Accountant salary in Lincoln, NE
Hiring an accountant costs less in Lincoln than in Nebraska or the country as a whole. The median is $65,170 a year1: 9.6% below the Nebraska statewide median of $72,080 and 22.1% below the US median of $83,680. Only 29 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 2,130 people in this job here, 21% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Lincoln, NE. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lincoln against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | $46,850 | $65,170 | $108,070 | |
| Nebraska | $48,590 | $72,080 | $114,530 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Lincoln earns $54,890–$81,340. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $108,070, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($73,210) is 12% 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 only $26,450 wide, against $30,670 across Nebraska and $42,790 nationally: employers in Lincoln 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 | $46,850 | $3,904 | $22.52 | $60,452 |
| 25th percentile | $54,890 | $4,574 | $26.39 | $70,826 |
| Median | $65,170 | $5,431 | $31.33 | $84,090 |
| 75th percentile | $81,340 | $6,778 | $39.11 | $104,955 |
| 90th percentile | $108,070 | $9,006 | $51.96 | $139,445 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $16,170 over the median, the 25th only $10,280 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $20,865 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Lincoln, and the Nebraska statewide median of $72,080 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 Lincoln
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 $18,920 to the $65,170 median and brings it to $84,090 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 Lincoln
Of the 17 roles we track in Lincoln, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after executive assistants ($65,410); project coordinators come next at $64,710.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +0.4% | 380 | |
| Accountant | this role | 2,130 | |
| Project Coordinator | -0.7% | 950 | |
| Recruiter | -2.9% | 1,130 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -5.2% | 1,050 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Lincoln (-22.1%), between e-commerce order specialists (-17.2%) and marketing specialists (-25.4%). The typical role here is at -8.6%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Lincoln than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 11.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lincoln, 10.4% across Nebraska and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $63,730 in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area to $77,030 in Omaha, a gap of $13,300 a year. The one area in Nebraska with more accountants, Omaha, NE-IA ($77,030), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Lincoln | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +18.2% | 5,170 | |
| Grand Island, NE | +4.5% | 300 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +3.9% | 740 | |
| Lincoln, NE | this area | 2,130 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -1.8% | 1,100 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 310 |
Lincoln against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lincoln is #94 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Nebraska, Hattiesburg and Pocatello pay just above Lincoln and Johnson City and Alexandria just below. All four are within $640 a year of the median in Lincoln. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lincoln | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +28.4% | 2,110 | jobs | |
| Toledo, OH | +18.8% | 2,130 | jobs | |
| El Paso, TX | +1.3% | 2,120 | jobs | |
| Pocatello, ID | +0.2% | 170 | pay | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | +0.2% | 350 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | this area | 2,130 | ||
| Johnson City, TN | -0.7% | 510 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | -1.0% | 400 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Lincoln, NE?
About $84,090 a year at the median, or $7,008 a month: $65,170 in pay plus about $18,920 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Lincoln?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $65,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,850, the 90th $108,070, and the middle half earned $54,890 to $81,340.
Is Lincoln cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,170 against $72,080 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area at $67,680, the next down the South Nebraska nonmetro area at $64,020.
How many accountants work in Lincoln?
BLS counts about 2,130 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Nebraska total of 10,340. Only Omaha has more in Nebraska.
Does an accountant cost more than a project coordinator in Lincoln?
Yes: $460 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,170 and $64,710.
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.