Accountant salary in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
The median accountant in Fort Collins-Loveland earned $89,340 a year in May 20251. That is 6.8% above the US median of $83,680, even though it is 7.9% below the Colorado statewide median of $97,030. Only 41 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. About 1,860 accountants work here, 5% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Fort Collins-Loveland, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fort Collins-Loveland against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $53,500 | $89,340 | $148,660 | |
| Colorado | $60,760 | $97,030 | $162,160 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $148,660, 2.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Fort Collins-Loveland earns $69,430–$115,090. The mean ($96,650) is 8% 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 $45,660 wide, between the figure for Colorado ($52,370) 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 | $53,500 | $4,458 | $25.72 | $69,032 |
| 25th percentile | $69,430 | $5,786 | $33.38 | $89,587 |
| Median | $89,340 | $7,445 | $42.95 | $115,277 |
| 75th percentile | $115,090 | $9,591 | $55.33 | $148,503 |
| 90th percentile | $148,660 | $12,388 | $71.47 | $191,819 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $25,750 a year in pay and about $33,226 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $19,910 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 25th percentile and the median in Fort Collins-Loveland, and the Colorado statewide median of $97,030 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Fort Collins-Loveland
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 $25,937 to the $89,340 median and brings it to $115,277 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 Fort Collins-Loveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Fort Collins-Loveland, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($101,310); recruiters come next at $78,520.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +13.4% | 1,630 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,860 | |
| Recruiter | -12.1% | 900 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -13.5% | 1,510 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.9% | 1,610 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Fort Collins-Loveland (+6.8%), between virtual receptionists (+7.1%) and office managers (+6.1%). The typical role here is at +5.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fort Collins-Loveland, 11.1% across Colorado and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $76,530 in the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area to $100,020 in Denver-Aurora, a gap of $23,490 a year. Of the 3 areas in Colorado with more accountants than Fort Collins-Loveland, 1 pays less: Colorado Springs, CO ($85,000).
| Area | Median | vs Fort Collins-Loveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +12.0% | 22,720 | |
| Boulder, CO | +11.9% | 2,380 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | this area | 1,860 | |
| Greeley, CO | -2.4% | 1,160 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -4.9% | 2,580 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -7.2% | 1,620 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -10.8% | 970 |
Fort Collins-Loveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fort Collins-Loveland is #107 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 Colorado, Walla Walla and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks pay just above Fort Collins-Loveland and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie and Bremerton-Silverdale just below. All four are within $1,090 a year of the median in Fort Collins-Loveland. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fort Collins-Loveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +1.1% | 2,530 | pay | |
| Walla Walla, WA | +0.3% | 170 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | this area | 1,860 | ||
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -0.5% | 1,860 | pay | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | -1.2% | 580 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -10.9% | 1,870 | jobs | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -12.9% | 1,830 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -14.2% | 1,940 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
About $115,277 a year at the median, or $9,606 a month: $89,340 in pay plus about $25,937 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $89,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $53,500, the 90th $148,660, and the middle half earned $69,430 to $115,090.
Is Fort Collins-Loveland cheaper than the rest of Colorado for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $89,340 against $97,030 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Boulder at $99,990, the next down Greeley at $87,240.
How many accountants work in Fort Collins-Loveland?
BLS counts about 1,860 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Colorado total of 35,410. 3 areas in Colorado have more; the closest in size is Boulder, with about 2,380.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Yes: $10,820 a year more at the median. The medians are $89,340 and $78,520.
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.