Accountant salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Bakersfield-Delano is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $79,620 a year1 is 18.0% below the California statewide median of $97,050, and 4.9% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #140 of 521. About 1,870 accountants work here, 1% of the California total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Bakersfield-Delano, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bakersfield-Delano against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $55,090 | $79,620 | $133,810 | |
| California | $61,770 | $97,050 | $160,520 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $133,810, 2.4 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Bakersfield-Delano earns $66,350–$102,670. The mean ($89,590) is 13% 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 $36,320 wide, against $50,040 across California and $42,790 nationally: employers in Bakersfield-Delano 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 | $55,090 | $4,591 | $26.49 | $71,084 |
| 25th percentile | $66,350 | $5,529 | $31.90 | $85,613 |
| Median | $79,620 | $6,635 | $38.28 | $102,735 |
| 75th percentile | $102,670 | $8,556 | $49.36 | $132,477 |
| 90th percentile | $133,810 | $11,151 | $64.33 | $172,658 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $23,050 over the median, the 25th only $13,270 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,742 a year in employer cost. 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 Bakersfield-Delano, and the California statewide median of $97,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bakersfield-Delano
At the $79,620 median, a local hire costs about $102,735 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,115 here. 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 Bakersfield-Delano
Of the 17 roles we track in Bakersfield-Delano, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($104,580); recruiters come next at $76,700.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +31.3% | 1,410 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,870 | |
| Recruiter | -3.7% | 1,240 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.5% | 650 | |
| Office Manager | -9.8% | 2,430 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Bakersfield-Delano (-4.9%), between payroll specialists (-2.8%) and executive assistants (-4.9%). The typical role here is at +2.2%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Bakersfield-Delano than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Bakersfield-Delano, 10.5% across California and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $74,880 in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area to $121,700 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $46,820 a year. Of the 8 areas in California with more accountants than Bakersfield-Delano, 1 pays less: Fresno, CA ($78,690).
| Area | Median | vs Bakersfield-Delano | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | +4.9% | 1,200 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | +3.2% | 720 | |
| Merced, CA | +1.0% | 360 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | this area | 1,870 | |
| Visalia, CA | -0.3% | 870 | |
| Redding, CA | -0.8% | 490 | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.2% | 2,810 |
Bakersfield-Delano against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bakersfield-Delano is #106 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside California, Savannah and Portland-South Portland pay just above Bakersfield-Delano and Elmira and Peoria just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Bakersfield-Delano. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bakersfield-Delano | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +12.2% | 1,860 | jobs | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +11.7% | 1,860 | jobs | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +0.2% | 1,780 | pay | |
| Savannah, GA | +0.2% | 1,360 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | this area | 1,870 | ||
| Elmira, NY | -0.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Peoria, IL | -0.1% | 1,350 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -2.3% | 1,830 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
About $102,735 a year at the median, or $8,561 a month: $79,620 in pay plus about $23,115 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Bakersfield-Delano?
The median was $79,620 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $55,090, the 90th $133,810, and the middle half earned $66,350 to $102,670.
Is Bakersfield-Delano cheaper than the rest of California for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $79,620 against $97,050 statewide. The next area up in California is Merced at $80,420, the next down Visalia at $79,400.
How many accountants work in Bakersfield-Delano?
BLS counts about 1,870 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the California total of 175,360. 8 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, with about 2,530.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes: $2,920 a year more at the median. The medians are $79,620 and $76,700.
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.