Accountant salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Lansing-East Lansing pays accountants close to the Michigan norm. The median is $79,210 a year1, about level with the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 and 5.3% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #157 of 521. About 2,270 accountants work here, 5% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Lansing-East Lansing, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lansing-East Lansing against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $54,710 | $79,210 | $115,130 | |
| Michigan | $52,620 | $78,820 | $131,080 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Lansing-East Lansing earns $64,880–$96,430. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $115,130, only 2.1 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 $31,550 wide, against $37,180 across Michigan and $42,790 nationally: employers in Lansing-East Lansing 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 | $54,710 | $4,559 | $26.30 | $70,594 |
| 25th percentile | $64,880 | $5,407 | $31.19 | $83,716 |
| Median | $79,210 | $6,601 | $38.08 | $102,206 |
| 75th percentile | $96,430 | $8,036 | $46.36 | $124,426 |
| 90th percentile | $115,130 | $9,594 | $55.35 | $148,555 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,220 a year in pay and about $22,219 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,330 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 median and the 75th percentile in Lansing-East Lansing, and the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Lansing-East Lansing
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 $22,996 to the $79,210 median and brings it to $102,206 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Of the 17 roles we track in Lansing-East Lansing, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($97,050); recruiters come next at $72,490.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +22.5% | 1,350 | |
| Accountant | this role | 2,270 | |
| Recruiter | -8.5% | 1,520 | |
| Office Manager | -12.2% | 1,960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.7% | 810 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Lansing-East Lansing (-5.3%), between project coordinators (-5.2%) and medical administrative assistants (-8.8%). The typical role here is at -2.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Lansing-East Lansing than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lansing-East Lansing, 10.2% across Michigan and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 2 areas in Michigan with more accountants than Lansing-East Lansing, 1 pays less: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ($76,270).
| Area | Median | vs Lansing-East Lansing | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MI | +2.9% | 500 | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +1.8% | 19,390 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | +1.0% | 1,580 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | this area | 2,270 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -2.6% | 1,060 | |
| Saginaw, MI | -3.7% | 790 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -3.7% | 5,670 |
Lansing-East Lansing against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lansing-East Lansing is #93 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Michigan, Huntsville and Wichita pay just above Lansing-East Lansing and Lawrence and Dayton-Kettering just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Lansing-East Lansing. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lansing-East Lansing | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +26.2% | 2,380 | jobs | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +9.0% | 2,340 | jobs | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +2.2% | 2,370 | jobs | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.1% | 3,120 | pay | |
| Huntsville, AL | +0.0% | 3,010 | pay | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | this area | 2,270 | ||
| Lawrence, KS | -0.2% | 400 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -0.2% | 2,640 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
About $102,206 a year at the median, or $8,517 a month: $79,210 in pay plus about $22,996 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Lansing-East Lansing?
The median was $79,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $54,710, the 90th $115,130, and the middle half earned $64,880 to $96,430.
Is Lansing-East Lansing cheaper than the rest of Michigan for accountants?
About the same: a median of $79,210 against $78,820 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Ann Arbor at $80,040, the next down Kalamazoo-Portage at $77,140.
How many accountants work in Lansing-East Lansing?
BLS counts about 2,270 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Michigan total of 41,460. Only Detroit-Warren and Grand Rapids-Wyoming have more in Michigan.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Lansing-East Lansing?
Yes: $6,720 a year more at the median. The medians are $79,210 and $72,490.
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.