Accountant salary in Fayetteville, NC
Fayetteville is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $78,560 a year1 is 4.3% below the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050, and 6.1% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #175 of 521 areas. About 800 accountants work here, 2% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Fayetteville, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fayetteville against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | $51,350 | $78,560 | $130,780 | |
| North Carolina | $53,610 | $82,050 | $146,100 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $130,780, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Fayetteville earns $62,850–$104,870. The mean ($87,250) 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 $42,020 wide, against $42,970 across North Carolina and $42,790 nationally: employers in Fayetteville 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 | $51,350 | $4,279 | $24.69 | $66,258 |
| 25th percentile | $62,850 | $5,238 | $30.22 | $81,097 |
| Median | $78,560 | $6,547 | $37.77 | $101,368 |
| 75th percentile | $104,870 | $8,739 | $50.42 | $135,316 |
| 90th percentile | $130,780 | $10,898 | $62.88 | $168,748 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $26,310 over the median, the 25th only $15,710 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $33,948 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 Fayetteville, and the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Fayetteville
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 $22,808 to the $78,560 median and brings it to $101,368 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 Fayetteville
Of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($82,680); recruiters come next at $75,440.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +5.2% | 490 | |
| Accountant | this role | 800 | |
| Recruiter | -4.0% | 870 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.9% | 210 | |
| Office Manager | -22.5% | 870 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville (-6.1%), between paralegals (-4.0%) and e-commerce order specialists (-8.4%). The typical role here is at -12.4%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Fayetteville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 6.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fayetteville, 9.4% across North Carolina and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $73,740 in Jacksonville to $92,910 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $19,170 a year. Of the 11 areas in North Carolina with more accountants than Fayetteville, 5 pay less, the largest of them the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($75,790), the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($74,770) and Wilmington, NC ($77,920).
| Area | Median | vs Fayetteville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | +2.2% | 430 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +2.0% | 3,300 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | +0.5% | 2,030 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | this area | 800 | |
| Wilmington, NC | -0.8% | 1,520 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -1.4% | 1,040 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -2.0% | 360 |
Fayetteville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fayetteville is #240 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Orlando-Kissimmee and Kahului-Wailuku pay just above Fayetteville and Warner Robins and Akron just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Fayetteville. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fayetteville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | +0.1% | 10,410 | pay | |
| Fayetteville, NC | this area | 800 | ||
| Warner Robins, GA | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Akron, OH | -0.0% | 2,840 | pay | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -1.1% | 800 | jobs | |
| Bozeman, MT | -1.5% | 800 | jobs | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -1.9% | 800 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Fayetteville, NC?
About $101,368 a year at the median, or $8,447 a month: $78,560 in pay plus about $22,808 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Fayetteville?
The median was $78,560 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,350, the 90th $130,780, and the middle half earned $62,850 to $104,870.
Is Fayetteville cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $78,560 against $82,050 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Winston-Salem at $78,950, the next down Wilmington at $77,920.
How many accountants work in Fayetteville?
BLS counts about 800 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the North Carolina total of 49,270. 11 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Hickory-Lenoir, with about 1,040.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Fayetteville?
Yes: $3,120 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,560 and $75,440.
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.