Accountant salary in Cleveland, OH
For this job Cleveland sits right at the Ohio figure, with a median of $80,000 a year1. That is about level with the Ohio statewide median of $79,320, and 4.4% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#127 of 521). About 10,740 accountants work here, 21% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $54,830 | $80,000 | $129,900 | |
| Ohio | $52,140 | $79,320 | $131,400 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $129,900, 2.4 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Cleveland earns $63,420–$102,470. The mean ($88,900) 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 $39,050 wide, against $39,210 across Ohio and $42,790 nationally: employers in Cleveland 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 | $54,830 | $4,569 | $26.36 | $70,748 |
| 25th percentile | $63,420 | $5,285 | $30.49 | $81,832 |
| Median | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38.46 | $103,226 |
| 75th percentile | $102,470 | $8,539 | $49.26 | $132,219 |
| 90th percentile | $129,900 | $10,825 | $62.45 | $167,613 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $22,470 a year in pay and about $28,994 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $16,580 in pay. 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $79,320 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
At the $80,000 median, a local hire costs about $103,226 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,226 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($95,000); marketing specialists come next at $71,350.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +18.8% | 6,340 | |
| Accountant | this role | 10,740 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -10.8% | 5,440 | |
| Recruiter | -11.4% | 6,330 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.3% | 2,170 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-4.4%), between HR assistants (-3.7%) and virtual receptionists (-4.4%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 9.9% across Ohio and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. The one area in Ohio with more accountants, Columbus, OH ($81,700), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +2.1% | 11,410 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.8% | 10,050 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 10,740 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -1.2% | 2,640 | |
| Akron, OH | -1.8% | 2,840 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -2.8% | 1,700 | |
| Toledo, OH | -3.2% | 2,130 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #29 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, Kansas City and Ann Arbor pay just above Cleveland and Jacksonville and Eugene-Springfield just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | +0.0% | 1,580 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +0.0% | 11,260 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 10,740 | ||
| Jacksonville, FL | -0.0% | 6,890 | pay | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -0.1% | 1,120 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -0.9% | 11,210 | jobs | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -1.7% | 10,410 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -3.8% | 10,430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Cleveland, OH?
About $103,226 a year at the median, or $8,602 a month: $80,000 in pay plus about $23,226 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Cleveland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $54,830, the 90th $129,900, and the middle half earned $63,420 to $102,470.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for accountants?
About the same: a median of $80,000 against $79,320 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $80,640, the next down Dayton-Kettering at $79,030.
How many accountants work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 10,740 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Ohio total of 50,440. Only Columbus has more in Ohio.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Cleveland?
Yes: $8,650 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,000 and $71,350.
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.