Accountant salary in Wausau, WI
Wausau is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $77,680 a year1 is 2.2% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $79,400, and 7.2% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #210 of 521. About 530 accountants work here, 2% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Wausau, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wausau against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | $57,610 | $77,680 | $127,220 | |
| Wisconsin | $58,340 | $79,400 | $127,800 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Wausau earns $62,790–$98,790. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $127,220, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($88,500) is 14% 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 $36,000 wide, between the figure for Wisconsin ($35,800) and the US figure ($42,790).
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $57,610 | $4,801 | $27.70 | $74,335 |
| 25th percentile | $62,790 | $5,232 | $30.19 | $81,019 |
| Median | $77,680 | $6,473 | $37.35 | $100,232 |
| 75th percentile | $98,790 | $8,232 | $47.50 | $127,471 |
| 90th percentile | $127,220 | $10,602 | $61.16 | $164,155 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $21,110 a year in pay and about $27,239 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,890 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 Wausau, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $79,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Wausau
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 $22,552 to the $77,680 median and brings it to $100,232 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 Wausau
Of the 15 roles we track in Wausau, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($88,940); executive assistants come next at $67,930.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +14.5% | 390 | |
| Accountant | this role | 530 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.6% | 60 | |
| Recruiter | -14.1% | 330 | |
| Office Manager | -16.0% | 570 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 15 roles we track in Wausau (-7.2%), between office managers (-6.1%) and HR assistants (-10.2%). The typical role here is at -7.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.0% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Wausau, 9.1% across Wisconsin and 9.3% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $74,210 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $81,130 in Madison, a gap of $6,920 a year. Of the 12 areas in Wisconsin with more accountants than Wausau, 6 pay less, the largest of them the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($77,340), the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($75,590) and Oshkosh-Neenah, WI ($77,580).
| Area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, WI | +1.5% | 570 | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +0.5% | 680 | |
| Green Bay, WI | +0.1% | 1,490 | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 530 | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -0.1% | 690 | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | -0.2% | 540 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 1,310 |
Wausau against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wausau is #336 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Chico and St. Cloud pay just above Wausau and Winchester and Hilton Head Island-Bluffton just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Wausau. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | +2.1% | 530 | jobs | |
| St. Cloud, MN | +0.1% | 800 | pay | |
| Chico, CA | +0.0% | 420 | pay | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 530 | ||
| Winchester, VA-WV | -0.0% | 590 | pay | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | -0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Decatur, AL | -7.3% | 530 | jobs | |
| St. George, UT | -9.2% | 530 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Wausau, WI?
About $100,232 a year at the median, or $8,353 a month: $77,680 in pay plus about $22,552 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Wausau?
The median was $77,680 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $57,610, the 90th $127,220, and the middle half earned $62,790 to $98,790.
Is Wausau cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $77,680 against $79,400 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Green Bay at $77,720, the next down Oshkosh-Neenah at $77,580.
How many accountants work in Wausau?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Wisconsin total of 25,100. 12 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Racine-Mount Pleasant, with about 540.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Wausau?
Yes: $9,750 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,680 and $67,930.
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.