounting policies and procedures that adhere to governmental, financial, and tax regulations and comply with GAAP and IFRS standards. Monitors and evaluates accounting systems and processes to identify areas for improvement and optimization. Oversees overall monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting close processes and reporting. Develops and directs accounting professionals and supports staff through subordinate managers. Requires a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance. May require Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Typically reports to a head of accounting. Manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function.

2. What are the skills of Accounting Director

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Client Service: Client services are the processes and interactions organizations and members of their staff have with their clients.

3.)

General Ledger: Creating and keeping track of business transactions and activities to monitor financial operations.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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