Accountant salary in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area
Hiring an accountant costs less in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $78,100 a year1: 16.3% below the Virginia statewide median of $93,290 and 6.7% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #189 of 521. About 400 accountants work here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | $51,100 | $78,100 | $122,750 | |
| Virginia | $60,000 | $93,290 | $156,730 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area earns $61,340–$97,450. The top tenth earns $122,750 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $36,110 wide, against $49,260 across Virginia and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area 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 | $51,100 | $4,258 | $24.57 | $65,935 |
| 25th percentile | $61,340 | $5,112 | $29.49 | $79,148 |
| Median | $78,100 | $6,508 | $37.55 | $100,774 |
| 75th percentile | $97,450 | $8,121 | $46.85 | $125,742 |
| 90th percentile | $122,750 | $10,229 | $59.01 | $158,387 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,760 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $19,350, or about $24,968 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area, and the Virginia statewide median of $93,290 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area
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 $22,674 to the $78,100 median and brings it to $100,774 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 the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($88,120); recruiters come next at $70,020.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +12.8% | 300 | |
| Accountant | this role | 400 | |
| Recruiter | -10.3% | 210 | |
| Office Manager | -22.3% | 570 | |
| Executive Assistant | -23.6% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area (-6.7%), between data entry specialists (-5.9%) and recruiters (-7.8%). The typical role here is at -12.6%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area, 11.1% across Virginia and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $74,800 in Blacksburg-Christiansburg to $84,220 in Richmond, a gap of $9,420 a year. Of the 10 areas in Virginia with more accountants than the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area, 6 pay less, the largest of them Roanoke, VA ($77,240), the Southside Virginia nonmetro area ($75,900) and the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area ($77,320).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | +1.7% | 6,160 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 340 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +1.1% | 680 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 400 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -0.6% | 590 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 600 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -1.0% | 320 |
the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area is #404 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Virginia, Sebastian-Vero Beach and Hanford-Corcoran pay just above the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area and Nashville-Murfreesboro and Grants Pass just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | +1.2% | 400 | jobs | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +0.3% | 210 | pay | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 400 | ||
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | -0.0% | 11,290 | pay | |
| Grants Pass, OR | -0.0% | 130 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | -3.1% | 400 | jobs | |
| Alexandria, LA | -17.4% | 400 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro)?
About $100,774 a year at the median, or $8,398 a month: $78,100 in pay plus about $22,674 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area?
The median was $78,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,100, the 90th $122,750, and the middle half earned $61,340 to $97,450.
Is the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Virginia for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $78,100 against $93,290 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Lynchburg at $78,990, the next down Winchester at $77,660.
How many accountants work in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 400 in the May 2025 survey. 10 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is Harrisonburg, with about 450.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area?
Yes: $8,080 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,100 and $70,020.
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.