Anyone who might be interested in pursuing an accounting career is likely to be wondering where in the USA the salary of an accountant is highest. There are several metropolitan areas that stand out as being the locations where accountants get paid the highest paychecks. There are also several US states where accountants are particularly well paid. Let’s take a look at these locations where it’s most lucrative to become an accountant.
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San Rafael, California
Mean Annual Accountant’s Salary in This City: $106,050
San Rafael, California, is the US city where accountants earned the highest salaries in 2017. This city is home to businesses in numerous industries including scientific research, professional businesses, healthcare facilities, tech startups and retail stores. The broad diversity of employers has resulted in ample opportunities for talented accountants in this city.
Overall, California is #5 on the list of best-paying states for accountants to live and work in. The mean annual salary for California-based accountants is $83,540.
New York, New York
Mean Annual Accountant’s Salary in This City: $101,520
Accountants are paid well in the New York City / Jersey City metropolitan area, according to data posted by career experts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. From Wall Street to Broadway to Fifth Avenue, the spectacular diversity of employers translates to numerous lucrative opportunities for accountants. Newsmax reports that some of the most prominent industries open to accountants in New York City include financial services, healthcare, technical services, retail, and apparel manufacturing.
New York is second on the list of best-paying states for accountants to live and work in. The mean annual salary for accountants in New York state is $95,430.
San Jose, California
Mean Annual Accountant’s Salary in This City: $97,910
San Jose, California is one of the most prominent cities in the Silicon Valley, the world’s top hotspot for up-and-coming technical innovations. Numerous large companies such as Cisco Systems, eBay and Adobe Systems, Inc., have their headquarters in San Jose, resulting in excellent, well-paid job opportunities for accountants in this metropolitan area.
The District of Columbia
Mean Annual Accountant’s Salary in This City: $96,880
Since most of the US federal government’s infrastructure is located in the Washington, D.C. area, this metropolitan area offers numerous lucrative opportunities for accountants. The federal government is actually one of the top-paying employers of accountants, offering these professionals mean annual wages of $98,300.
These are the metropolitan areas where accountants tend to earn the highest salaries overall. Anyone who is interested in earning top dollar as an accountant would do well to consider moving to one of these locations if they do not already live there. Of course, it’s worth remembering that there can be accounting jobs in every city and state that pay better than the average; location is only one factor in determining what an accountant’s earning potential might be.
AThemain takeaway: Moving isn’t the only way to increase the odds of earning a higher paycheck as an accountant. It’s possible for accountants to increase earnings in a number of ways. In addition to changing locations, some other ideas include obtaining a more advanced degree, earning new certifications, networking with colleagues to find a better job or negotiating a raise with their current employer. Education, accounting experience, strength of professional network, personal negotiating ability, integrity and trustworthiness are also important factors that employers consider when determining the salary of an accountant who will work with them.
