How much does a Chief Accountant make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Accountant in the United States is $85,597 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.
However, a Chief Accountant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $97,591
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78,637 to $91,875
Key Factors That Influence Chief Accountant Salaries
A Chief 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 Chief Accountant Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Chief 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:
How Do Chief Accountant 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 Chief Accountants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $107,964
San Francisco: $106,782
Oakland: $104,531
San Jose, CA$107,964
San Francisco, CA$106,782
Oakland, CA$104,531
New York, NY$98,556
Paramus, NJ$97,357
Queens Village, NY$97,353
Passaic, NJ$97,272
Bergenfield, NJ$97,264
Stamford, CT$97,076
Huntington, NY$97,041
Newark, NJ$96,408
Bridgeport, CT$96,227
Vallejo, CA$96,057
New Brunswick, NJ$96,023
Petaluma, CA$95,971
Middlesex, NJ$95,809
Somerset, NJ$95,749
Santa Cruz, CA$95,638
Boston, MA$95,115
Monterey, CA$94,815
Seattle, WA$94,619
Santa Rosa, CA$94,602
Los Angeles, CA$94,576
Juneau, AK$94,354
Washington, DC$94,260
Orange, CA$93,955
Santa Ana, CA$93,729
Long Beach, CA$93,643
Anaheim, CA$93,626
Anchorage, AK$93,583
Santa Maria, CA$93,327
Everett, WA$93,309
Danbury, CT$93,008
Bremerton, WA$92,890
Tacoma, WA$92,582
New Suffolk, NY$92,580
Sacramento, CA$92,556
Santa Barbara, CA$92,462
Trenton, NJ$92,368
San Diego, CA$92,368
Brockton, MA$92,274
Fairbanks, AK$92,064
Lompoc, CA$91,846
Lowell, MA$91,776
Ventura, CA$91,760
Nashua, NH$91,743
Stockton, CA$91,734
Modesto, CA$91,110
Poughkeepsie, NY$90,921
Olympia, WA$90,759
Kennewick, WA$90,759
New Haven, CT$90,724
Lawrence, MA$90,416
Hartford, CT$90,331
Riverside, CA$90,314
New Bedford, MA$90,228
Richland, WA$90,228
Bakersfield, CA$90,108
San Bernardino, CA$90,074
New Britain, CT$90,065
Atlantic City, NJ$90,065
New London, CT$90,031
Norwich, CT$90,005
Portsmouth, NH$89,988
Boulder, CO$89,807
Portland, OR$89,689
Worcester, MA$89,680
Minneapolis, MN$89,415
Philadelphia, PA$89,295
Honolulu, HI$89,012
Saint Paul, MN$88,971
Vineland, NJ$88,953
Providence, RI$88,704
Chicago, IL$88,456
Bellingham, WA$88,353
Springfield, MA$88,285
Baltimore, MD$88,259
Chico, CA$88,045
Pittsfield, MA$87,814
Manchester, NH$87,651
Spokane, WA$87,275
Denver, CO$87,266
Albany, NY$86,864
Troy, NY$86,830
Nassau, NY$86,738
Schenectady, NY$86,650
Wilmington, DE$86,581
Burlington, VT$86,462
Salem, OR$86,427
Portland, ME$86,162
Yakima, WA$86,076
Rochester, MN$85,811
Reno, NV$85,768
Fresno, CA$85,768
Milwaukee, WI$85,691
Detroit, MI$85,606
Ann Arbor, MI$85,591
Allentown, PA$85,580
Colorado Springs, CO$85,434
Syracuse, NY$85,392
Carson City, NV$85,392
Houston, TX$85,272
Eugene, OR$85,229
Gary, IN$85,126
Springfield, OR$85,058
Bismarck, ND$85,041
Galveston, TX$84,981
Medford, OR$84,852
Fort Collins, CO$84,818
Concord, NH$84,775
Austin, TX$84,750
Mesa, AZ$84,570
Reading, PA$84,561
Phoenix, AZ$84,553
Dallas, TX$84,527
Saint Cloud, MN$84,445
Madison, WI$84,330
Utica, NY$84,099
Rochester, NY$83,962
Des Moines, IA$83,954
Raleigh, NC$83,945
Atlanta, GA$83,817
Battle Creek, MI$83,791
Salt Lake City, UT$83,765
Lancaster, PA$83,637
Harrisburg, PA$83,517
Kansas City, MO$83,431
Champaign, IL$83,414
Kansas City, KS$83,414
Fort Worth, TX$83,406
Columbus, OH$83,391
Boca Raton, FL$83,372
Pittsburgh, PA$83,337
Richmond, VA$83,303
Indianapolis, IN$83,286
Cleveland, OH$83,277
Las Vegas, NV$83,175
Cincinnati, OH$83,175
Petersburg, VA$83,046
Huntsville, AL$82,918
Lansing, MI$82,861
Lebanon, PA$82,849
Pueblo, CO$82,841
Appleton, WI$82,815
Buffalo, NY$82,781
Dayton, OH$82,755
Racine, WI$82,738
Charlotte, NC$82,730
Saint Louis, MO$82,704
York, PA$82,653
Elkhart, IN$82,653
Gastonia, NC$82,636
Billings, MT$82,616
Beaumont, TX$82,593
Lorain, OH$82,576
Benton Harbor, MI$82,558
Toledo, OH$82,541
Binghamton, NY$82,498
Rock Hill, SC$82,490
Rockford, IL$82,447
Springfield, IL$82,413
Elyria, OH$82,404
Fargo, ND$82,404
Flagstaff, AZ$82,344
Fort Lauderdale, FL$82,293
Duluth, MN$82,242
Miami, FL$82,242
Cheyenne, WY$82,182
Grand Forks, ND$82,182
Bangor, ME$81,993
Cedar Rapids, IA$81,899
Durham, NC$81,863
Louisville, KY$81,857
Grand Rapids, MI$81,839
Hialeah, FL$81,831
Casper, WY$81,711
Scranton, PA$81,608
New Orleans, LA$81,583
Virginia Beach, VA$81,574
Akron, OH$81,531
Peoria, IL$81,420
Sarasota, FL$81,403
Nashville, TN$81,343
Omaha, NE$81,343
Green Bay, WI$81,343
Baton Rouge, LA$81,300
Charleston, SC$81,283
Jamestown, NY$81,240
Davenport, IA$81,240
Tucson, AZ$81,197
Saint Petersburg, FL$81,146
Tampa, FL$81,129
Evansville, IN$81,078
Port Arthur, TX$81,078
Bradenton, FL$81,043
Santa Fe, NM$80,889
Orlando, FL$80,735
Clearwater, FL$80,710
Canton, OH$80,530
La Crosse, WI$80,530
Albuquerque, NM$80,478
Newport News, VA$80,470
High Point, NC$80,444
Ogden, UT$80,410
Corpus Christi, TX$80,341
Norfolk, VA$80,290
Laramie, WY$80,290
Rock Island, IL$80,239
Saginaw, MI$80,222
Jacksonville, FL$80,213
Salisbury, NC$80,196
Boise, ID$80,179
Moline, IL$80,136
Fort Myers, FL$80,110
Memphis, TN$80,093
Tulsa, OK$80,050
Waterloo, IA$79,999
Spartanburg, SC$79,913
Lincoln, NE$79,871
Fort Wayne, IN$79,854
Provo, UT$79,845
Cedar Falls, IA$79,742
San Antonio, TX$79,708
Greensboro, NC$79,674
South Bend, IN$79,665
Savannah, GA$79,571
Muskegon, MI$79,537
Birmingham, AL$79,528
Winston Salem, NC$79,486
Lake Charles, LA$79,280
Anderson, IN$79,263
Lexington, KY$79,237
Augusta, GA$79,212
Greenville, SC$79,212
Lima, OH$79,143
Wichita, KS$79,135
Tuscaloosa, AL$79,135
Columbia, SC$79,057
Springfield, OH$79,040
Asheville, NC$78,903
Bloomington, IN$78,843
Knoxville, TN$78,535
Shreveport, LA$78,527
Wilmington, NC$78,416
Roanoke, VA$78,416
Topeka, KS$78,261
Frankfort, KY$78,252
Oklahoma City, OK$78,193
Chillicothe, OH$78,159
Longview, TX$78,150
Melbourne, FL$78,142
Sioux Falls, SD$78,005
Mobile, AL$77,996
Terre Haute, IN$77,962
Altoona, PA$77,910
Amarillo, TX$77,851
Killeen, TX$77,825
Fayetteville, AR$77,756
Chattanooga, TN$77,731
Sioux City, IA$77,654
Idaho Falls, ID$77,637
Lynchburg, VA$77,568
Gainesville, FL$77,457
Portsmouth, OH$77,414
Little Rock, AR$77,397
Lafayette, LA$77,363
Youngstown, OH$77,363
Daytona Beach, FL$77,311
Clarksville, TN$77,303
Pensacola, FL$77,294
Temple, TX$77,288
Hopkinsville, KY$77,037
Erie, PA$77,020
Florence, SC$76,986
Charleston, WV$76,849
Great Falls, MT$76,806
Macon, GA$76,686
Tallahassee, FL$76,678
Fayetteville, NC$76,661
Waco, TX$76,644
Helena, MT$76,584
Pine Bluff, AR$76,551
Vincennes, IN$76,447
Lubbock, TX$76,413
Alamogordo, NM$76,361
Twin Falls, ID$76,284
Rapid City, SD$76,258
Jackson, MS$76,104
Huntington, WV$76,098
Greenville, MS$76,096
Parkersburg, WV$76,009
Montgomery, AL$75,993
Wichita Falls, TX$75,908
Springfield, MO$75,908
Biloxi, MS$75,865
Monroe, LA$75,779
Johnstown, PA$75,719
Sumter, SC$75,685
Columbus, GA$75,676
Pascagoula, MS$75,514
Abilene, TX$75,514
Kingsport, TN$75,291
Albany, GA$75,291
Gulfport, MS$75,266
Alexandria, LA$74,983
Fort Smith, AR$74,769
El Paso, TX$74,538
Las Cruces, NM$74,153
Harlingen, TX$73,935
Pocatello, ID$73,922
Florence, AL$73,810
Brownsville, TX$73,793
Mcallen, TX$73,614
Dothan, AL$73,494
Columbus, MS$72,985
Altus, OK$72,586
Lawton, OK$72,424
Pierre, SD$72,116
What Skills Can Increase a Chief Accountant's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 5.26% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Accounts Receivable (Mentioned in 2.34% Job Postings): Accounts receivable is a legally enforceable claim for payment held by a business for goods supplied and/or services rendered that customers/clients have ordered but not paid for. These are generally in the form of invoices raised by a business and delivered to the customer for payment within an agreed time frame. Accounts receivable is shown in a balance sheet as an asset. It is one of a series of accounting transactions dealing with the billing of a customer for goods and services that the customer has ordered. These may be distinguished from notes receivable, which are debts created through formal legal instruments called promissory notes.
Internal Control (Mentioned in 1.19% Job Postings): Internal control, as defined by accounting and auditing, is a process for assuring of an organization's objectives in operational effectiveness and efficiency, reliable financial reporting, and compliance with laws, regulations and policies.
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 a Chief Accountant's salary.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Internal Control: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Chief Accountant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Chief Accountant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 37% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Chief Accountant positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Chief Accountant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Chief Accountant
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$102,717
$49.0
20%
Software & Networking
$101,005
$49.0
18%
Energy & Utilities
$98,437
$47.0
15%
Internet
$95,869
$46.0
12%
Chemicals
$94,157
$45.0
10%
How Education impacts a Chief Accountant's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Chief Accountants enter the field with a Bachelor'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 a Chief Accountant with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$87,777
and $92,711).
Chief Accountant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Chief 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.
Salaries for a Chief Accountant can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $84,033 in 2023
to around $80,250 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Chief Accountant salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Chief Accountant Over Time
$???
$84,033
$82,196
$80,250
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$84,033
2024
$82,196
2025
$80,250
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Chief Accountant
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Chief Accountant
Here are companies hiring for Chief Accountant and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Chief Accountant
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Chief Accountant?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Chief Accountant roles,
with salaries approximately 20% 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.
