Accountant salary in Grand Island, NE
Hiring an accountant costs less in Grand Island than in Nebraska or the country as a whole. The median is $68,090 a year1: 5.5% below the Nebraska statewide median of $72,080 and 18.6% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#460 of 521). BLS counts about 300 people in this job here, 3% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Grand Island, NE. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Grand Island against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island, NE | $47,210 | $68,090 | $118,110 | |
| Nebraska | $48,590 | $72,080 | $114,530 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Grand Island earns $55,940–$87,790. The top tenth earns $118,110 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($75,930) is 12% 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 $31,850 wide, between the figure for Nebraska ($30,670) 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 | $47,210 | $3,934 | $22.70 | $60,916 |
| 25th percentile | $55,940 | $4,662 | $26.89 | $72,181 |
| Median | $68,090 | $5,674 | $32.74 | $87,858 |
| 75th percentile | $87,790 | $7,316 | $42.21 | $113,277 |
| 90th percentile | $118,110 | $9,842 | $56.78 | $152,400 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $19,700 over the median, the 25th only $12,150 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $25,419 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 Grand Island, and the Nebraska statewide median of $72,080 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Grand Island
At the $68,090 median, a local hire costs about $87,858 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $19,768 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 Grand Island
Of the 13 roles we track in Grand Island, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($77,730); recruiters come next at $62,100.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +14.2% | 50 | |
| Accountant | this role | 300 | |
| Recruiter | -8.8% | 200 | |
| Office Manager | -10.7% | 290 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -12.4% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #9 of the 13 roles we track in Grand Island (-18.6%), between recruiters (-18.2%) and executive assistants (-23.0%). The typical role here is at -12.5%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Grand Island than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.3% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Grand Island, 10.8% across Nebraska and 9.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $63,730 in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area to $77,030 in Omaha, a gap of $13,300 a year. Of the 5 areas in Nebraska with more accountants than Grand Island, 4 pay less, the largest of them Lincoln, NE ($65,170), the South Nebraska nonmetro area ($64,020) and the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area ($67,680).
| Area | Median | vs Grand Island | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +13.1% | 5,170 | |
| Grand Island, NE | this area | 300 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 740 | |
| Lincoln, NE | -4.3% | 2,130 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -6.0% | 1,100 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -6.4% | 310 |
Grand Island against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Grand Island is #461 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Nebraska, Enid and Columbia pay just above Grand Island and Hinesville and Lake Havasu City-Kingman just below. All four are within $1,120 a year of the median in Grand Island. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Grand Island | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | +12.0% | 300 | jobs | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +10.9% | 300 | jobs | |
| Lima, OH | +7.2% | 300 | jobs | |
| Columbia, SC | +1.6% | 3,260 | pay | |
| Enid, OK | +0.9% | 160 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | this area | 300 | ||
| Hinesville, GA | -0.4% | 80 | pay | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -0.5% | 280 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Grand Island, NE?
About $87,858 a year at the median, or $7,322 a month: $68,090 in pay plus about $19,768 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Grand Island?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $68,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,210, the 90th $118,110, and the middle half earned $55,940 to $87,790.
Is Grand Island cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $68,090 against $72,080 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is Omaha at $77,030, the next down the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area at $67,680.
How many accountants work in Grand Island?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Nebraska total of 10,340. 5 areas in Nebraska have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area, with about 310.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Grand Island?
Yes: $5,990 a year more at the median. The medians are $68,090 and $62,100.
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.