Accountant salary in Traverse City, MI
Hiring an accountant costs less in Traverse City than in Michigan or the country as a whole. The median is $74,820 a year1: 5.1% below the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 and 10.6% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #337 of 521. BLS counts about 610 people in this job here, 1% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Traverse City, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Traverse City against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | $50,790 | $74,820 | $120,960 | |
| Michigan | $52,620 | $78,820 | $131,080 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Traverse City earns $62,440–$90,170. The top tenth earns $120,960 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 $27,730 wide, against $37,180 across Michigan and $42,790 nationally: employers in Traverse 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 | $50,790 | $4,232 | $24.42 | $65,535 |
| 25th percentile | $62,440 | $5,203 | $30.02 | $80,568 |
| Median | $74,820 | $6,235 | $35.97 | $96,542 |
| 75th percentile | $90,170 | $7,514 | $43.35 | $116,348 |
| 90th percentile | $120,960 | $10,080 | $58.15 | $156,077 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $15,350 a year in pay and about $19,806 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,380 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 Traverse City, and the Michigan statewide median of $78,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Traverse City
At the $74,820 median, a local hire costs about $96,542 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,722 here. 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 Traverse City
Of the 16 roles we track in Traverse City, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($83,720); recruiters come next at $64,480.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +11.9% | 260 | |
| Accountant | this role | 610 | |
| Recruiter | -13.8% | 270 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -17.0% | 350 | |
| Office Manager | -17.5% | 620 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #9 of the 16 roles we track in Traverse City (-10.6%), between paralegals (-10.5%) and office managers (-11.1%). The typical role here is at -10.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.6% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Traverse City, 10.3% across Michigan and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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 11 areas in Michigan with more accountants than Traverse City, 5 pay less, the largest of them the Mid Michigan nonmetro area ($69,790), the Southern Michigan nonmetro area ($74,430) and Flint, MI ($74,500).
| Area | Median | vs Traverse City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek, MI | +1.6% | 340 | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +0.9% | 300 | |
| Niles, MI | +0.4% | 400 | |
| Traverse City, MI | this area | 610 | |
| Flint, MI | -0.4% | 860 | |
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 1,000 | |
| Bay City, MI | -2.0% | 260 |
Traverse City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Traverse City is #305 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, Macon-Bibb County and Honolulu pay just above Traverse City and Blacksburg-Christiansburg and Punta Gorda just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Traverse City. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Traverse City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | +0.2% | 3,590 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +0.1% | 640 | pay | |
| Traverse City, MI | this area | 610 | ||
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | -0.0% | 490 | pay | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | -0.0% | 400 | pay | |
| Santa Fe, NM | -2.7% | 620 | jobs | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -6.4% | 600 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | -10.0% | 610 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Traverse City, MI?
About $96,542 a year at the median, or $8,045 a month: $74,820 in pay plus about $21,722 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Traverse City?
The median was $74,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,790, the 90th $120,960, and the middle half earned $62,440 to $90,170.
Is Traverse City cheaper than the rest of Michigan for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $74,820 against $78,820 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Niles at $75,140, the next down Flint at $74,500.
How many accountants work in Traverse City?
BLS counts about 610 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Michigan total of 41,460. 11 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Saginaw, with about 790.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Traverse City?
Yes: $10,340 a year more at the median. The medians are $74,820 and $64,480.
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.