Accountant salary in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
Hiring an accountant costs less in Cape Girardeau than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $64,010 a year1: 16.4% below the Missouri statewide median of $76,590 and 23.5% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally that is #507 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. About 320 accountants work here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Cape Girardeau, MO-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cape Girardeau against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $43,670 | $64,010 | $103,030 | |
| Missouri | $49,290 | $76,590 | $128,300 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Cape Girardeau earns $50,660–$80,170. The top tenth earns $103,030 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($71,320) is 11% 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 $29,510 wide, against $39,210 across Missouri and $42,790 nationally: employers in Cape Girardeau 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 | $43,670 | $3,639 | $21.00 | $56,348 |
| 25th percentile | $50,660 | $4,222 | $24.36 | $65,368 |
| Median | $64,010 | $5,334 | $30.77 | $82,594 |
| 75th percentile | $80,170 | $6,681 | $38.54 | $103,445 |
| 90th percentile | $103,030 | $8,586 | $49.53 | $132,942 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,350 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $16,160, or about $20,852 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Cape Girardeau, and the Missouri statewide median of $76,590 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local accountants earn.
What a hire really costs in Cape Girardeau
At the $64,010 median, a local hire costs about $82,594 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,584 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 Cape Girardeau
Of the 14 roles we track in Cape Girardeau, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($78,150); recruiters come next at $60,660.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +22.1% | 200 | |
| Accountant | this role | 320 | |
| Recruiter | -5.2% | 230 | |
| Office Manager | -8.3% | 320 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.5% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in Cape Girardeau (-23.5%), between administrative assistants (-21.2%) and project coordinators (-23.6%). The typical role here is at -22.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Cape Girardeau, 10.2% across Missouri and 9.3% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $62,490 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $80,040 in Kansas City, a gap of $17,550 a year. Of the 11 areas in Missouri with more accountants than Cape Girardeau, 1 pays less: the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area ($62,490).
| Area | Median | vs Cape Girardeau | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +5.4% | 340 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | +3.2% | 780 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | +2.6% | 570 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 770 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | +0.0% | 1,120 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | this area | 320 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 390 |
Cape Girardeau against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cape Girardeau is #447 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Missouri, McAllen-Edinburg and Alexandria pay just above Cape Girardeau and Twin Falls and Laredo just below. All four are within $600 a year of the median in Cape Girardeau. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cape Girardeau | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +20.8% | 320 | jobs | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +18.7% | 320 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +3.1% | 320 | jobs | |
| Alexandria, LA | +0.8% | 400 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | +0.7% | 1,430 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | this area | 320 | ||
| Twin Falls, ID | -0.9% | 180 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | -0.9% | 510 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?
About $82,594 a year at the median, or $6,883 a month: $64,010 in pay plus about $18,584 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Cape Girardeau?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $64,010 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,670, the 90th $103,030, and the middle half earned $50,660 to $80,170.
Is Cape Girardeau cheaper than the rest of Missouri for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $64,010 against $76,590 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Jefferson City at $64,040, the next down the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area at $62,490.
How many accountants work in Cape Girardeau?
BLS counts about 320 in the May 2025 survey. 11 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is St. Joseph, with about 340.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Cape Girardeau?
Yes: $3,350 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,010 and $60,660.
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.