Accountant salary in the Western Washington nonmetro area
The median accountant in the Western Washington nonmetro area earned $91,570 a year in May 20251. That is 9.4% above the US median of $83,680, even though it is 5.2% below the Washington statewide median of $96,550. Nationally that is #37 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 1,140 people in this job here, 3% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Western Washington nonmetro area against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | $59,660 | $91,570 | $126,100 | |
| Washington | $66,330 | $96,550 | $152,310 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the Western Washington nonmetro area earns $74,470–$109,940. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $126,100, 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 $35,470 wide, against $43,300 across Washington and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Western Washington 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 | $59,660 | $4,972 | $28.68 | $76,981 |
| 25th percentile | $74,470 | $6,206 | $35.80 | $96,090 |
| Median | $91,570 | $7,631 | $44.02 | $118,155 |
| 75th percentile | $109,940 | $9,162 | $52.86 | $141,858 |
| 90th percentile | $126,100 | $10,508 | $60.62 | $162,710 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $18,370 a year in pay and about $23,703 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $17,100 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 25th percentile and the median in the Western Washington nonmetro area, and the Washington statewide median of $96,550 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in the Western Washington nonmetro area
At the $91,570 median, a local hire costs about $118,155 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $26,585 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 the Western Washington nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Western Washington nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($95,580); executive assistants come next at $77,770.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +4.4% | 440 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,140 | |
| Executive Assistant | -15.1% | 360 | |
| Recruiter | -15.6% | 550 | |
| Office Manager | -17.7% | 1,310 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 16 roles we track in the Western Washington nonmetro area (+9.4%), between administrative assistants (+9.5%) and office managers (+8.5%). The typical role here is at +8.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Western Washington nonmetro area, 10.2% across Washington and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $82,380 in Yakima to $99,370 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $16,990 a year. Of the 3 areas in Washington with more accountants than the Western Washington nonmetro area, 1 pays less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($86,350).
| Area | Median | vs the Western Washington nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +1.9% | 1,020 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +1.7% | 250 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | +1.5% | 400 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,140 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | -2.1% | 170 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | -3.6% | 580 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -4.1% | 410 |
the Western Washington nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Western Washington nonmetro area is #166 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara and Midland pay just above the Western Washington nonmetro area and Lexington Park and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks just below. All four are within $1,230 a year of the median in the Western Washington nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Western Washington nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, MI | +0.2% | 450 | pay | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +0.0% | 1,510 | pay | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,140 | ||
| Lexington Park, MD | -0.4% | 360 | pay | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | -1.3% | 2,530 | pay | |
| Greeley, CO | -4.7% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Anchorage, AK | -10.3% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -20.2% | 1,150 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Western Washington (Nonmetro)?
About $118,155 a year at the median, or $9,846 a month: $91,570 in pay plus about $26,585 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $91,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,660, the 90th $126,100, and the middle half earned $74,470 to $109,940.
Is the Western Washington nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Washington for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $91,570 against $96,550 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Mount Vernon-Anacortes at $92,920, the next down Walla Walla at $89,630.
How many accountants work in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,140 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Washington total of 34,740. 3 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Olympia-Lacey, with about 1,330.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Yes: $13,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $91,570 and $77,770.
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.