Accountant and Financial Analyst Salaries in the US (2026): What BLS and Recruiters Report
Official BLS pay for US accountants and financial analysts, nationally and in New York and other hubs, set against what recruiters say new hires are offered in 2026–27.
The median accountant salary in the US was $83,680 a year in May 2025, and the median financial and investment analyst earned $102,740, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Both figures cover all experience levels. May 2025 is the latest reference period BLS has published, so no official 2026 figure exists yet. Recruiters' figures for new hires in 2026 and 2027 are lower at entry level and wider at the top, and the gap between the two sources is what this guide helps you read.
A note on method: bls.gov blocked our automated page requests, so we pulled the same May 2025 OEWS series from the official BLS Public Data API. The links below go to the BLS occupation pages where you can check them.
Key takeaways
- BLS put the median US accountant and auditor at $83,680 and the median financial and investment analyst at $102,740 in May 2025, the latest official data.
- In the New York metro area the medians are $105,650 for accountants and $128,930 for analysts; San Francisco pays accountants slightly more.
- Robert Half's 2027 guide puts a staff accountant at $76,500 and a financial analyst at $83,000 at mid level, nationally.
- AICPA's 2025 MAP survey found median CPA-firm starting pay of $60,834 for bachelor's and $67,750 for master's graduates, mostly at small firms.
- Use BLS to judge a city and a career; use recruiter ranges to judge a specific offer for a specific title.
Accountant and financial analyst salaries in the US: the national numbers
Annual wages, United States, BLS OEWS May 2025
| Measure | Accountants and auditors | Financial and investment analysts |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | 1,449,500 | 361,980 |
| 10th percentile | $56,020 | $63,720 |
| 25th percentile | $67,020 | $79,290 |
| Median | $83,680 | $102,740 |
| 75th percentile | $109,810 | $133,340 |
| 90th percentile | $144,090 | $180,860 |
| Mean | $94,750 | $116,800 |
Sources: BLS OEWS, Accountants and Auditors (13-2011) and BLS OEWS, Financial and Investment Analysts (13-2051).
Two things to note. Analysts out-earn accountants at every percentile, by roughly $20,000 at the median. And the spread is wide: the 90th percentile accountant earns more than two and a half times the 10th. Where you sit depends on experience, credential, employer and city far more than on the job title.
Use the median, not the mean, when you compare an offer. The mean accountant wage ($94,750) is about $11,000 above the median because a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up. The same happens for analysts, where the mean of $116,800 sits about $14,000 above the median.
Salaries by metro area: New York and other finance hubs
City pay is where the US numbers move most. The table shows BLS medians, with the 25th to 75th percentile range in brackets.
Annual wages by metro area, BLS OEWS May 2025
| Metro area | Accountants and auditors: median (25th–75th) | Financial and investment analysts: median (25th–75th) |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $110,730 ($88,820–$143,590) | $130,520 ($97,490–$166,350) |
| New York–Newark–Jersey City | $105,650 ($82,830–$137,490) | $128,930 ($103,140–$174,990) |
| Washington DC | $102,140 ($79,990–$133,430) | $108,330 ($86,470–$142,350) |
| Boston | $100,150 ($79,990–$129,490) | $117,520 ($92,060–$163,600) |
| Charlotte | $92,910 ($72,420–$129,000) | $106,510 ($83,450–$136,090) |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | $82,620 ($71,100–$104,150) | $100,350 ($77,930–$127,970) |
| Chicago | $82,360 ($72,280–$103,120) | $101,750 ($79,330–$129,950) |
| United States | $83,680 ($67,020–$109,810) | $102,740 ($79,290–$133,340) |
New York is the biggest market by far, with 111,930 accountants and auditors and 53,870 financial and investment analysts in the metro area. Its analyst median of $128,930 is about $26,000 above the national figure. Chicago and Dallas sit close to the national median for both jobs, which matters if you're weighing a lower-cost city.
New York isn't the top payer for accountants, though. San Francisco has the highest accountant median in the table at $110,730, about $5,000 above New York. For analysts, Boston's 75th percentile ($163,600) is within about $11,000 of New York's ($174,990), so a senior analyst offer in Boston can be close to a New York one.
What recruiters say new hires are offered
BLS counts everyone in the job. Recruiters report what employers are offering to people they hire. The Robert Half 2027 Salary Guide for finance and accounting gives national figures at three levels: low (new to the role), mid and high (extensive experience).
Starting salaries, United States national average, Robert Half 2027 Salary Guide
| Role | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level accountant | $55,750 | $63,000 | $70,000 |
| Staff accountant | $67,000 | $76,500 | $89,500 |
| Senior accountant | $81,500 | $96,750 | $111,250 |
| Audit/assurance associate (public accounting) | $58,750 | $70,750 | $82,500 |
| Tax services associate (public accounting) | $63,750 | $75,750 | $87,500 |
| Financial analyst | $72,000 | $83,000 | $94,000 |
| Senior financial analyst | $95,000 | $109,000 | $120,000 |
| FP&A manager | $115,000 | $143,000 | $161,250 |
Robert Half expects average pay growth of 1.8% for finance and accounting roles, with bigger rises for financial analysts (3.8%) and staff accountants (3.7%). It also reports that 69% of finance and accounting leaders are offering salaries above their planned range, mostly to secure specialised skills.
Skills that move the offer
Robert Half names the skills that are earning a premium: AI, ERP platforms, data analytics, process automation, regulatory reporting and financial systems work. It found 82% of finance and accounting leaders are offering higher pay for relevant AI skills, and 67% are making more competitive offers, especially for business-critical roles with small talent pools. If you have one of these skills, put the evidence in your CV's first role, where a hiring manager reads first, and name it again when you discuss pay.
How pay grows: three US career tracks
The same Robert Half guide shows what the next steps pay, which is more useful than a single average when you're judging whether a job is a good move. Mid-level figures, US national average:
| Step | Corporate accounting | Corporate finance (FP&A) | Public accounting (audit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| First role | Staff accountant: $76,500 | Financial analyst: $83,000 | Audit/assurance associate: $70,750 |
| Second step | Senior accountant: $96,750 | Senior financial analyst: $109,000 | Senior audit/assurance associate: $88,000 |
| Manager | Accounting manager: $115,000 | FP&A manager: $143,000 | Audit/assurance manager: $115,750 |
| Next level | Assistant controller: $124,500 | FP&A director: $173,000 | Senior audit/assurance manager: $182,750 |
Corporate finance pays more at every step up to manager, which matches the BLS gap between analysts and accountants. Public accounting starts lowest but its senior manager figure is the highest of the "next level" row. Tax runs a little above audit at each grade: a tax services associate is at $75,750 mid-level and a tax services manager at $124,000.
Starting pay at CPA firms
If you're joining a public accounting firm straight from university, the AICPA's survey of firms is the most direct source. The 2025 Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Survey, reported by the Journal of Accountancy, found:
- new hires with master's degrees had a median starting salary of $67,750, up roughly 17% from the 2023 survey;
- new hires with bachelor's degrees had a median of $60,834, up 11%.
Read those with care. Of the 1,073 firms that responded, 81% had less than $5 million in net client fees, so this is mostly small and mid-sized firm pay. Large firms in big cities usually start higher, which our guide to Big Four graduate offers covers in detail.
Why BLS and recruiter numbers don't match
The BLS median accountant ($83,680) is above Robert Half's mid-level staff accountant ($76,500) and below its mid-level senior accountant ($96,750). That isn't a contradiction. The two sources measure different things:
- Who's counted. BLS covers everyone employed in the occupation, from first-year staff to long-serving controllers who still carry the accountant code. Robert Half reports pay for specific titles at the point of hire.
- Which jobs are in the category. BLS "financial and investment analysts" includes investment roles in banks and asset managers alongside corporate analysts, which pulls the New York figure up. Our investment banking analyst salary guide for London and New York shows what those banking roles pay. Robert Half's financial analyst is a corporate finance role.
- When. BLS reflects May 2025. Robert Half's 2027 guide projects what employers will offer to new hires in 2027.
So use BLS to judge where you'll be after a few years in a city, and recruiter tables to judge a specific offer for a specific title. For analysts weighing corporate and investment routes, our financial analyst CV example shows how to present the work either way.
Moving to the US from the UK or Ireland: what to check
If you're coming from a UK or Irish finance role, the titles don't map exactly. A UK "management accountant" often fits the US "financial analyst" or "cost accountant" description, and a "newly qualified" auditor may be closer to a US senior associate than a staff associate. Read the duties in the advert, not the title, and compare the offer against the matching row. Our walkthrough on tailoring a CV to a job description shows how to map your experience to an advert's wording.
Credentials change pay too. Robert Half says credentials such as the CPA can raise earning potential, and lists the CPA, CMA and CFA among certifications that can justify higher pay.
In New York City, pay ranges are public by law. Since 1 November 2022, the NYC Human Rights Law has required employers to include a good-faith pay range in job advertisements. Collect the ranges from five or six adverts for your target title before you talk numbers.
How to use these numbers in an offer conversation
- Pick the right benchmark. For a first job or a move into a new title, use the recruiter table. For a lateral move with several years' experience, check the BLS metro range too.
- Place the offer. A New York offer below the BLS 25th percentile for accountants ($82,830) is low for anyone with experience, though it can be normal for a first job.
- Name your evidence. Robert Half reports employers are paying above plan for specialised skills. Say which of the advert's skills you bring and what you did with them. For analyst roles, our FP&A interview questions cover the technical ground you'll need to prove.
- Ask what's in the number. Check whether the figure is base only, and ask about bonus, 401(k) matching, CPA exam support and the first review date.
If you're changing careers rather than moving countries, our guide to a career change into finance covers first roles and qualifications.
The core point: the BLS median tells you what the job pays across a city, while a recruiter's low-to-high range tells you where a specific offer should land. Before your next application, check your CV shows the skills the advert pays for. Our FP&A analyst CV example shows how to present analyst work in a way that supports a higher offer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average accountant salary in the US?
The BLS put the median annual wage for accountants and auditors at $83,680 in May 2025, with a mean of $94,750. The middle half earned between $67,020 and $109,810. That's the latest official figure. It covers all experience levels, so first jobs usually start lower and experienced roles in big cities higher.
How much does a financial analyst make in NYC?
In the New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area, BLS put the median financial and investment analyst wage at $128,930 in May 2025, with the middle half between $103,140 and $174,990. That category includes investment roles at banks and asset managers, so corporate analyst offers often sit lower. Check the pay range in New York job adverts.
What is the entry-level financial analyst salary in the US?
Robert Half's 2027 guide puts a financial analyst who is new to the role at $72,000 nationally, rising to $83,000 at mid level and $94,000 with extensive experience. BLS's 10th percentile for all financial and investment analysts was $63,720 in May 2025. City and employer type move these figures considerably.
How much does a CPA make in the US?
BLS doesn't report CPAs separately from other accountants and auditors, whose median was $83,680 in May 2025. At CPA firms, the AICPA's 2025 MAP survey found median starting salaries of $60,834 for bachelor's and $67,750 for master's graduates. Robert Half says credentials such as the CPA can raise earning potential.
Which US city pays accountants the most?
Of the metro areas in our table, San Francisco had the highest median for accountants and auditors in May 2025, at $110,730, followed by New York at $105,650 and Washington DC at $102,140. For financial and investment analysts, San Francisco ($130,520) and New York ($128,930) were close at the top.