What are the main factors that influence a Professional Accountant's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Professional Accountant?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Professional Accountant roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

How does experience change A Professional Accountant's salary?

A Professional Accountant's salary grows with experience: an Accountant I (0-2 years)earns $62,885, an Accountant II (2-4 years)earns $73,094, an Professional Accountant (4-7 years)earns $84,715, an Accountant IV (7+ years)earns $100,973, an Accountant V (7-10 years)earns $142,342,

What are the highest paying states for a Professional Accountant?

Professional Accountant salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Professional Accountant roles are District of Columbia $94,305, California $93,947, Massachusetts $92,695. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Professional Accountant roles make?

Salaries for Professional Accountant level roles vary by specialization: Accountant V: $140,919; Plant Accountant: $82,118; Accountant II: $72,363; Accountant/Project Accountant: $68,877; Professional Tax Accountant: $66,777.

How do different companies affect a Professional Accountant's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Professional Accountant roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Professional Accountant Salary in the United States

How much does a Professional Accountant make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Professional Accountant in the United States is $85,174 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $97,106
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78,247 to $91,420
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $71,940

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Professional Accountant Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,420	$7,618	$1,758	$44
Average	$85,174	$7,098	$1,638	$41
25th Percentile	$78,247	$6,521	$1,505	$38

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Key Factors That Influence Professional Accountant Salaries

A Professional 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 Professional Accountant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Professional 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): $62,885
Early Career (1-2 years): $73,094
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,715
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $100,973
Expert (over 8 years): $142,342

Levels	Salary
Accountan... Level Professional Accountant	$62,885
Accountan... Level Professional Accountant	$73,094
Professio... Level Professional Accountant	$84,715
Accountan... Level Professional Accountant	$100,973
Accountan... Level Professional Accountant	$142,342

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Professional 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 Professional Accountants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $94,305.
California: $93,947.
Massachusetts: $92,695.

District of Columbia $94,305 California $93,947 Massachusetts $92,695 Washington $92,354 New Jersey $92,320 Alaska $92,201 Connecticut $91,026 New York $90,549

Hawaii $89,024 Rhode Island $88,309 Maryland $87,823 Minnesota $87,159 Colorado $86,903 Illinois $86,818 Oregon $86,495 Delaware $86,256

New Hampshire $86,106 Virginia $85,771 Pennsylvania $84,791 Nevada $84,297 North Dakota $84,135 Michigan $83,880 Wisconsin $83,786 Vermont $83,599

Texas $83,079 Maine $83,045 Arizona $82,994 Ohio $82,934 Georgia $82,151 Indiana $81,759 Wyoming $81,682 Utah $81,563

Iowa $81,512 Kansas $81,103 Louisiana $80,984 North Carolina $80,941 Missouri $80,924 Florida $80,592 Montana $80,413 Nebraska $80,243

Kentucky $80,149 South Carolina $79,808 Tennessee $79,595 Idaho $79,510 New Mexico $78,888 Oklahoma $78,752 Alabama $78,250 South Dakota $77,406

Arkansas $76,946 West Virginia $76,699 Mississippi $75,958

Top Paying Cities for Professional 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: $107,430
San Francisco: $106,254
Oakland: $104,015

San Jose, CA $107,430

San Francisco, CA $106,254

Oakland, CA $104,015

New York, NY $98,069

Paramus, NJ $96,876

Queens Village, NY $96,872

Passaic, NJ $96,791

Bergenfield, NJ $96,784

Stamford, CT $96,596

Huntington, NY $96,561

Newark, NJ $95,932

Bridgeport, CT $95,752

Vallejo, CA $95,583

New Brunswick, NJ $95,549

Petaluma, CA $95,497

Middlesex, NJ $95,336

Somerset, NJ $95,276

Santa Cruz, CA $95,165

Boston, MA $94,646

Monterey, CA $94,347

Seattle, WA $94,152

Santa Rosa, CA $94,135

Los Angeles, CA $94,109

Juneau, AK $93,888

Washington, DC $93,794

Orange, CA $93,491

Santa Ana, CA $93,266

Long Beach, CA $93,181

Anaheim, CA $93,164

Anchorage, AK $93,121

Santa Maria, CA $92,866

Everett, WA $92,849

Danbury, CT $92,549

Bremerton, WA $92,431

Tacoma, WA $92,125

New Suffolk, NY $92,123

Sacramento, CA $92,099

Santa Barbara, CA $92,005

Trenton, NJ $91,912

San Diego, CA $91,912

Brockton, MA $91,818

Fairbanks, AK $91,609

Lompoc, CA $91,392

Lowell, MA $91,323

Ventura, CA $91,307

Nashua, NH $91,290

Stockton, CA $91,281

Modesto, CA $90,660

Poughkeepsie, NY $90,472

Olympia, WA $90,310

Kennewick, WA $90,310

New Haven, CT $90,276

Lawrence, MA $89,970

Hartford, CT $89,884

Riverside, CA $89,867

New Bedford, MA $89,782

Richland, WA $89,782

Bakersfield, CA $89,663

San Bernardino, CA $89,629

New Britain, CT $89,620

Atlantic City, NJ $89,620

New London, CT $89,586

Norwich, CT $89,561

Portsmouth, NH $89,544

Boulder, CO $89,363

Portland, OR $89,246

Worcester, MA $89,237

Minneapolis, MN $88,973

Philadelphia, PA $88,854

Honolulu, HI $88,573

Saint Paul, MN $88,532

Vineland, NJ $88,513

Providence, RI $88,266

Chicago, IL $88,019

Bellingham, WA $87,917

Springfield, MA $87,849

Baltimore, MD $87,823

Chico, CA $87,610

Pittsfield, MA $87,380

Manchester, NH $87,218

Spokane, WA $86,844

Denver, CO $86,835

Albany, NY $86,435

Troy, NY $86,401

Nassau, NY $86,310

Schenectady, NY $86,222

Wilmington, DE $86,154

Burlington, VT $86,035

Salem, OR $86,000

Portland, ME $85,736

Yakima, WA $85,651

Rochester, MN $85,387

Reno, NV $85,345

Fresno, CA $85,345

Milwaukee, WI $85,268

Detroit, MI $85,183

Ann Arbor, MI $85,168

Allentown, PA $85,157

Colorado Springs, CO $85,012

Syracuse, NY $84,970

Carson City, NV $84,970

Houston, TX $84,851

Eugene, OR $84,808

Gary, IN $84,706

Springfield, OR $84,638

Bismarck, ND $84,621

Galveston, TX $84,561

Medford, OR $84,433

Fort Collins, CO $84,399

Concord, NH $84,357

Austin, TX $84,331

Mesa, AZ $84,152

Reading, PA $84,144

Phoenix, AZ $84,135

Dallas, TX $84,110

Saint Cloud, MN $84,028

Madison, WI $83,914

Utica, NY $83,684

Rochester, NY $83,547

Des Moines, IA $83,539

Raleigh, NC $83,530

Atlanta, GA $83,403

Battle Creek, MI $83,377

Salt Lake City, UT $83,352

Lancaster, PA $83,224

Harrisburg, PA $83,105

Kansas City, MO $83,019

Champaign, IL $83,002

Kansas City, KS $83,002

Fort Worth, TX $82,994

Columbus, OH $82,979

Boca Raton, FL $82,960

Pittsburgh, PA $82,926

Richmond, VA $82,892

Indianapolis, IN $82,875

Cleveland, OH $82,866

Las Vegas, NV $82,764

Cincinnati, OH $82,764

Petersburg, VA $82,636

Huntsville, AL $82,508

Lansing, MI $82,451

Lebanon, PA $82,440

Pueblo, CO $82,432

Appleton, WI $82,406

Buffalo, NY $82,372

Dayton, OH $82,347

Racine, WI $82,329

Charlotte, NC $82,321

Saint Louis, MO $82,295

York, PA $82,244

Elkhart, IN $82,244

Gastonia, NC $82,228

Billings, MT $82,208

Beaumont, TX $82,185

Lorain, OH $82,168

Benton Harbor, MI $82,151

Toledo, OH $82,134

Binghamton, NY $82,091

Rock Hill, SC $82,082

Rockford, IL $82,040

Springfield, IL $82,006

Elyria, OH $81,997

Fargo, ND $81,997

Flagstaff, AZ $81,938

Fort Lauderdale, FL $81,887

Duluth, MN $81,835

Miami, FL $81,835

Cheyenne, WY $81,776

Grand Forks, ND $81,776

Bangor, ME $81,588

Cedar Rapids, IA $81,495

Durham, NC $81,459

Louisville, KY $81,452

Grand Rapids, MI $81,435

Hialeah, FL $81,427

Casper, WY $81,307

Scranton, PA $81,205

New Orleans, LA $81,180

Virginia Beach, VA $81,171

Akron, OH $81,129

Peoria, IL $81,018

Sarasota, FL $81,001

Nashville, TN $80,941

Omaha, NE $80,941

Green Bay, WI $80,941

Baton Rouge, LA $80,899

Charleston, SC $80,882

Jamestown, NY $80,839

Davenport, IA $80,839

Tucson, AZ $80,796

Saint Petersburg, FL $80,745

Tampa, FL $80,728

Evansville, IN $80,677

Port Arthur, TX $80,677

Bradenton, FL $80,643

Santa Fe, NM $80,490

Orlando, FL $80,336

Clearwater, FL $80,311

Canton, OH $80,132

La Crosse, WI $80,132

Albuquerque, NM $80,081

Newport News, VA $80,072

High Point, NC $80,047

Ogden, UT $80,013

Corpus Christi, TX $79,945

Norfolk, VA $79,893

Laramie, WY $79,893

Rock Island, IL $79,842

Saginaw, MI $79,825

Jacksonville, FL $79,817

Salisbury, NC $79,800

Boise, ID $79,783

Moline, IL $79,740

Fort Myers, FL $79,715

Memphis, TN $79,698

Tulsa, OK $79,655

Waterloo, IA $79,604

Spartanburg, SC $79,519

Lincoln, NE $79,476

Fort Wayne, IN $79,459

Provo, UT $79,451

Cedar Falls, IA $79,348

San Antonio, TX $79,314

Greensboro, NC $79,280

South Bend, IN $79,272

Savannah, GA $79,178

Muskegon, MI $79,144

Birmingham, AL $79,135

Winston Salem, NC $79,094

Lake Charles, LA $78,888

Anderson, IN $78,871

Lexington, KY $78,846

Augusta, GA $78,820

Greenville, SC $78,820

Lima, OH $78,752

Wichita, KS $78,744

Tuscaloosa, AL $78,744

Columbia, SC $78,667

Springfield, OH $78,650

Asheville, NC $78,514

Bloomington, IN $78,454

Knoxville, TN $78,147

Shreveport, LA $78,139

Wilmington, NC $78,028

Roanoke, VA $78,028

Topeka, KS $77,875

Frankfort, KY $77,865

Oklahoma City, OK $77,807

Chillicothe, OH $77,773

Longview, TX $77,764

Melbourne, FL $77,756

Sioux Falls, SD $77,619

Mobile, AL $77,611

Terre Haute, IN $77,577

Altoona, PA $77,526

Amarillo, TX $77,466

Killeen, TX $77,440

Fayetteville, AR $77,372

Chattanooga, TN $77,347

Sioux City, IA $77,270

Idaho Falls, ID $77,253

Lynchburg, VA $77,185

Gainesville, FL $77,074

Portsmouth, OH $77,032

Little Rock, AR $77,015

Lafayette, LA $76,981

Youngstown, OH $76,981

Daytona Beach, FL $76,929

Clarksville, TN $76,921

Pensacola, FL $76,912

Temple, TX $76,906

Hopkinsville, KY $76,657

Erie, PA $76,640

Florence, SC $76,606

Charleston, WV $76,469

Great Falls, MT $76,427

Macon, GA $76,308

Tallahassee, FL $76,299

Fayetteville, NC $76,282

Waco, TX $76,265

Helena, MT $76,205

Pine Bluff, AR $76,173

Vincennes, IN $76,069

Lubbock, TX $76,035

Alamogordo, NM $75,984

Twin Falls, ID $75,907

Rapid City, SD $75,882

Jackson, MS $75,728

Huntington, WV $75,723

Greenville, MS $75,720

Parkersburg, WV $75,633

Montgomery, AL $75,618

Wichita Falls, TX $75,533

Springfield, MO $75,533

Biloxi, MS $75,490

Monroe, LA $75,405

Johnstown, PA $75,345

Sumter, SC $75,311

Columbus, GA $75,303

Pascagoula, MS $75,141

Abilene, TX $75,141

Kingsport, TN $74,919

Albany, GA $74,919

Gulfport, MS $74,894

Alexandria, LA $74,613

Fort Smith, AR $74,400

El Paso, TX $74,170

Las Cruces, NM $73,786

Harlingen, TX $73,570

Pocatello, ID $73,557

Florence, AL $73,446

Brownsville, TX $73,429

Mcallen, TX $73,250

Dothan, AL $73,131

Columbus, MS $72,625

Altus, OK $72,228

Lawton, OK $72,066

Pierre, SD $71,759

What Skills Can Increase a Professional 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.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	5.26%
Accounts Receivable	2.34%
Internal Control	1.19%

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 a Professional 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%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Leadership	$88,581	4%
Initiative	$88,581	4%
Internal Control	$88,581	4%
Flexibility	$87,730	3%
CPA	$87,730	3%
Process Improvement	$87,730	3%

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Professional Accountant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Professional 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, Professional Accountant positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Professional Accountant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Professional Accountant

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$102,209	$49.0	20%
Software & Networking	$100,506	$48.0	18%
Energy & Utilities	$97,950	$47.0	15%
Internet	$95,395	$46.0	12%
Chemicals	$93,692	$45.0	10%

How Education impacts a Professional Accountant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Professional 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 Professional Accountant with a Bachelor's Degree is between $87,777 and $92,711).

Professional Accountant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Professional Accountant

No Diploma 0.6%

High School 3.5%

Associates 4.9%

Bachelors 60.2%

Masters 30.3%

Doctorate 0.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.6%
High School	3.5%
Associates	4.9%
Bachelors	60.2%
Masters	30.3%
Doctorate	0.4%

view as graph

Professional Accountant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Professional 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 July 01, 2026

$78,247

Average $85,174/year

$91,420

$6,521

Average $7,098/month

$7,618

$1,505

Average $1,638/week

$1,758

$38

Average $41/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,420	$7,618	$1,758	$44
Average	$85,174	$7,098	$1,638	$41
25th Percentile	$78,247	$6,521	$1,505	$38

Salaries of jobs related to Professional Accountant

Salary Trends for Professional Accountant

Salaries for a Professional Accountant can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $83,619 in 2023 to around $79,855 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Professional Accountant salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Professional Accountant Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$83,619

2024

$81,791

2025

$79,855

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$83,619
2024	$81,791
2025	$79,855
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Professional Accountant

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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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