Accountant salary in Columbia, MO
Hiring an accountant costs less in Columbia than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $73,070 a year1: 4.6% below the Missouri statewide median of $76,590 and 12.7% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #381 of 521 areas. About 930 accountants work here, 3% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Columbia, MO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbia against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MO | $48,820 | $73,070 | $107,690 | |
| Missouri | $49,290 | $76,590 | $128,300 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Columbia earns $59,080–$83,780. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $107,690, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $24,700 wide, against $39,210 across Missouri and $42,790 nationally: employers in Columbia 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 | $48,820 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,994 |
| 25th percentile | $59,080 | $4,923 | $28.40 | $76,232 |
| Median | $73,070 | $6,089 | $35.13 | $94,284 |
| 75th percentile | $83,780 | $6,982 | $40.28 | $108,103 |
| 90th percentile | $107,690 | $8,974 | $51.77 | $138,955 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,710 a year in pay and about $13,819 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,990 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 Columbia, and the Missouri statewide median of $76,590 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbia
At the $73,070 median, a local hire costs about $94,284 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,214 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 Columbia
Of the 16 roles we track in Columbia, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($80,870); marketing specialists come next at $64,720.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +10.7% | 580 | |
| Accountant | this role | 930 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -11.4% | 600 | |
| Recruiter | -13.3% | 640 | |
| Office Manager | -15.6% | 930 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Columbia (-12.7%), between office managers (-11.3%) and administrative assistants (-16.5%). The typical role here is at -16.5%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Columbia than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 9.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Columbia, 10.1% across Missouri and 9.2% 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 4 areas in Missouri with more accountants than Columbia, 2 pay less: Springfield, MO ($73,020) and Jefferson City, MO ($64,040).
| Area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +9.5% | 11,260 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +8.0% | 13,610 | |
| Columbia, MO | this area | 930 | |
| Springfield, MO | -0.1% | 2,070 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -0.7% | 560 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -7.7% | 340 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -9.6% | 780 |
Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbia is #210 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Missouri, Baton Rouge and Youngstown-Warren pay just above Columbia and State College and Lima just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +13.6% | 910 | jobs | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +5.9% | 940 | jobs | |
| Lubbock, TX | +1.8% | 960 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | +0.0% | 1,150 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | +0.0% | 3,410 | pay | |
| Columbia, MO | this area | 930 | ||
| State College, PA | -0.0% | 460 | pay | |
| Lima, OH | -0.1% | 300 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Columbia, MO?
About $94,284 a year at the median, or $7,857 a month: $73,070 in pay plus about $21,214 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Columbia?
The median was $73,070 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,820, the 90th $107,690, and the middle half earned $59,080 to $83,780.
Is Columbia cheaper than the rest of Missouri for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $73,070 against $76,590 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is St. Louis at $78,880, the next down Springfield at $73,020.
How many accountants work in Columbia?
BLS counts about 930 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Missouri total of 28,000. 4 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Jefferson City, with about 1,120.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Columbia?
Yes: $8,350 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,070 and $64,720.
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.