What the numbers say
The median wage for Accountants and Auditors in California was $96,360 in 2024, about 14% above the national median of $84,407. With 173,370 people in the role statewide, California employs more accountants and auditors than almost any other state in the country.
The spread between the lowest and highest earners is wide. Someone near the bottom of the pay range earned around $60,920, while someone near the top earned $162,150. That is roughly 2.7 times more at the 90th percentile than at the 10th. The gap reflects how much experience, specialization, and employer type affect pay in this field. A staff accountant at a regional firm and a senior auditor at a Big Four office in San Francisco are doing related work, but they are in different economic realities.
California's cost of living runs about 15% above the national baseline, based on the BEA Regional Price Parity index. After adjusting for that, the nominal $12,000 premium over the national median shrinks considerably. What the median California accountant earns in actual purchasing power lands close to the national figure, not well above it.
BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 4.6% between 2024 and 2034, in line with average growth across all occupations. That is not a standout number, but it does suggest steady demand rather than a field under pressure.
Salary distribution
Where California accountants and auditors fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $76,210 and $124,890, with a median of $96,360.
Accountants and Auditors in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $105,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 255 | $75,254 |
| Level II — qualified | 237 | $100,500 |
| Level III — experienced | 152 | $135,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 140 | $152,152 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Accountants and Auditors in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Accountants and Auditors - Kbgfjg180977-9 | 188 | $134,055 |
| Deloitte Tax LLP | Tax Consultant | 97 | $101,670 |
| Deloitte & Touche LLP | Audit & Assurance Assistant | 81 | $85,800 |
| KPMG LLP | Manager | 19 | $110,000 |
| Grant Thornton Advisors LLC | Audit Senior Associate | 15 | $106,800 |
| PwC US Tax LLP | Manager | 15 | $133,000 |
| BDO USA, P.C. | Tax Manager | 14 | $116,000 |
| Standish Management US, LLC | Fund Controller | 12 | $92,750 |
| PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP | Senior Manager | 12 | $166,250 |
| TAAD LLP | Auditor | 9 | $79,999 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Assurance Manager at CohnReznick Advisory LLC$118,470San FranciscoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503571
- Senior Accountant at Haskell & White LLP$100,000IrvineDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-504111
- Senior Manager, Finance at Stryker Corporation$152,152FremontDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502912
- Staff Accountant at Accutax Services Inc.$64,917Rowland HeightsDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25355-500334
- Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG135608-11 at Ernst & Young U.S. LLP$193,462San JoseDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-496679
- Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG135608-11 at Ernst & Young U.S. LLP$193,462San JoseDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-496680
- Senior Accountant at Gleason Industrial Products, Inc.$105,000Los AngelesDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497810
- Accounting Manager at Zum Services, Inc.$175,000Redwood CityDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497579
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Accountants and Auditors pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Accountants and Auditors specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 661 certified offers. The most common variant is Accountant at a median of $79,498.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | Google LLC | 217 | $79,498 |
| Accountants and Auditors - Kbgfjg180977-9 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 186 | $137,401 |
| Audit & Assurance Assistant | Deloitte & Touche LLP | 49 | $79,498 |
| Tax Manager | Deloitte Tax LLP | 47 | $144,000 |
| Manager | KPMG LLP | 40 | $161,150 |
| Tax Consultant | Deloitte Tax LLP | 37 | $77,000 |
| Accounting Manager | AIVRES SYSTEMS INC. | 21 | $124,000 |
| Audit & Assurance Manager | Deloitte & Touche LLP | 21 | $138,000 |
| Auditor | TAAD LLP | 17 | $79,472 |
| Audit Senior Associate | Grant Thornton Advisors LLC | 9 | $98,905 |
| Audit & Assurance In-Charge | Deloitte & Touche LLP | 9 | $91,200 |
| Audit Manager | Grant Thornton Advisors LLC | 8 | $136,550 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Accountants and Auditors in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 986 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $106,951.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 718 | $106,951 |
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 89 | $137,000 |
| Manufacturing | Neptune Medical, Inc. | 60 | $101,670 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 40 | $82,882 |
| Finance and insurance | Visa U.S.A. Inc. | 35 | $116,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Diamond X-Press, LLC. | 17 | $66,560 |
| Healthcare | Eva Care Group, LLC | 9 | $63,274 |
| Real estate | COWAY USA INC | 7 | $71,718 |
| Education | Growin Up Academy, Inc. | 4 | $72,488 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Floresta USA Inc | 3 | $80,000 |
| Energy and utilities | Pacifico Energy LLC | 2 | $112,416 |
| Media and entertainment | ANSCHUTZ ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC. | 2 | $116,699 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 3.9 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 3.9 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 3.9 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Mathematical Reasoning
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
- 02
Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
- 03
Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
- 04
Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
- 05
Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- 06
Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.
- 07
Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
- 08
Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.6%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for accountants and auditors in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$121,630
- San Francisco$105,750
- Los Angeles$93,890
- San Diego$93,430
- Sacramento$89,680
- Riverside$83,060
Compare Accountants and Auditors pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Accountants and Auditors in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in California is $96,360.
- How does California compare to the national median for Accountants and Auditors?
- The California median is +14.2% versus the BLS national figure of $84,407.
- What is the salary range for Accountants and Auditors in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $60,920 and the 90th-percentile at $162,150, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Accountants and Auditors a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.6% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Accountants and Auditors?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.