Accountant salary in Clarksville, TN-KY
Clarksville is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $72,760 a year1 is 5.3% below the Tennessee statewide median of $76,840, and 13.0% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#391 of 521). About 510 accountants work here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Clarksville, TN-KY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Clarksville against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $46,480 | $72,760 | $117,090 | |
| Tennessee | $49,920 | $76,840 | $122,160 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $117,090, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Clarksville earns $59,120–$82,590. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $23,470 wide, against $32,360 across Tennessee and $42,790 nationally: employers in Clarksville 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 | $46,480 | $3,873 | $22.35 | $59,974 |
| 25th percentile | $59,120 | $4,927 | $28.42 | $76,284 |
| Median | $72,760 | $6,063 | $34.98 | $93,884 |
| 75th percentile | $82,590 | $6,882 | $39.71 | $106,568 |
| 90th percentile | $117,090 | $9,758 | $56.29 | $151,084 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,640 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,830, or about $12,684 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 Clarksville, and the Tennessee statewide median of $76,840 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 Clarksville
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 $21,124 to the $72,760 median and brings it to $93,884 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 Clarksville
Of the 17 roles we track in Clarksville, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($79,660); recruiters come next at $65,680.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +9.5% | 420 | |
| Accountant | this role | 510 | |
| Recruiter | -9.7% | 540 | |
| Office Manager | -15.3% | 1,300 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.9% | 100 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Clarksville (-13.0%), between HR assistants (-11.8%) and recruiters (-13.5%). The typical role here is at -13.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 5.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Clarksville, 7.5% across Tennessee and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $64,710 in Johnson City to $78,080 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $13,370 a year. Of the 9 areas in Tennessee with more accountants than Clarksville, 2 pay less: the East Tennessee nonmetro area ($68,780) and Jackson, TN ($71,980).
| Area | Median | vs Clarksville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +3.8% | 530 | |
| Knoxville, TN | +3.6% | 3,240 | |
| Morristown, TN | +0.1% | 240 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | this area | 510 | |
| Jackson, TN | -1.1% | 520 | |
| Cleveland, TN | -1.3% | 180 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -2.0% | 510 |
Clarksville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Clarksville is #346 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Santa Fe and Tyler pay just above Clarksville and Dover and Homosassa Springs just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in Clarksville. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Clarksville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, LA | +1.5% | 510 | jobs | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.2% | 800 | pay | |
| Santa Fe, NM | +0.0% | 620 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | this area | 510 | ||
| Dover, DE | -0.0% | 710 | pay | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -0.2% | 200 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | -12.9% | 510 | jobs | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -13.2% | 510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Clarksville, TN-KY?
About $93,884 a year at the median, or $7,824 a month: $72,760 in pay plus about $21,124 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Clarksville?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,480, the 90th $117,090, and the middle half earned $59,120 to $82,590.
Is Clarksville cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,760 against $76,840 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Morristown at $72,810, the next down Jackson at $71,980.
How many accountants work in Clarksville?
BLS counts about 510 in the May 2025 survey. 9 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Jackson, with about 520.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Clarksville?
Yes: $7,080 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,760 and $65,680.
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.