Accountant.
Fargo.
$71,000
median salary, 13% below the national average
$56,000 to $92,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Accountant in Fargo earns a median of $71,000 in 2026. That is 13% below the national average. The range runs from $56,000 to $92,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. CPA licensure, industry specialization, and company size are the biggest factors. 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 Fargo, 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 $76,420 for Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) in the Fargo, ND-MN metropolitan area, based on 1,580 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$49,590
25th percentile
$61,690
Median
$76,420
75th percentile
$98,390
90th percentile
$126,000
Workers surveyed
1,580
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 Fargo range 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 $64,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$46,000
to $57,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$60,000
to $75,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$78,000
to $92,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$89,000
to $110,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $16,000 to the total package.
Base
$71,000
Equity
$9,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $87,000
How Fargo compares.
Fargo, ND
$71,000
Cost of living: 15% below average
National Average
$82,000
Fargo is $11,000 below
Accountant salary by city.
Salary by role in Fargo.
What you should know.
The Accountant landscape in Fargo is not what most salary sites will tell you. Fargo has a surprisingly strong technology sector, home to companies like Microsoft's campus and a growing startup ecosystem tied to North Dakota State University. The city's extremely low cost of living and emerging tech scene make it an increasingly attractive option for professionals seeking affordability. 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 Fargo, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 15% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
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: north Dakota has a very low income tax with a top rate of just 2.5%. Fargo has no city income tax. The minimal tax burden combined with low living costs creates excellent take home pay. When someone quotes you $71,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight willingness to work on site. Fargo tech employers struggle to recruit talent to the region and reward candidates who commit to living locally. The range for Accountants in Fargo runs from $56,000 to $92,000. 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 Logistics Coordinator in Fargo earns $72,000 (1% more)
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Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Accountant Salary in Fargo, ND." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/accountant/fargo
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