Entry Level Accountant Salary in the United States

How much does an Entry Level Accountant make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Entry Level Accountant in the United States is $63,188 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, an Entry Level Accountant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $72,788
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,884 to $68,213
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $53,056

Key Factors That Influence Entry Level Accountant Salaries

An Entry Level Accountant'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 Entry Level Accountant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Level Accountant'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $62,818
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $73,012
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,624
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $100,868
  • Expert (over 8 years): $142,175
Levels Salary
Entry Lev... Level Entry Level Accountant$62,818
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$73,012
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$84,624
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$100,868
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$142,175

Top Paying Cities for Entry Level Accountants

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: $79,699
  • San Francisco: $78,826
  • Oakland: $77,165

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Level Accountant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • CPA (Mentioned in 2.85% Job Postings): A CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, is a trusted financial advisor who helps individuals, businesses, and other organizations plan and reach their financial goals.
  • Bookkeeping (Mentioned in 1.48% Job Postings): Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.06%
CPA 2.85%
Bookkeeping 1.48%

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 Entry Level Accountant's salary.

  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coordination $66,979
6%
Leadership $66,979
6%
Collaboration $65,715
4%

Entry Level Accountant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Entry Level Accountant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 110% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 35% above the average. In contrast, Entry Level Accountant positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Entry Level Accountant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Entry Level Accountant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$85,304$41.035%
Financial Services$82,144$39.030%
Biotechnology$78,985$38.025%
Pharmaceuticals$78,985$38.025%
Energy & Utilities$75,825$36.020%

How Education impacts an Entry Level Accountant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Entry Level Accountants enter the field with a Associate's Degree 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 Entry Level Accountant with a Associate's Degree is between $59,751 and $63,023).

Entry Level Accountant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Entry Level Accountant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.8%
High School 7.3%
Associates 10.9%
Bachelors 59.5%
Masters 17.7%
Doctorate 0.8%

Entry Level Accountant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Level Accountant'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 September 01, 2026
$57,884
Average $63,188/year
$68,213
$4,824
Average $5,266/month
$5,684
$1,113
Average $1,215/week
$1,312
$28
Average $30/hour
$33
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $68,213 $5,684 $1,312 $33
Average $63,188 $5,266 $1,215 $30
25th Percentile $57,884 $4,824 $1,113 $28

Most common benefits for Entry Level Accountant

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

Common company salaries for Entry Level Accountant

Here are companies hiring for Entry Level Accountant and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Entry Level Accountant

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Entry Level Accountant?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Entry Level Accountant roles, with salaries approximately 35% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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