Accountant salary in El Centro, CA
Hiring an accountant costs less in El Centro than in California or the country as a whole. The median is $76,280 a year1: 21.4% below the California statewide median of $97,050 and 8.8% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #280 of 521. BLS counts about 300 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area El Centro, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in El Centro against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $51,990 | $76,280 | $126,290 | |
| California | $61,770 | $97,050 | $160,520 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in El Centro earns $59,990–$97,940. The top tenth earns $126,290 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($84,540) 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 $37,950 wide, against $50,040 across California and $42,790 nationally: employers in El Centro 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 | $51,990 | $4,332 | $25.00 | $67,084 |
| 25th percentile | $59,990 | $4,999 | $28.84 | $77,406 |
| Median | $76,280 | $6,357 | $36.67 | $98,426 |
| 75th percentile | $97,940 | $8,162 | $47.09 | $126,374 |
| 90th percentile | $126,290 | $10,524 | $60.72 | $162,955 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,290 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $21,660, or about $27,948 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 El Centro, and the California statewide median of $97,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in El Centro
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 $22,146 to the $76,280 median and brings it to $98,426 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 El Centro
Of the 16 roles we track in El Centro, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($105,860); executive assistants come next at $76,050.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +38.8% | 140 | |
| Accountant | this role | 300 | |
| Executive Assistant | -0.3% | 70 | |
| Recruiter | -5.7% | 220 | |
| Office Manager | -12.9% | 480 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in El Centro (-8.8%), between bookkeepers (-5.3%) and HR assistants (-9.1%). The typical role here is at -0.9%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in El Centro than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in El Centro, 10.6% across California and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $74,880 in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area to $121,700 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $46,820 a year. Of the 25 areas in California with more accountants than El Centro, 1 pays less: the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area ($74,880).
| Area | Median | vs El Centro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | +3.2% | 2,810 | |
| Yuba City, CA | +2.9% | 280 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +2.6% | 210 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 390 | |
| Chico, CA | +1.8% | 420 | |
| El Centro, CA | this area | 300 | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | -1.8% | 750 |
El Centro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, El Centro is #460 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside California, Yuma and Salisbury pay just above El Centro and Topeka and Grand Rapids-Wyoming just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in El Centro. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs El Centro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salisbury, MD | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Yuma, AZ | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| El Centro, CA | this area | 300 | ||
| Topeka, KS | +0.0% | 1,420 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -0.0% | 5,670 | pay | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -1.0% | 300 | jobs | |
| Lima, OH | -4.3% | 300 | jobs | |
| Grand Island, NE | -10.7% | 300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in El Centro, CA?
About $98,426 a year at the median, or $8,202 a month: $76,280 in pay plus about $22,146 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in El Centro?
The median was $76,280 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,990, the 90th $126,290, and the middle half earned $59,990 to $97,940.
Is El Centro cheaper than the rest of California for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,280 against $97,050 statewide. The next area up in California is Chico at $77,680, the next down the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area at $74,880.
How many accountants work in El Centro?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. 25 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Merced, with about 360.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in El Centro?
Yes: $230 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,280 and $76,050.
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.