Accountant salary in Gainesville, GA
Hiring an accountant costs less in Gainesville than in Georgia or the country as a whole. The median is $75,200 a year1: 8.2% below the Georgia statewide median of $81,900 and 10.1% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #322 of 521. About 750 accountants work here, 2% of the Georgia total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Gainesville, GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Gainesville against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, GA | $49,990 | $75,200 | $125,520 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $51,830 | $81,900 | $145,960 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Gainesville earns $61,410–$97,140. The top tenth earns $125,520 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($83,830) 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 $35,730 wide, against $44,280 across Georgia and $42,790 nationally: employers in Gainesville 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 | $49,990 | $4,166 | $24.03 | $64,503 |
| 25th percentile | $61,410 | $5,118 | $29.52 | $79,239 |
| Median | $75,200 | $6,267 | $36.15 | $97,032 |
| 75th percentile | $97,140 | $8,095 | $46.70 | $125,342 |
| 90th percentile | $125,520 | $10,460 | $60.35 | $161,961 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $21,940 over the median, the 25th only $13,790 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $28,310 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 Gainesville, and the Georgia statewide median of $81,900 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Gainesville
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 $21,832 to the $75,200 median and brings it to $97,032 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 Gainesville
Of the 17 roles we track in Gainesville, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($83,970); executive assistants come next at $68,540.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +11.7% | 340 | |
| Accountant | this role | 750 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.9% | 220 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -14.1% | 290 | |
| Recruiter | -15.8% | 460 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Gainesville (-10.1%), between office managers (-9.7%) and e-commerce order specialists (-10.2%). The typical role here is at -10.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Gainesville, 8.6% across Georgia and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Georgia
Across the 18 areas of Georgia with data for this job, the median runs from $67,800 in Hinesville to $85,820 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, a gap of $18,020 a year. Of the 7 areas in Georgia with more accountants than Gainesville, 1 pays less: Columbus, GA-AL ($73,640).
| Area | Median | vs Gainesville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | +0.9% | 570 | |
| North Georgia (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 890 | |
| South Georgia (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 1,220 | |
| Gainesville, GA | this area | 750 | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -0.2% | 270 | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -0.4% | 640 | |
| Rome, GA | -0.7% | 240 |
Gainesville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Gainesville is #262 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Georgia, Hagerstown-Martinsburg and Fort Wayne pay just above Gainesville and York-Hanover and Greenville just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Gainesville. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Gainesville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +27.8% | 760 | jobs | |
| Bend, OR | +14.4% | 750 | jobs | |
| Bloomington, IL | +1.7% | 750 | jobs | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +0.1% | 1,640 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | +0.1% | 660 | pay | |
| Gainesville, GA | this area | 750 | ||
| York-Hanover, PA | -0.1% | 1,400 | pay | |
| Greenville, NC | -0.1% | 550 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Gainesville, GA?
About $97,032 a year at the median, or $8,086 a month: $75,200 in pay plus about $21,832 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Gainesville?
The median was $75,200 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,990, the 90th $125,520, and the middle half earned $61,410 to $97,140.
Is Gainesville cheaper than the rest of Georgia for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $75,200 against $81,900 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is the South Georgia nonmetro area at $75,440, the next down Brunswick-St. Simons at $75,060.
How many accountants work in Gainesville?
BLS counts about 750 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Georgia total of 44,020. 7 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is the Middle Georgia nonmetro area, with about 780.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Gainesville?
Yes: $6,660 a year more at the median. The medians are $75,200 and $68,540.
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.