Accountant salary in Charlottesville, VA
Hiring an accountant costs less in Charlottesville than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $81,530 a year1: 12.6% below the Virginia statewide median of $93,290 and 2.6% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#100 of 521). BLS counts about 1,100 people in this job here, 2% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Charlottesville, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Charlottesville against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $59,030 | $81,530 | $130,000 | |
| Virginia | $60,000 | $93,290 | $156,730 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Charlottesville earns $68,780–$102,050. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $130,000, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($90,390) 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 $33,270 wide, against $49,260 across Virginia and $42,790 nationally: employers in Charlottesville 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 | $59,030 | $4,919 | $28.38 | $76,168 |
| 25th percentile | $68,780 | $5,732 | $33.07 | $88,748 |
| Median | $81,530 | $6,794 | $39.20 | $105,200 |
| 75th percentile | $102,050 | $8,504 | $49.06 | $131,677 |
| 90th percentile | $130,000 | $10,833 | $62.50 | $167,742 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $20,520 over the median, the 25th only $12,750 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $26,477 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 Charlottesville, and the Virginia statewide median of $93,290 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Charlottesville
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 $23,670 to the $81,530 median and brings it to $105,200 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 Charlottesville
Of the 17 roles we track in Charlottesville, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between recruiters ($82,430) and executive assistants ($74,370). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,680.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +19.8% | 1,010 | |
| Recruiter | +1.1% | 610 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,100 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.8% | 320 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -11.7% | 700 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Charlottesville (-2.6%), between virtual receptionists (-2.3%) and HR assistants (-2.6%). The typical role here is at -2.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Charlottesville, 11.0% across Virginia and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $74,800 in Blacksburg-Christiansburg to $84,220 in Richmond, a gap of $9,420 a year. Of the 3 areas in Virginia with more accountants than Charlottesville, 2 pay less: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($79,450) and Roanoke, VA ($77,240).
| Area | Median | vs Charlottesville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | +3.3% | 7,920 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | this area | 1,100 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -2.6% | 6,160 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -2.9% | 340 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -3.1% | 680 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -4.2% | 400 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -4.7% | 590 |
Charlottesville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Charlottesville is #170 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Virginia, Columbus and Raleigh-Cary pay just above Charlottesville and Jackson and Tulsa just below. All four are within $420 a year of the median in Charlottesville. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Charlottesville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +0.5% | 9,190 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | +0.2% | 11,410 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | this area | 1,100 | ||
| Jackson, MI | -0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | -0.3% | 5,110 | pay | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -2.0% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -11.5% | 1,100 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | -17.0% | 1,100 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Charlottesville, VA?
About $105,200 a year at the median, or $8,767 a month: $81,530 in pay plus about $23,670 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Charlottesville?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $81,530 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,030, the 90th $130,000, and the middle half earned $68,780 to $102,050.
Is Charlottesville cheaper than the rest of Virginia for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $81,530 against $93,290 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Richmond at $84,220, the next down Virginia Beach-Chesapeake at $79,450.
How many accountants work in Charlottesville?
BLS counts about 1,100 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Virginia total of 47,100. 3 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is Roanoke, with about 1,200.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Charlottesville?
Yes: $7,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $81,530 and $74,370.
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.