Accountant salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Hiring an accountant costs less in Kalamazoo-Portage than in Michigan or the country as a whole. The median is $77,140 a year1: 2.1% below the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 and 7.8% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #236 of 521 areas. About 1,060 accountants work here, 3% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Kalamazoo-Portage, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kalamazoo-Portage against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $51,220 | $77,140 | $117,420 | |
| Michigan | $52,620 | $78,820 | $131,080 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Kalamazoo-Portage earns $63,260–$98,020. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $117,420, only 2.3 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 $34,760 wide, against $37,180 across Michigan and $42,790 nationally: employers in Kalamazoo-Portage 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 | $51,220 | $4,268 | $24.62 | $66,090 |
| 25th percentile | $63,260 | $5,272 | $30.41 | $81,626 |
| Median | $77,140 | $6,428 | $37.09 | $99,535 |
| 75th percentile | $98,020 | $8,168 | $47.12 | $126,477 |
| 90th percentile | $117,420 | $9,785 | $56.45 | $151,510 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $20,880 over the median, the 25th only $13,880 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $26,942 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, and the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Kalamazoo-Portage
At the $77,140 median, a local hire costs about $99,535 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,395 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 Kalamazoo-Portage
Of the 17 roles we track in Kalamazoo-Portage, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($97,590); executive assistants come next at $70,920.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +26.5% | 640 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,060 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.1% | 250 | |
| Office Manager | -14.9% | 880 | |
| Recruiter | -16.3% | 690 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Kalamazoo-Portage (-7.8%), between HR assistants (-7.4%) and sales development representatives (-12.2%). The typical role here is at -7.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kalamazoo-Portage, 10.2% across Michigan and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $69,740 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $91,790 in Midland, a gap of $22,050 a year. Of the 5 areas in Michigan with more accountants than Kalamazoo-Portage, 2 pay less: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ($76,270) and the Mid Michigan nonmetro area ($69,790).
| Area | Median | vs Kalamazoo-Portage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +4.6% | 19,390 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | +3.8% | 1,580 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +2.7% | 2,270 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | this area | 1,060 | |
| Saginaw, MI | -1.1% | 790 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -1.1% | 5,670 | |
| Monroe, MI | -1.4% | 290 |
Kalamazoo-Portage against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kalamazoo-Portage is #178 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, Cedar Rapids and Fayetteville-Springdale pay just above Kalamazoo-Portage and Janesville-Beloit and Spartanburg just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Kalamazoo-Portage. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kalamazoo-Portage | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville, IN | +0.4% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +0.1% | 1,980 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.1% | 1,190 | pay | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | this area | 1,060 | ||
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -0.1% | 800 | pay | |
| Amarillo, TX | -1.2% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -2.0% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
About $99,535 a year at the median, or $8,295 a month: $77,140 in pay plus about $22,395 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Kalamazoo-Portage?
The median was $77,140 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,220, the 90th $117,420, and the middle half earned $63,260 to $98,020.
Is Kalamazoo-Portage cheaper than the rest of Michigan for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $77,140 against $78,820 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Lansing-East Lansing at $79,210, the next down Saginaw at $76,310.
How many accountants work in Kalamazoo-Portage?
BLS counts about 1,060 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Michigan total of 41,460. 5 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is the Mid Michigan nonmetro area, with about 1,150.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Yes: $6,220 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,140 and $70,920.
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.