Entry Level Accountant Salary in the United States

How much does an Entry Level Accountant make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for an Entry Level Accountant in the United States is $62,969 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, an Entry Level Accountant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $72,399
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,846 to $67,905
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $53,182
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View as table View as graph 25% $57,846 10% $53,182 90% $72,399 75% $67,905 $62,969 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Entry Level Accountant Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $67,905 $5,659 $1,306 $33
Average $62,969 $5,247 $1,211 $30
25th Percentile $57,846 $4,821 $1,112 $28
Check out Entry Level Accountant Job Openings in the United States
Dealership Store Porter Part-time Entry Level - Madison

Classic Auto Group - Madison, OH

Senior Level Accountant, CPA, Enrolled Agent

Newman & Company, CPAs - Cleveland, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Entry Level Accountant Salaries

An Entry Level Accountant's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Entry Level Accountant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Level Accountant's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $62,475
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $72,631
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,168
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $100,306
  • Expert (over 8 years): $141,469
Levels Salary
Entry Lev... Level Entry Level Accountant$62,475
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$72,631
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$84,168
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$100,306
Accountan... Level Entry Level Accountant$141,469
$62,475 0 yr
$72,631 < 2 yrs
$84,168 2-4 yrs
$100,306 5-8 yrs
$141,469 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Entry Level Accountants

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $79,422
  • San Francisco: $78,641
  • Oakland: $76,897

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Level Accountant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • CPA (Mentioned in 2.85% Job Postings): A CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, is a trusted financial advisor who helps individuals, businesses, and other organizations plan and reach their financial goals.
  • Bookkeeping (Mentioned in 1.48% Job Postings): Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.06%
CPA 2.85%
Bookkeeping 1.48%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Entry Level Accountant's salary.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Leadership
$66,747
6%
Initiative
$65,487
4%
Collaboration
$65,487
4%
Analysis
$65,487
4%
Finance and Accounting
$65,487
4%
CPA
$64,858
3%
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How Education impacts an Entry Level Accountant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Entry Level Accountants enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Entry Level Accountant with a Associate's Degree is between $59,751 and $63,023).

Entry Level Accountant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Entry Level Accountant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.8%
High School 7.3%
Associates 10.9%
Bachelors 59.5%
Masters 17.7%
Doctorate 0.8%
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Entry Level Accountant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Level Accountant's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

Salary Trends for Entry Level Accountant

Salaries for an Entry Level Accountant can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,652 in 2023 to around $55,351 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Entry Level Accountant salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Entry Level Accountant Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$55,652
2024
$55,563
2025
$55,351
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $55,652
2024 $55,563
2025 $55,351
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Entry Level Accountant

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Entry Level Accountant

Here are companies hiring for Entry Level Accountant and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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