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Accountants and Auditors Salary in California

What Accountants and Auditors earn in California, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 16 counties.

Average in CA
$97,145
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
7 of 32
published states
Workers in state
166,580
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
6
16 counties

Pay by labor market in California

Accountants and Auditors pay by wage area in California
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700$86,919$43,971Santa Clara County, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730$80,274$43,182Alameda County, CA
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$96,340$71,488$33,857San Diego County, CA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$94,360$70,280$31,844Los Angeles County, CA
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$92,110$68,906$37,779Sacramento County, CA
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$83,920$63,906$33,835Riverside County, CA

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Accountants and Auditors in California counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1San Benito County, CA$121,700$86,919$49,755
2Santa Clara County, CA$121,700$86,919$43,971
3Alameda County, CA$110,730$80,274$43,182
4Contra Costa County, CA$110,730$80,274$43,182
5Yolo County, CA$92,110$68,906$39,255
6Sacramento County, CA$92,110$68,906$37,779
7Placer County, CA$92,110$68,906$37,779
8El Dorado County, CA$92,110$68,906$37,779
9San Francisco County, CA$110,730$80,274$34,626
10San Mateo County, CA$110,730$80,274$34,626
11Marin County, CA$110,730$80,274$34,626
12San Diego County, CA$96,340$71,488$33,857
13Riverside County, CA$83,920$63,906$33,835
14San Bernardino County, CA$83,920$63,906$33,835
15Los Angeles County, CA$94,360$70,280$31,844
16Orange County, CA$94,360$70,280$29,348

Accountants and Auditors pay in California

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Accountants and Auditors in California is $97,145, based on 166,580 workers. Among the 32 states with published data, that ranks number 7. The BLS national median for the occupation is $83,680, so California averages 16.1% above it.

Inside California, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $121,700 in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area and the lowest is $83,920 in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, a difference of $37,780 across 6 wage areas.

Cost of living for Accountants and Auditors in California

We compare 16 California counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. San Benito County, CA leaves the largest yearly margin, $49,755. Orange County, CA leaves the smallest, $29,348. The median wage covers all four basics in 16 of the 16 counties.

Accountants and Auditors in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Accountants and Auditors are District of Columbia ($102,140), New York ($101,427), New Jersey ($100,978) and West Virginia ($98,670).

Frequently asked questions: Accountants and Auditors in California

How much do Accountants and Auditors earn in California?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $97,145, from $83,920 to $121,700 depending on the labor market.

Which California county is best for Accountants and Auditors?

San Benito County, CA leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($49,755). Santa Clara County, CA follows at $43,971.