Accountant salary in Sioux City, IA-NE
For this job Sioux City sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $78,650 a year1. That is 1.6% above the Iowa statewide median of $77,440, and 6.0% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #171 of 521 areas. About 520 accountants work here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Sioux City, IA-NE-SD. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Sioux City against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE | $56,100 | $78,650 | $120,500 | |
| Iowa | $51,420 | $77,440 | $123,700 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Sioux City earns $64,530–$97,250. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $120,500, 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 $32,720 wide, against $36,060 across Iowa and $42,790 nationally: employers in Sioux City 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 | $56,100 | $4,675 | $26.97 | $72,387 |
| 25th percentile | $64,530 | $5,378 | $31.02 | $83,265 |
| Median | $78,650 | $6,554 | $37.81 | $101,484 |
| 75th percentile | $97,250 | $8,104 | $46.75 | $125,484 |
| 90th percentile | $120,500 | $10,042 | $57.93 | $155,484 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,120 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $18,600, or about $24,000 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 Sioux City, and the Iowa statewide median of $77,440 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Sioux City
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 $22,834 to the $78,650 median and brings it to $101,484 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 Sioux City
Of the 15 roles we track in Sioux City, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($85,130); recruiters come next at $63,040.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +8.2% | 200 | |
| Accountant | this role | 520 | |
| Recruiter | -19.8% | 280 | |
| Office Manager | -21.5% | 420 | |
| Executive Assistant | -22.9% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Sioux City (-6.0%), between payroll specialists (-4.0%) and bookkeepers (-6.5%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Sioux City, 9.8% across Iowa and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $70,190 in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area to $79,320 in Ames, a gap of $9,130 a year. Of the 9 areas in Iowa with more accountants than Sioux City, 7 pay less, the largest of them Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($77,600), the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($75,390) and Cedar Rapids, IA ($77,180).
| Area | Median | vs Sioux City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | +0.9% | 530 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +0.8% | 4,850 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | this area | 520 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -1.3% | 1,560 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -1.9% | 1,190 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -2.7% | 940 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -2.7% | 680 |
Sioux City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Sioux City is #343 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, San Antonio-New Braunfels and Birmingham pay just above Sioux City and Kahului-Wailuku and Orlando-Kissimmee just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Sioux City. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Sioux City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | +0.0% | 7,790 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | +0.0% | 8,360 | pay | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | this area | 520 | ||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -0.0% | 440 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -0.0% | 10,410 | pay | |
| Logan, UT-ID | -8.5% | 520 | jobs | |
| Jackson, TN | -8.5% | 520 | jobs | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -19.9% | 520 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Sioux City, IA-NE?
About $101,484 a year at the median, or $8,457 a month: $78,650 in pay plus about $22,834 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Sioux City?
The median was $78,650 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $56,100, the 90th $120,500, and the middle half earned $64,530 to $97,250.
Is Sioux City cheaper than the rest of Iowa for accountants?
No, it costs more: a median of $78,650 against $77,440 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Des Moines-West Des Moines at $79,290, the next down Davenport-Moline at $77,600.
How many accountants work in Sioux City?
BLS counts about 520 in the May 2025 survey. 9 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Ames, with about 530.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Sioux City?
Yes: $15,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,650 and $63,040.
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.