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Accountant salary in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC

For this job Hilton Head Island-Bluffton sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $77,610 a year1. That is 1.4% above the South Carolina statewide median of $76,560, and 7.3% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #213 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 470 people in this job here, 3% of the South Carolina total.

$6,468median pay per month in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
$8,345employer cost per month with benefits
$37.31median pay per hour
470people in this job in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton

BLS occupation 13-2011, area Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton against South Carolina and the US

Range10thMedian90th
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC$49,860$77,610$142,510
South Carolina$50,370$76,560$131,220
United States$56,020$83,680$144,090
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $142,510 or more, 2.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of accountants in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton earns $62,610–$101,710. The mean ($88,120) is 14% 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 $39,100 wide, between the figure for South Carolina ($36,980) and the US figure ($42,790).

What to budget for an accountant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$49,860$4,155$23.97$64,335
25th percentile$62,610$5,218$30.10$80,787
Median$77,610$6,468$37.31$100,142
75th percentile$101,710$8,476$48.90$131,239
90th percentile$142,510$11,876$68.51$183,884

Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $24,100 over the median, the 25th only $15,000 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $31,097 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, and the South Carolina statewide median of $76,560 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.

What a hire really costs in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton

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 $22,532 to the $77,610 median and brings it to $100,142 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.

$100,142local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$86,254difference in year one
86%of the local cost saved

Other roles in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton

Of the 16 roles we track in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($79,990); marketing specialists come next at $71,330.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 16 roles in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
RoleMedianvs accountantJobs
Project Coordinator
$79,990
+3.1%550
Accountant
$77,610
this role470
Marketing Specialist
$71,330
-8.1%450
Recruiter
$69,740
-10.1%300
Executive Assistant
$62,270
-19.8%70

Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton (-7.3%), between virtual receptionists (-6.6%) and recruiters (-8.2%). The typical role here is at -10.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 5.3% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, 6.2% across South Carolina and 9.2% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in South Carolina

Across the 11 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $68,070 in the Southern South Carolina nonmetro area to $79,350 in Charleston-North Charleston, a gap of $11,280 a year. Of the 5 areas in South Carolina with more accountants than Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, 4 pay less, the largest of them Columbia, SC ($69,210), Greenville-Anderson, SC ($76,870) and Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC ($74,520).

AreaMedianvs Hilton Head Island-BlufftonJobs
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
$79,350
+2.2%2,600
Sumter, SC
$78,460
+1.1%150
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
$77,610
this area470
Spartanburg, SC
$77,080
-0.7%800
Northwestern South Carolina (Nonmetro)
$76,980
-0.8%460
Greenville-Anderson, SC
$76,870
-1.0%2,890
Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC
$74,520
-4.0%850

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton is #371 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside South Carolina, Winchester and Wausau pay just above Hilton Head Island-Bluffton and Davenport-Moline and Oshkosh-Neenah just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.

Metro areaMedianvs Hilton Head Island-BlufftonJobsClose in
Kingston, NY
$80,560
+3.8%470jobs
Wausau, WI
$77,680
+0.1%530pay
Winchester, VA-WV
$77,660
+0.1%590pay
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
$77,610
this area470
Davenport-Moline, IA-IL
$77,600
-0.0%1,560pay
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
$77,580
-0.0%690pay
Bloomington, IN
$76,640
-1.2%480jobs
Manhattan, KS
$65,900
-15.1%470jobs

Questions

How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC?

About $100,142 a year at the median, or $8,345 a month: $77,610 in pay plus about $22,532 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do accountants earn in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton?

The median was $77,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,860, the 90th $142,510, and the middle half earned $62,610 to $101,710.

Is Hilton Head Island-Bluffton cheaper than the rest of South Carolina for accountants?

No, it costs more: a median of $77,610 against $76,560 statewide. The next area up in South Carolina is Sumter at $78,460, the next down Spartanburg at $77,080.

How many accountants work in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton?

BLS counts about 470 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the South Carolina total of 15,270. 6 areas in South Carolina have more; the closest in size is Florence, with about 470.

Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton?

Yes: $6,280 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,610 and $71,330.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.