Accountant salary in Jonesboro, AR
Jonesboro pays accountants close to the Arkansas norm. The median is $66,000 a year1, about level with the Arkansas statewide median of $66,330 and 21.1% below the US median of $83,680. Only 40 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 320 people in this job here, 4% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Jonesboro, AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jonesboro against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonesboro, AR | $46,080 | $66,000 | $99,460 | |
| Arkansas | $45,810 | $66,330 | $119,520 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Jonesboro earns $51,640–$80,550. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $99,460, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $28,910 wide, against $36,380 across Arkansas and $42,790 nationally: employers in Jonesboro 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 | $46,080 | $3,840 | $22.15 | $59,458 |
| 25th percentile | $51,640 | $4,303 | $24.83 | $66,632 |
| Median | $66,000 | $5,500 | $31.73 | $85,161 |
| 75th percentile | $80,550 | $6,712 | $38.73 | $103,935 |
| 90th percentile | $99,460 | $8,288 | $47.82 | $128,335 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,360 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,550, or about $18,774 once benefits are added. 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Jonesboro, and the Arkansas statewide median of $66,330 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local accountants earn.
What a hire really costs in Jonesboro
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 $19,161 to the $66,000 median and brings it to $85,161 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 Jonesboro
Of the 15 roles we track in Jonesboro, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($66,430); executive assistants come next at $57,970.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +0.7% | 120 | |
| Accountant | this role | 320 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.2% | 70 | |
| Recruiter | -18.5% | 200 | |
| Office Manager | -21.5% | 560 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in Jonesboro (-21.1%), between medical administrative assistants (-20.0%) and executive assistants (-24.3%). The typical role here is at -24.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Jonesboro than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 7.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Jonesboro, 7.4% across Arkansas and 9.2% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arkansas
Across the 9 areas of Arkansas with data for this job, the median runs from $59,770 in Hot Springs to $77,190 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $17,420 a year. Of the 6 areas in Arkansas with more accountants than Jonesboro, 5 pay less, the largest of them Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR ($65,810), Fort Smith, AR-OK ($62,990) and the South Arkansas nonmetro area ($61,510).
| Area | Median | vs Jonesboro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +17.0% | 1,980 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | this area | 320 | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -0.3% | 2,620 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -3.4% | 360 | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -4.6% | 520 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -6.8% | 480 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -7.6% | 420 |
Jonesboro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jonesboro is #448 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Arkansas, Hammond and Anniston-Oxford pay just above Jonesboro and El Paso and Eagle Pass just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Jonesboro. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jonesboro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +17.1% | 320 | jobs | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +15.1% | 320 | jobs | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +0.4% | 340 | pay | |
| Hammond, LA | +0.1% | 250 | pay | |
| Jonesboro, AR | this area | 320 | ||
| El Paso, TX | -0.0% | 2,120 | pay | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.2% | 80 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -3.0% | 320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Jonesboro, AR?
About $85,161 a year at the median, or $7,097 a month: $66,000 in pay plus about $19,161 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Jonesboro?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $66,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,080, the 90th $99,460, and the middle half earned $51,640 to $80,550.
Is Jonesboro cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for accountants?
About the same: a median of $66,000 against $66,330 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is Fayetteville-Springdale at $77,190, the next down Little Rock-North Little Rock at $65,810.
How many accountants work in Jonesboro?
BLS counts about 320 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Arkansas total of 7,870. 6 areas in Arkansas have more; the closest in size is the West Arkansas nonmetro area, with about 360.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Jonesboro?
Yes: $8,030 a year more at the median. The medians are $66,000 and $57,970.
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.