Accountant salary in Boulder, CO
Boulder is a higher-paying market for accountants: the median of $99,990 a year1 is 3.1% above the Colorado statewide median of $97,030, and 19.5% above the US median of $83,680. Nationally that is #10 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 2,380 accountants work here, 7% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Boulder, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Boulder against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $61,420 | $99,990 | $166,180 | |
| Colorado | $60,760 | $97,030 | $162,160 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $166,180, 2.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Boulder earns $78,480–$129,560. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $51,080 wide, between the figure for Colorado ($52,370) and the US figure ($42,790).
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,420 | $5,118 | $29.53 | $79,252 |
| 25th percentile | $78,480 | $6,540 | $37.73 | $101,265 |
| Median | $99,990 | $8,332 | $48.07 | $129,019 |
| 75th percentile | $129,560 | $10,797 | $62.29 | $167,174 |
| 90th percentile | $166,180 | $13,848 | $79.89 | $214,426 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $21,510 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $29,570, or about $38,155 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 25th percentile and the median in Boulder, and the Colorado statewide median of $97,030 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Boulder
At the $99,990 median, a local hire costs about $129,019 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $29,029 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 Boulder
Of the 17 roles we track in Boulder, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($122,040); sales development representatives come next at $99,990.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +22.1% | 2,920 | |
| Accountant | this role | 2,380 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.0% | 3,230 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -2.4% | 3,130 | |
| Recruiter | -13.8% | 1,480 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Boulder (+19.5%), between data entry specialists (+20.8%) and project coordinators (+19.3%). The typical role here is at +13.5%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Boulder than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.1% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Boulder, 11.2% across Colorado and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $76,530 in the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area to $100,020 in Denver-Aurora, a gap of $23,490 a year. Of the 2 areas in Colorado with more accountants than Boulder, 1 pays less: Colorado Springs, CO ($85,000).
| Area | Median | vs Boulder | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +0.0% | 22,720 | |
| Boulder, CO | this area | 2,380 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -10.7% | 1,860 | |
| Greeley, CO | -12.8% | 1,160 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -15.0% | 2,580 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -17.1% | 1,620 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -20.3% | 970 |
Boulder against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Boulder is #90 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 Colorado, Boston-Cambridge and Parkersburg-Vienna pay just above Boulder and Napa and Trenton-Princeton just below. All four are within $440 a year of the median in Boulder. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Boulder | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +0.4% | 550 | pay | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +0.2% | 37,150 | pay | |
| Boulder, CO | this area | 2,380 | ||
| Napa, CA | -0.4% | 520 | pay | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -0.4% | 2,890 | pay | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | -13.6% | 2,340 | jobs | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | -19.1% | 2,370 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -20.6% | 2,440 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Boulder, CO?
About $129,019 a year at the median, or $10,752 a month: $99,990 in pay plus about $29,029 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Boulder?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $99,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $61,420, the 90th $166,180, and the middle half earned $78,480 to $129,560.
Is Boulder cheaper than the rest of Colorado for accountants?
No, it costs more: a median of $99,990 against $97,030 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Denver-Aurora at $100,020, the next down Fort Collins-Loveland at $89,340.
How many accountants work in Boulder?
BLS counts about 2,380 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Colorado total of 35,410. Only Denver-Aurora and Colorado Springs have more in Colorado.
Does an accountant cost more than a sales development representative in Boulder?
They are level. The medians are $99,990 and $99,990.
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.