Accountant salary in Grand Junction, CO
Grand Junction is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $76,870 a year1 is 20.8% below the Colorado statewide median of $97,030, and 8.1% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #246 of 521 areas. About 640 accountants work here, 2% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Grand Junction, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Grand Junction against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | $49,420 | $76,870 | $127,550 | |
| Colorado | $60,760 | $97,030 | $162,160 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $127,550, 2.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Grand Junction earns $61,940–$99,980. The mean ($85,780) 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 only $38,040 wide, against $52,370 across Colorado and $42,790 nationally: employers in Grand Junction 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 | $49,420 | $4,118 | $23.76 | $63,768 |
| 25th percentile | $61,940 | $5,162 | $29.78 | $79,923 |
| Median | $76,870 | $6,406 | $36.96 | $99,187 |
| 75th percentile | $99,980 | $8,332 | $48.07 | $129,006 |
| 90th percentile | $127,550 | $10,629 | $61.32 | $164,581 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $23,110 over the median, the 25th only $14,930 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,819 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 Junction, and the Colorado statewide median of $97,030 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Grand Junction
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 $22,317 to the $76,870 median and brings it to $99,187 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 Grand Junction
Of the 16 roles we track in Grand Junction, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($94,690); office managers come next at $67,240.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +23.2% | 380 | |
| Accountant | this role | 640 | |
| Office Manager | -12.5% | 540 | |
| Recruiter | -13.3% | 280 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -13.3% | 490 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #12 of the 16 roles we track in Grand Junction (-8.1%), between payroll specialists (-7.8%) and e-commerce order specialists (-10.0%). The typical role here is at -6.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Grand Junction, 11.1% across Colorado and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. All 7 areas in Colorado with more accountants than Grand Junction also pay more, among them Denver-Aurora, CO ($100,020) and Colorado Springs, CO ($85,000).
| Area | Median | vs Grand Junction | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeley, CO | +13.5% | 1,160 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | +10.6% | 2,580 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | +7.8% | 1,620 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | +3.7% | 970 | |
| Pueblo, CO | +1.9% | 420 | |
| Grand Junction, CO | this area | 640 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 600 |
Grand Junction against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Grand Junction is #297 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Colorado, Bismarck and Pittsburgh pay just above Grand Junction and Greenville-Anderson and Fond du Lac just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Grand Junction. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Grand Junction | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | +0.1% | 10,430 | pay | |
| Bismarck, ND | +0.1% | 780 | pay | |
| Grand Junction, CO | this area | 640 | ||
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.0% | 2,890 | pay | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -0.0% | 330 | pay | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | -0.2% | 630 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -2.1% | 660 | jobs | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -2.6% | 640 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Grand Junction, CO?
About $99,187 a year at the median, or $8,266 a month: $76,870 in pay plus about $22,317 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Grand Junction?
The median was $76,870 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,420, the 90th $127,550, and the middle half earned $61,940 to $99,980.
Is Grand Junction cheaper than the rest of Colorado for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,870 against $97,030 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Pueblo at $78,340, the next down the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area at $76,530.
How many accountants work in Grand Junction?
BLS counts about 640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Colorado total of 35,410. 7 areas in Colorado have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Colorado nonmetro area, with about 970.
Does an accountant cost more than an office manager in Grand Junction?
Yes: $9,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,870 and $67,240.
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.