Accountant salary in Tucson, AZ
Hiring an accountant costs less in Tucson than in Arizona or the country as a whole. The median is $76,320 a year1: 4.6% below the Arizona statewide median of $79,970 and 8.8% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #275 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 2,570 people in this job here, 9% of the Arizona total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Tucson, AZ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tucson against Arizona and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | $52,580 | $76,320 | $121,600 | |
| Arizona | $55,430 | $79,970 | $128,890 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Tucson earns $61,450–$95,560. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $121,600, only 2.3 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 $34,110 wide, against $38,650 across Arizona and $42,790 nationally: employers in Tucson 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 | $52,580 | $4,382 | $25.28 | $67,845 |
| 25th percentile | $61,450 | $5,121 | $29.54 | $79,290 |
| Median | $76,320 | $6,360 | $36.69 | $98,477 |
| 75th percentile | $95,560 | $7,963 | $45.94 | $123,303 |
| 90th percentile | $121,600 | $10,133 | $58.46 | $156,903 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,870 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $19,240, or about $24,826 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 Tucson, and the Arizona statewide median of $79,970 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tucson
At the $76,320 median, a local hire costs about $98,477 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,157 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 Tucson
Of the 17 roles we track in Tucson, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($91,500); executive assistants come next at $65,510.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +19.9% | 2,310 | |
| Accountant | this role | 2,570 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.2% | 720 | |
| Recruiter | -16.2% | 2,130 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -17.6% | 2,110 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Tucson (-8.8%), between bookkeepers (-6.9%) and medical administrative assistants (-9.4%). The typical role here is at -10.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 7.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Tucson, 7.8% across Arizona and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arizona
Across the 8 areas of Arizona with data for this job, the median runs from $67,780 in Lake Havasu City-Kingman to $80,820 in Phoenix-Mesa, a gap of $13,040 a year. The one area in Arizona with more accountants, Phoenix-Mesa, AZ ($80,820), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tucson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +5.9% | 21,360 | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | +2.2% | 380 | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | +1.9% | 500 | |
| Tucson, AZ | this area | 2,570 | |
| Yuma, AZ | -0.0% | 390 | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -0.7% | 190 | |
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | -6.5% | 510 |
Tucson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tucson is #84 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 Arizona, Louisville and Gulfport-Biloxi pay just above Tucson and Saginaw and Salisbury just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Tucson. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tucson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | +11.4% | 2,580 | jobs | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +4.0% | 2,600 | jobs | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | +0.1% | 860 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +0.0% | 4,590 | pay | |
| Tucson, AZ | this area | 2,570 | ||
| Saginaw, MI | -0.0% | 790 | pay | |
| Salisbury, MD | -0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | -7.3% | 2,590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Tucson, AZ?
About $98,477 a year at the median, or $8,206 a month: $76,320 in pay plus about $22,157 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Tucson?
The median was $76,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $52,580, the 90th $121,600, and the middle half earned $61,450 to $95,560.
Is Tucson cheaper than the rest of Arizona for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,320 against $79,970 statewide. The next area up in Arizona is Prescott Valley-Prescott at $77,770, the next down Yuma at $76,300.
How many accountants work in Tucson?
BLS counts about 2,570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Arizona total of 27,410. Only Phoenix-Mesa has more in Arizona.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Tucson?
Yes: $10,810 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,320 and $65,510.
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.