Accountant salary in Dover, DE
No other area in Delaware pays accountants less than Dover. The median is $72,730 a year1, 23.5% below the Delaware statewide median of $95,020 and 13.1% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#392 of 521). BLS counts about 710 people in this job here, 11% of the Delaware total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Dover, DE. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dover against Delaware and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $48,780 | $72,730 | $111,810 | |
| Delaware | $60,500 | $95,020 | $132,550 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Dover earns $58,860–$95,220. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $111,810, only 2.3 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 $36,360 wide, against $46,180 across Delaware and $42,790 nationally: employers in Dover 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 | $48,780 | $4,065 | $23.45 | $62,942 |
| 25th percentile | $58,860 | $4,905 | $28.30 | $75,948 |
| Median | $72,730 | $6,061 | $34.97 | $93,845 |
| 75th percentile | $95,220 | $7,935 | $45.78 | $122,865 |
| 90th percentile | $111,810 | $9,318 | $53.75 | $144,271 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $22,490 over the median, the 25th only $13,870 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,019 a year in employer cost. 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 Dover, and the Delaware statewide median of $95,020 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dover
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 $21,115 to the $72,730 median and brings it to $93,845 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 Dover
Of the 16 roles we track in Dover, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($109,940); executive assistants come next at $68,420.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +51.2% | 100 | |
| Accountant | this role | 710 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.9% | 170 | |
| Office Manager | -7.6% | 750 | |
| Recruiter | -8.0% | 450 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #14 of the 16 roles we track in Dover (-13.1%), between payroll specialists (-12.0%) and medical administrative assistants (-15.4%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Dover than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Dover, 12.3% across Delaware and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Delaware
Across the 2 areas of Delaware with data for this job, the median runs from $72,730 in Dover to $93,310 in the Sussex Delaware nonmetro area, a gap of $20,580 a year. The one area in Delaware with more accountants, the Sussex Delaware nonmetro area ($93,310), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Dover | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex Delaware (Nonmetro) | +28.3% | 780 | |
| Dover, DE | this area | 710 |
Dover against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dover is #275 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 Delaware, Clarksville and Santa Fe pay just above Dover and Homosassa Springs and Auburn-Opelika just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in Dover. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dover | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne, WY | +1.8% | 700 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +0.7% | 730 | jobs | |
| Santa Fe, NM | +0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.0% | 510 | pay | |
| Dover, DE | this area | 710 | ||
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -0.2% | 200 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -0.2% | 680 | pay | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -4.2% | 730 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Dover, DE?
About $93,845 a year at the median, or $7,820 a month: $72,730 in pay plus about $21,115 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Dover?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,730 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,780, the 90th $111,810, and the middle half earned $58,860 to $95,220.
Is Dover the cheapest area in Delaware for accountants?
Yes. Its median of $72,730 is the lowest of 2 areas in Delaware. The Sussex Delaware nonmetro area is next at $93,310.
How many accountants work in Dover?
BLS counts about 710 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Delaware total of 6,570. Only the Sussex Delaware nonmetro area has more in Delaware.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Dover?
Yes: $4,310 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,730 and $68,420.
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.