Accountant.
Austin.
$81,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$64,000 to $105,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Austin is 3% more expensive than the national average. For Accountants, that shakes out to a median of $81,000, with the full range spanning $64,000 to $105,000. CPA licensure, industry specialization, and company size are the biggest factors. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Accountant in Austin, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $83,120 for Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, based on 12,480 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$57,660
25th percentile
$68,250
Median
$83,120
75th percentile
$103,820
90th percentile
$130,130
Workers surveyed
12,480
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) rather than Accountant specifically. The Austinrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 13-2011Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $73,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$53,000
to $65,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$69,000
to $85,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$89,000
to $105,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$101,000
to $126,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $18,000 to the total package.
Base
$81,000
Equity
$10,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $99,000
How Austin compares.
Austin, TX
$81,000
Cost of living: 3% above average
National Average
$82,000
Austin is $1,000 below
Accountant salary by city.
Salary by role in Austin.
What you should know.
The Accountant landscape in Austin is not what most salary sites will tell you. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. Salaries have risen sharply over the past five years, narrowing the gap with coastal cities. CPA licensure, industry specialization, and company size are the biggest factors. Public accounting at Big Four firms pays well at entry but demands long hours. Corporate accountants in tech and finance earn 10 to 20% more than those in other industries. Experience with complex areas like international tax, M&A, or revenue recognition commands premiums.
Staff accountants start at $52,000 to $68,000, advancing to senior accountant at $70,000 to $90,000 in two to three years. Accounting managers earn $90,000 to $120,000. Controllers reach $130,000 to $175,000, and CFOs at mid size companies earn $200,000 to $350,000. Public accounting partnership offers the highest ceiling. In Austin, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Bonuses of 5 to 15% are typical in corporate roles, rising to 15 to 25%+ in public accounting at manager level. Benefits include CPA exam reimbursement, busy season bonuses, and in public firms, a path to partnership with profit sharing. Tech companies add equity grants of $5,000 to $25,000. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value. When someone quotes you $81,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher. The range for Accountants in Austin runs from $64,000 to $105,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Web Developer in Austin earns $80,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
Accountant salary in other cities.
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