Accountant salary in Columbus, OH
Columbus is the most expensive place in Ohio to hire an accountant. The median is $81,700 a year1, 3.0% above the Ohio statewide median of $79,320 and 2.4% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#99 of 521). With about 11,410 accountants, 23% of the Ohio total, no area in Ohio employs more.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Columbus, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $56,610 | $81,700 | $132,330 | |
| Ohio | $52,140 | $79,320 | $131,400 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $132,330, 2.3 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Columbus earns $65,170–$104,790. The mean ($91,910) 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 $39,620 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 | $56,610 | $4,718 | $27.22 | $73,045 |
| 25th percentile | $65,170 | $5,431 | $31.33 | $84,090 |
| Median | $81,700 | $6,808 | $39.28 | $105,419 |
| 75th percentile | $104,790 | $8,732 | $50.38 | $135,213 |
| 90th percentile | $132,330 | $11,028 | $63.62 | $170,748 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,530 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $23,090, or about $29,794 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 Columbus, and the Ohio statewide median of $79,320 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
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 $23,719 to the $81,700 median and brings it to $105,419 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 Columbus
Of the 17 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($98,660); marketing specialists come next at $77,010.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +20.8% | 7,680 | |
| Accountant | this role | 11,410 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -5.7% | 5,880 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.1% | 3,250 | |
| Recruiter | -7.7% | 7,740 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Columbus (-2.4%), between marketing specialists (-2.2%) and virtual receptionists (-2.9%). The typical role here is at -0.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbus, 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. No other area in Ohio has as many accountants, and all 15 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | this area | 11,410 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -1.3% | 10,050 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -2.1% | 10,740 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -3.3% | 2,640 | |
| Akron, OH | -3.9% | 2,840 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -4.9% | 1,700 | |
| Toledo, OH | -5.3% | 2,130 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #25 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, Raleigh-Cary and Albany pay just above Columbus and Charlottesville and Jackson just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, OR | +0.3% | 200 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +0.3% | 9,190 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | this area | 11,410 | ||
| Charlottesville, VA | -0.2% | 1,100 | pay | |
| Jackson, MI | -0.3% | 500 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -2.0% | 11,260 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -2.9% | 11,210 | jobs | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | -4.4% | 11,290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Columbus, OH?
About $105,419 a year at the median, or $8,785 a month: $81,700 in pay plus about $23,719 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Columbus?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $81,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $56,610, the 90th $132,330, and the middle half earned $65,170 to $104,790.
Is Columbus the most expensive area in Ohio for accountants?
Yes. Its median of $81,700 is the highest of 16 areas in Ohio. Cincinnati comes next at $80,640.
How many accountants work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 11,410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 23% of the Ohio total of 50,440. No other area in Ohio has as many.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Columbus?
Yes: $4,690 a year more at the median. The medians are $81,700 and $77,010.
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.