Earlier this week we looked at public accounting starting salaries in five of the most expensive US cities to live in and how much higher they are than the projected national averages recently published in the Robert Half 2022 Accounting & Finance Salary Guide.
A discussion you often see among professionals on Fishbowl and Reddit is: Is such and such a city considered HCOL or MCOL? Or: Is such and such a city considered MCOL or LCOL? A lot of it is subjective. Let’s take Atlanta, for example. Would you consider Atlanta to have a high cost of living, a medium cost of living, or a low cost of living? It’s obviously cheaper to live in than New York City but more expensive than, say, Akron, OH.
From what I’ve seen discussed around the online water cooler, most people say Atlanta is a MCOL city. And according to this 2021 cost of living index, Atlanta is the 30th most expensive city when you factor in cost of living and rent. So because Atlanta is ranked lower than San Francisco, New York City, DC, Boston, and Seattle in that COL index, we’re going to consider the ATL as a MCOL.
Besides Atlanta, there are seven other big cities—ranked between 15th and 70th in the COL index—that we’re putting in the MCOL category for the purposes of this article. Each of these cities has a Big 4 presence and a national accounting firm presence (i.e., RSM US, BDO USA, Grant Thornton):
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Denver
- Portland, OR
- Miami
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
How do public accounting starting salaries in these eight cities for 2022 compare to the projected averages nationwide? There are 10 public accounting roles highlighted in Robert Half’s latest salary guide, each one having three salary percentiles:
- 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.
The salary data below from Robert Half shows the national average -> the average for that city by percentile per position. Here are the starting salary comparisons for those eight MCOL cities:
1. Atlanta
Salaries in Atlanta are 7.5% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $123,088
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $152,113
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $182,750
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $97,556
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $118,250
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $137,600
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $67,188
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $81,163
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $94,063
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $53,481
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $66,113
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $76,056
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $44,075
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $54,019
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $63,963
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $121,475
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $150,231
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $174,150
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $82,775
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $103,469
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $118,519
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $59,125
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $73,906
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $84,656
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $49,450
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $61,006
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $69,338
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $44,075
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $54,288
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $62,350
2. Chicago
Salaries in Chicago are 24% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $141,980
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $175,460
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $210,800
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $112,530
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $136,400
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $158,720
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $77,500
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $93,620
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $108,500
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $61,690
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $76,260
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $87,730
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $50,840
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $62,310
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $73,780
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $140,120
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $173,290
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $200,880
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $95,480
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $119,350
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $136,710
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $68,200
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $85,250
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $97,650
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $57,040
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $70,370
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $79,980
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $50,840
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $62,620
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $71,920
3. Dallas
4. Denver
5. Portland, OR
Salaries in Dallas, Denver, and Portland, OR are 11% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $127,095
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $157,065
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $188,700
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $100,733
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $122,100
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $142,080
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $69,375
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $83,805
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $97,125
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $55,223
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $68,265
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $78,533
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $45,510
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $55,778
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $66,045
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $125,430
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $155,123
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $179,820
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $85,470
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $106,838
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $122,378
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $61,050
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $76,313
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $87,413
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $51,060
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $62,993
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $71,595
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $45,510
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $56,055
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $64,380
6. Miami
Salaries in Miami are 10% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $125,950
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $155,650
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $187,000
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $99,825
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $121,000
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $140,800
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $68,750
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $83,050
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $96,250
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $54,725
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $67,650
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $77,825
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $45,100
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $55,275
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $65,450
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $124,300
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $153,725
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $178,200
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $84,700
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $105,875
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $121,275
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $60,500
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $75,625
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $86,625
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $50,600
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $62,425
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $70,950
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $45,100
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $55,550
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $63,800
7. Philadelphia
Salaries in Philadelphia are 15% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $131,675
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $162,725
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $195,500
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $104,363
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $126,500
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $147,200
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $71,875
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $86,825
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $100,625
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $57,213
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $70,725
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $81,363
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $47,150
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $57,788
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $68,425
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $129,950
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $160,713
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $186,300
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $88,550
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $110,688
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $126,788
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $63,250
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $79,063
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $90,563
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $52,900
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $65,263
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $74,175
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $47,150
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $58,075
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $66,700
8. Phoenix
Salaries in Phoenix are 18% higher than the national average.
Senior manager/director tax services
- 25th percentile: $114,500 -> $135,110
- 50th percentile: $141,500 -> $166,970
- 75th percentile: $170,000 -> $200,600
Manager of tax services
- 25th percentile: $90,750 -> $107,085
- 50th percentile: $110,000 -> $129,800
- 75th percentile: $128,000 -> $151,040
Senior tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $62,500 -> $73,750
- 50th percentile: $75,500 -> $89,090
- 75th percentile: $87,500 -> $103,250
Tax accountant, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $49,750 -> $58,705
- 50th percentile: $61,500 -> $72,570
- 75th percentile: $70,750 -> $83,485
Entry-level tax accountant
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $48,380
- 50th percentile: $50,250 -> $59,295
- 75th percentile: $59,500 -> $70,210
Senior manager/director audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $113,000 -> $133,340
- 50th percentile: $139,750 -> $164,905
- 75th percentile: $162,000 -> $191,160
Manager audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $77,000 -> $90,860
- 50th percentile: $96,250 -> $113,575
- 75th percentile: $110,250 -> $130,095
Senior audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $55,000 -> $64,900
- 50th percentile: $68,750 -> $81,125
- 75th percentile: $78,750 -> $92,925
Audit and assurance services, 1-3 years’ experience
- 25th percentile: $46,000 -> $54,280
- 50th percentile: $56,750 -> $66,965
- 75th percentile: $64,500 -> $76,110
Entry-level audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $41,000 -> $48,380
- 50th percentile: $50,500 -> $59,590
- 75th percentile: $58,000 -> $68,440
We’ll take a look at 2022 starting salary expectations in public accounting for a handful of LCOL cities in the coming days.
Related articles:
How Are Public Accounting Salaries Stacking Up For 2022?
2022 Projected Public Accounting Salaries In Five HCOL Cities