Accountant salary in Kennewick-Richland, WA
Kennewick-Richland pays accountants less than Washington as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $93,280 a year1: 3.4% below the Washington statewide median of $96,550 and 11.5% above the US median of $83,680. Nationally that is #27 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 1,020 people in this job here, 3% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Kennewick-Richland, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kennewick-Richland against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $62,800 | $93,280 | $136,900 | |
| Washington | $66,330 | $96,550 | $152,310 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Kennewick-Richland earns $75,110–$115,920. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $136,900, 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 $40,810 wide, against $43,300 across Washington and $42,790 nationally: employers in Kennewick-Richland 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 | $62,800 | $5,233 | $30.19 | $81,032 |
| 25th percentile | $75,110 | $6,259 | $36.11 | $96,916 |
| Median | $93,280 | $7,773 | $44.85 | $120,361 |
| 75th percentile | $115,920 | $9,660 | $55.73 | $149,574 |
| 90th percentile | $136,900 | $11,408 | $65.82 | $176,645 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $22,640 a year in pay and about $29,213 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $18,170 in pay. 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 25th percentile and the median in Kennewick-Richland, and the Washington statewide median of $96,550 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Kennewick-Richland
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 $27,081 to the $93,280 median and brings it to $120,361 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 Kennewick-Richland
Of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($125,940); recruiters come next at $81,290.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +35.0% | 1,260 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,020 | |
| Recruiter | -12.9% | 620 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.1% | 340 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -17.9% | 370 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland (+11.5%), between administrative assistants (+11.8%) and medical administrative assistants (+10.6%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Kennewick-Richland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 9.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Kennewick-Richland, 10.2% across Washington and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $82,380 in Yakima to $99,370 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $16,990 a year. Of the 4 areas in Washington with more accountants than Kennewick-Richland, 2 pay less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($86,350) and the Western Washington nonmetro area ($91,570).
| Area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +6.5% | 22,100 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +1.3% | 1,330 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,020 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | -0.2% | 250 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | -0.4% | 400 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | -1.8% | 1,140 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | -3.9% | 170 |
Kennewick-Richland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kennewick-Richland is #189 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Carson City and Worcester pay just above Kennewick-Richland and Waterbury-Shelton and Charlotte-Concord just below. All four are within $790 a year of the median in Kennewick-Richland. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +0.8% | 3,090 | pay | |
| Carson City, NV | +0.3% | 240 | pay | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,020 | ||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | -0.3% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | -0.4% | 16,820 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | -13.9% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -16.4% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, FL | -18.7% | 1,010 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
About $120,361 a year at the median, or $10,030 a month: $93,280 in pay plus about $27,081 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Kennewick-Richland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $93,280 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $62,800, the 90th $136,900, and the middle half earned $75,110 to $115,920.
Is Kennewick-Richland cheaper than the rest of Washington for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $93,280 against $96,550 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Olympia-Lacey at $94,470, the next down Longview-Kelso at $93,130.
How many accountants work in Kennewick-Richland?
BLS counts about 1,020 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Washington total of 34,740. 4 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is the Western Washington nonmetro area, with about 1,140.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes: $11,990 a year more at the median. The medians are $93,280 and $81,290.
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.