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Accountant salary in Washington

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$96,550median pay per year in Washington, or $46.42 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $66,330lowest 10% earn less
  2. $79,18025th percentile
  3. $96,550median
  4. $122,48075th percentile
  5. $152,310top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $83,680[3]

The median accountant in Washington earned $96,550 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $12,870 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in WA
34,740[4]
Rank by median pay
8 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+15.4%[6]

How much do accountants make in Washington?

Half of accountants in Washington earned more than $96,550 a year, which works out to $46.42 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was a little higher at $102,700 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for accountants was $83,680[3]. Washington's median was $12,870 (15.4%) above that[6]. It was also $33,560 higher than the median for all jobs in the state, which was $62,990[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $66,330, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $152,310[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $79,180 and $122,480[2]. Washington had the 8th highest median annual wage for accountants among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5].

Pay is highest around Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, where the median was $99,370[10]. Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater came in at $94,470 and Spokane-Spokane Valley at $86,350[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms, and it does not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Washington vs US pay

Pay for accountants in Washington next to the national figures[1][3].

WAUS
Median per year$96,550[1]$83,680[3]
Median per hour$46.42[1]$40.23[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$66,330[2]$56,020[13]
Top 10% earn more than$152,310[2]$144,090[13]
Jobs34,740[4]1,449,500[3]

Pay by metro area in Washington

Metro areas in Washington with the most jobs for accountants, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA[11]$99,37022,100
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$92,20010,100
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$86,3502,340
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$94,4701,330
Kennewick-Richland, WA$93,2801,020
Bellingham, WA$85,450870
Yakima, WA$82,380600
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$88,250580

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for accountants in the states that border Washington, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$85,80014,920
Idaho$74,7305,570

Median pay for accountants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for accountants are projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an accountant make in Washington?
The median accountant in Washington earned $96,550 a year in May 2025, and the average was $102,700[1][7].
How much does an accountant make an hour in Washington?
The median was $46.42 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31.89 an hour and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $73.23[17][2].
Which city in Washington pays accountants the most?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue had the highest median annual wage for accountants among the state's metro areas, at $99,370[10].
Is Washington a good state for accountants?
Washington had the 8th highest median annual wage for accountants among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 15.4% higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become an accountant in Washington?
This is a US figure, not one for Washington. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training typically needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Accountants and Auditors in Washington was $96,550 per year and $46.42 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Accountants and Auditors in Washington: 10th percentile $66,330, 25th percentile $79,180, 75th percentile $122,480, 90th percentile $152,310. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Accountants and Auditors in the US as a whole was $83,680 per year and $40.23 per hour, with about 1,449,500 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 34,740 people worked as Accountants and Auditors in Washington (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Washington had the 8th highest median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in Washington ($96,550) was $12,870 (15.4%) higher than the US median ($83,680). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Accountants and Auditors in Washington was $102,700 per year and $49.38 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Washington was $62,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in Washington was $33,560 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($62,990). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in Washington with a published median for Accountants and Auditors, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had the highest median annual wage, $99,370. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Accountants and Auditors in the US: 10th percentile $56,020, 25th percentile $67,020, 75th percentile $109,810, 90th percentile $144,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in states that border Washington (highest first): Oregon $85,800; Idaho $74,730. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Accountants and Auditors is projected to grow 5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 115,300 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Accountants and Auditors: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Accountants and Auditors in Washington: 10th percentile $31.89, 25th percentile $38.07, 75th percentile $58.88, 90th percentile $73.23. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Washington. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.