Accountant salary in Cincinnati, OH-KY
For this job Cincinnati sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $80,640 a year1. That is 1.7% above the Ohio statewide median of $79,320, and 3.6% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#111 of 521). About 10,050 accountants work here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cincinnati against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | $57,740 | $80,640 | $132,680 | |
| Ohio | $52,140 | $79,320 | $131,400 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Cincinnati earns $64,360–$104,050. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $132,680, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($90,330) is 12% 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 $39,690 wide, between the figure for Ohio ($39,210) 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 | $57,740 | $4,812 | $27.76 | $74,503 |
| 25th percentile | $64,360 | $5,363 | $30.94 | $83,045 |
| Median | $80,640 | $6,720 | $38.77 | $104,052 |
| 75th percentile | $104,050 | $8,671 | $50.02 | $134,258 |
| 90th percentile | $132,680 | $11,057 | $63.79 | $171,200 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,280 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $23,410, or about $30,206 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 Cincinnati, and the Ohio statewide median of $79,320 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cincinnati
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 $23,412 to the $80,640 median and brings it to $104,052 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 Cincinnati
Of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($95,380); marketing specialists come next at $75,750.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +18.3% | 7,080 | |
| Accountant | this role | 10,050 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -6.1% | 7,080 | |
| Recruiter | -9.5% | 7,110 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.0% | 1,830 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati (-3.6%), between bookkeepers (-2.1%) and marketing specialists (-3.8%). The typical role here is at -1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cincinnati, 9.9% across Ohio and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $67,280 in Mansfield to $81,700 in Columbus, a gap of $14,420 a year. Of the 2 areas in Ohio with more accountants than Cincinnati, 1 pays less: Cleveland, OH ($80,000).
| Area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +1.3% | 11,410 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 10,050 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -0.8% | 10,740 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -2.0% | 2,640 | |
| Akron, OH | -2.6% | 2,840 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -3.6% | 1,700 | |
| Toledo, OH | -4.0% | 2,130 |
Cincinnati against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cincinnati is #33 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 Ohio, Detroit-Warren and Phoenix-Mesa pay just above Cincinnati and Kingston and Las Vegas-Henderson just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Cincinnati. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +14.3% | 10,100 | jobs | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +0.2% | 21,360 | pay | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +0.0% | 19,390 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 10,050 | ||
| Kingston, NY | -0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.1% | 4,680 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -2.5% | 10,410 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -4.6% | 10,430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Cincinnati, OH-KY?
About $104,052 a year at the median, or $8,671 a month: $80,640 in pay plus about $23,412 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Cincinnati?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $57,740, the 90th $132,680, and the middle half earned $64,360 to $104,050.
Is Cincinnati cheaper than the rest of Ohio for accountants?
No, it costs more: a median of $80,640 against $79,320 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Columbus at $81,700, the next down Cleveland at $80,000.
How many accountants work in Cincinnati?
BLS counts about 10,050 in the May 2025 survey. Only Columbus and Cleveland have more in Ohio.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Cincinnati?
Yes: $4,890 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,640 and $75,750.
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.