One of the cool features of the Robert Half 2022 Accounting & Finance Salary Guide is the location feature, where you can type in the name of a city and it spits out the projected starting salaries next year for that city, taking into account factors like cost of living and talent availability. It also tells you if starting salaries in that city are expected to be higher or lower than the national average.
Let’s take Los Angeles, for example. Starting salaries in the 10 public accounting roles highlighted in Bob Half’s latest guide are expected to be 33% higher in LA next year than the national averages.
So using data from this 2021 cost of living index, here are Robert Half’s projected public accounting starting salaries for 2022 in five of the top 11 cities with the highest cost of living in the US: San Francisco (I decided to go with San Fran instead of LA because Adrienne used to live there); New York City; Washington, DC; Boston; and Seattle. These five cities have both a Big 4 presence and a national accounting firm presence (i.e., RSM US, BDO USA, Grant Thornton).
The salary data below from Robert Half shows the national average -> the average for that city by percentile per position. As a reminder, there are three salary percentiles in the 2022 Accounting & Finance Salary Guide:
- 25th percentile: New to the type of role, still acquiring relevant skills.
- 50th percentile: Average experience, has most of the necessary skills.
- 75th percentile: Above-average experience, has all needed skills.
Here are the starting salary comparisons for those five HCOL cities:
1. San Francisco
Salaries in San Francisco are 42% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $162,590
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $200,930
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $241,400
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $128,865
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $156,200
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $181,760
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $88,750
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $107,210
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $124,250
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $70,645
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $87,330
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $100,465
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $58,220
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $71,355
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $84,490
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $160,460
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $198,445
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $230,040
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $109,340
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $136,675
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $156,555
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $78,100
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $97,625
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $111,825
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $65,320
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $80,585
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $91,590
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $58,220
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $71,710
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $82,360
2. New York City
Salaries in New York City are 40.5% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $160,873
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $198,808
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $238,850
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $127,504
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $154,550
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $179,840
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $87,813
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $106,078
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $122,938
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $69,899
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $86,408
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $99,404
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $57,605
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $70,601
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $83,598
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $158,765
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $196,349
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $227,610
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $108,185
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $135,231
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $154,901
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $77,275
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $96,594
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $110,644
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $64,630
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $79,734
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $90,623
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $57,605
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $70,953
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $81,490
3. Washington, DC
Salaries in Washington, DC are 33% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $152,285
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $188,195
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $226,100
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $120,698
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $146,300
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $170,240
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $83,125
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $100,415
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $116,375
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $66,168
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $81,795
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $94,098
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $54,530
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $66,833
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $79,135
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $150,290
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $185,868
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $215,460
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $102,410
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $128,013
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $146,633
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $73,150
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $91,438
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $104,738
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $61,180
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $75,478
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $85,785
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $54,530
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $67,165
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $77,140
4. Boston
Salaries in Boston are 34% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $153,430
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $189,610
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $227,800
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $121,605
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $147,400
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $171,520
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $83,750
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $101,170
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $117,250
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $66,665
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $82,410
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $94,805
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $54,940
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $67,335
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $79,730
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $151,420
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $187,265
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $217,080
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $103,180
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $128,975
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $147,735
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $73,700
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $92,125
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $105,525
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $61,640
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $76,045
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $86,430
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $54,940
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $67,670
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $77,720
5. Seattle
Salaries in Seattle are 29% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $147,705
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $182,535
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $219,300
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $117,068
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $141,900
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $165,120
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $80,625
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $97,395
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $112,875
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $64,178
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $79,335
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $91,268
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $52,890
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $64,823
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $76,755
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $145,770
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $180,278
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $208,980
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $99,330
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $124,163
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $142,223
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $70,950
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $88,688
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $101,588
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $59,340
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $73,208
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $83,205
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $52,890
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $65,145
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $74,820
Later this week, we’ll take a look at starting salary comparisons in five medium cost of living cities in the US.
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