Accountant salary in Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $78,950 a year1 is 3.8% below the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050, and 5.7% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #164 of 521 areas. About 2,030 accountants work here, 4% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Winston-Salem, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Winston-Salem against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | $50,020 | $78,950 | $135,930 | |
| North Carolina | $53,610 | $82,050 | $146,100 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $135,930, 2.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Winston-Salem earns $62,060–$105,020. The mean ($88,510) is 12% 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 $42,960 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($42,970) 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 | $50,020 | $4,168 | $24.05 | $64,542 |
| 25th percentile | $62,060 | $5,172 | $29.84 | $80,077 |
| Median | $78,950 | $6,579 | $37.96 | $101,871 |
| 75th percentile | $105,020 | $8,752 | $50.49 | $135,510 |
| 90th percentile | $135,930 | $11,328 | $65.35 | $175,394 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $26,070 over the median, the 25th only $16,890 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $33,639 a year in employer cost. 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 Winston-Salem, and the North Carolina statewide median of $82,050 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Winston-Salem
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 $22,921 to the $78,950 median and brings it to $101,871 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 Winston-Salem
Of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($79,560); marketing specialists come next at $73,320.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +0.8% | 1,530 | |
| Accountant | this role | 2,030 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -7.1% | 1,300 | |
| Recruiter | -13.2% | 1,370 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.0% | 510 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem (-5.7%), between e-commerce order specialists (-5.1%) and data entry specialists (-6.5%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Winston-Salem than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 7.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Winston-Salem, 9.4% across North Carolina and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $73,740 in Jacksonville to $92,910 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $19,170 a year. All 4 areas in North Carolina with more accountants than Winston-Salem also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($92,910) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($81,950).
| Area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | +1.8% | 1,540 | |
| Burlington, NC | +1.7% | 430 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +1.5% | 3,300 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 2,030 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -0.5% | 800 | |
| Wilmington, NC | -1.3% | 1,520 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -1.8% | 1,040 |
Winston-Salem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Winston-Salem is #100 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 North Carolina, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Redding pay just above Winston-Salem and St. Louis and Kenosha just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Winston-Salem. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +20.3% | 2,000 | jobs | |
| Redding, CA | +0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | +0.1% | 14,770 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 2,030 | ||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -0.1% | 13,610 | pay | |
| Kenosha, WI | -0.1% | 570 | pay | |
| Springfield, MO | -7.5% | 2,070 | jobs | |
| Mobile, AL | -8.6% | 2,010 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Winston-Salem, NC?
About $101,871 a year at the median, or $8,489 a month: $78,950 in pay plus about $22,921 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Winston-Salem?
The median was $78,950 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,020, the 90th $135,930, and the middle half earned $62,060 to $105,020.
Is Winston-Salem cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $78,950 against $82,050 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Greensboro-High Point at $80,170, the next down Fayetteville at $78,560.
How many accountants work in Winston-Salem?
BLS counts about 2,030 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the North Carolina total of 49,270. 4 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Durham-Chapel Hill, with about 3,060.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Winston-Salem?
Yes: $5,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,950 and $73,320.
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.