Accountant salary in Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor pays accountants more than Michigan as a whole but less than the country. The median is $80,040 a year1: 1.5% above the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 and 4.3% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#125 of 521). BLS counts about 1,580 people in this job here, 4% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Ann Arbor, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Ann Arbor against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | $58,480 | $80,040 | $130,500 | |
| Michigan | $52,620 | $78,820 | $131,080 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Ann Arbor earns $65,720–$100,970. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $130,500, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($87,600) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $35,250 wide, against $37,180 across Michigan and $42,790 nationally: employers in Ann Arbor pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,480 | $4,873 | $28.12 | $75,458 |
| 25th percentile | $65,720 | $5,477 | $31.60 | $84,800 |
| Median | $80,040 | $6,670 | $38.48 | $103,277 |
| 75th percentile | $100,970 | $8,414 | $48.54 | $130,284 |
| 90th percentile | $130,500 | $10,875 | $62.74 | $168,387 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,320 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $20,930, or about $27,006 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Ann Arbor, and the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Ann Arbor
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $23,237 to the $80,040 median and brings it to $103,277 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Ann Arbor
Of the 17 roles we track in Ann Arbor, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($103,690); recruiters come next at $77,770.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +29.5% | 1,430 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,580 | |
| Recruiter | -2.8% | 1,110 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -5.9% | 1,060 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.7% | 430 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Ann Arbor (-4.3%), between executive assistants (-2.5%) and office managers (-6.6%). The typical role here is at +1.2%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Ann Arbor than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Ann Arbor, 10.2% across Michigan and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $69,740 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $91,790 in Midland, a gap of $22,050 a year. Of the 3 areas in Michigan with more accountants than Ann Arbor, 2 pay less: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ($76,270) and Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($79,210).
| Area | Median | vs Ann Arbor | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, MI | +14.7% | 450 | |
| Jackson, MI | +1.8% | 500 | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +0.8% | 19,390 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | this area | 1,580 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -1.0% | 2,270 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -3.6% | 1,060 | |
| Saginaw, MI | -4.7% | 790 |
Ann Arbor against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Ann Arbor is #123 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Michigan, Greensboro-High Point and Odessa pay just above Ann Arbor and Kansas City and Cleveland just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Ann Arbor. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Ann Arbor | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | +8.0% | 1,600 | jobs | |
| Odessa, TX | +0.3% | 550 | pay | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +0.2% | 3,300 | pay | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | this area | 1,580 | ||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +0.0% | 11,260 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | -0.0% | 10,740 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -3.0% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | -4.5% | 1,580 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Ann Arbor, MI?
About $103,277 a year at the median, or $8,606 a month: $80,040 in pay plus about $23,237 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Ann Arbor?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $58,480, the 90th $130,500, and the middle half earned $65,720 to $100,970.
Is Ann Arbor cheaper than the rest of Michigan for accountants?
No, it costs more: a median of $80,040 against $78,820 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Detroit-Warren at $80,650, the next down Lansing-East Lansing at $79,210.
How many accountants work in Ann Arbor?
BLS counts about 1,580 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Michigan total of 41,460. 3 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Lansing-East Lansing, with about 2,270.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Ann Arbor?
Yes: $2,270 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,040 and $77,770.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.