Accountant salary in Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $77,980 a year1 is 2.5% below the Arizona statewide median of $79,970, and 6.8% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #193 of 521 areas. About 380 accountants work here, 1% of the Arizona total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Flagstaff, AZ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Flagstaff against Arizona and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | $46,770 | $77,980 | $126,090 | |
| Arizona | $55,430 | $79,970 | $128,890 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $126,090, 2.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Flagstaff earns $61,360–$98,190. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $36,830 wide, against $38,650 across Arizona and $42,790 nationally: employers in Flagstaff 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 | $46,770 | $3,898 | $22.49 | $60,348 |
| 25th percentile | $61,360 | $5,113 | $29.50 | $79,174 |
| Median | $77,980 | $6,498 | $37.49 | $100,619 |
| 75th percentile | $98,190 | $8,182 | $47.21 | $126,697 |
| 90th percentile | $126,090 | $10,508 | $60.62 | $162,697 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $20,210 a year in pay and about $26,077 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $16,620 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 Flagstaff, and the Arizona statewide median of $79,970 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Flagstaff
At the $77,980 median, a local hire costs about $100,619 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,639 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 Flagstaff
Accountants have the highest median of the 16 roles we track in Flagstaff; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $39,830.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | this role | 380 | |
| Project Coordinator | -0.1% | 320 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -15.5% | 270 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.4% | 80 | |
| Recruiter | -18.7% | 310 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Flagstaff (-6.8%), between sales development representatives (-5.9%) and HR assistants (-7.5%). The typical role here is at -7.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 7.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Flagstaff, 7.8% across Arizona and 9.2% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arizona
Across the 8 areas of Arizona with data for this job, the median runs from $67,780 in Lake Havasu City-Kingman to $80,820 in Phoenix-Mesa, a gap of $13,040 a year. Of the 5 areas in Arizona with more accountants than Flagstaff, 4 pay less, the largest of them Tucson, AZ ($76,320), the Arizona nonmetro area ($71,360) and Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ ($77,770).
| Area | Median | vs Flagstaff | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +3.6% | 21,360 | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | this area | 380 | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | -0.3% | 500 | |
| Tucson, AZ | -2.1% | 2,570 | |
| Yuma, AZ | -2.2% | 390 | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -2.8% | 190 | |
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | -8.5% | 510 |
Flagstaff against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Flagstaff is #417 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Arizona, Grants Pass and Nashville-Murfreesboro pay just above Flagstaff and New Orleans-Metairie and South Bend-Mishawaka just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Flagstaff. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Flagstaff | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +0.1% | 11,290 | pay | |
| Grants Pass, OR | +0.1% | 130 | pay | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | this area | 380 | ||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -0.1% | 3,740 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -0.1% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | -7.5% | 380 | jobs | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -8.7% | 380 | jobs | |
| Johnstown, PA | -10.4% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Flagstaff, AZ?
About $100,619 a year at the median, or $8,385 a month: $77,980 in pay plus about $22,639 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Flagstaff?
The median was $77,980 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,770, the 90th $126,090, and the middle half earned $61,360 to $98,190.
Is Flagstaff cheaper than the rest of Arizona for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $77,980 against $79,970 statewide. The next area up in Arizona is Phoenix-Mesa at $80,820, the next down Prescott Valley-Prescott at $77,770.
How many accountants work in Flagstaff?
BLS counts about 380 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Arizona total of 27,410. 5 areas in Arizona have more; the closest in size is Yuma, with about 390.
Does an accountant cost more than a project coordinator in Flagstaff?
Yes: $40 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,980 and $77,940.
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.