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DATA PROFILE · 2025

Accountants and Auditors salary in District of Columbia

Median, range, employment, and 10-year outlook from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, with skills and task data from O*NET. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated June 12, 2026
Median annual$111,530
Mean annual$122,680
Range (10th to 90th)$71,470 to $185,220
District of Columbia employment9,810
State vs national+29.0% vs national
Editorial commentary

What the numbers say

The median Accountant or Auditor in DC earned $103,030 in 2024, about 22% above the national median of $84,407. The average wage sits higher still at $116,580, which tells us a smaller group of senior professionals pulls the figure up.

The pay range is wide. The bottom tenth of earners took home around $65,540 while the top tenth reached $180,890. That gap of roughly $115,000 between entry-level and high-end reflects how much experience, specialization, and employer type matter here. Federal audit work, international accounting firms, and regulatory-facing roles all concentrate in DC, and they sit at different points on that range.

DC's cost of living index is 117.7, meaning prices run about 18% higher than the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the real purchasing power of the $103,030 median lands closer to $87,500 in national-baseline dollars. The nominal premium over the US median shrinks considerably, though it does not disappear.

BLS projects growth for Accountants and Auditors nationally at 4.6% between 2024 and 2034, which it classifies as average. DC's concentration of federal agencies and oversight bodies gives the local market some insulation from cyclical swings, though the data here reflects the 2024 snapshot, not a guarantee of that pattern continuing.

Methodology. Drafted with AI assistance using Anthropic Claude, reviewed by Adrian Serafin against BLS, O*NET, and BEA source data. No fact appears that does not exist in the cited public datasets.

Salary distribution

Where District of Columbia accountants and auditors fall on the wage curve.

Annual wage distribution

Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)

10TH$71,47025TH$83,050MEDIAN$111,53075TH$156,73090TH$185,220

The middle 50% of workers earn between $83,050 and $156,730, with a median of $111,530.

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By seniority

Accountants and Auditors pay by experience level in District of Columbia

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.

Specialties

Accountants and Auditors specialties in District of Columbia

Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 76 certified offers. The most common variant is Accountants and Auditors - Kbgfjg346917-1 at a median of $131,650.

SpecialtyTop employerFilingsMedian offer
Accountants and Auditors - Kbgfjg346917-1Ernst & Young U.S. LLP41$131,650
ManagerPwC US Tax LLP11$158,000
Senior AuditorHan Group LLC6$71,565
AccountantCWP Consulting Inc.6$78,564
DirectorAlvarez & Marsal Tax, LLC5$140,000
Audit & Assurance SeniorDeloitte & Touche LLP4$89,608
Tax ConsultantDeloitte Tax LLP3$89,300

Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.

Pay by industry

Accountants and Auditors in District of Columbia, by industry

Median offered wage across 113 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $111,000.

IndustryLargest employerFilingsMedian offer
Professional servicesErnst & Young U.S. LLP103$111,000
Technology and softwareCOGENT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.2$105,179
HealthcareMary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc.2$94,106
Nonprofit and civicForest Trends Association2$94,807
EducationThe Catholic University of America1$102,500
Energy and utilitiesSol Systems, LLC1$165,000
Finance and insuranceEIG Management Company LLC1$142,000
Retail and wholesaleFuzz Inc.1$66,560

Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.

Wage trend

Median annual wage in District of Columbia over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.

Median annual wage, District of Columbia2023 to 2025
$101,9402023$103,0302024$111,5302025

Typical entry

  • Education

    Bachelor's degree

  • Experience

    None

  • On-the-job training

    None

Top skills (O*NET)

  • Economics and Accounting

    Knowledge

    4.7 / 5
  • English Language

    Knowledge

    4.0 / 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

    3.9 / 5

Common tasks (O*NET)

  1. 01

    Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.

  2. 02

    Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.

  3. 03

    Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.

  4. 04

    Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.

  5. 05

    Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.

  6. 06

    Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.

  7. 07

    Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.

  8. 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, 20242034 cycle.

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Top metros in District of Columbia

Metro-level salary data for accountants and auditors in major District of Columbia metropolitan areas.

Compare Accountants and Auditors pay across nearby states

Side-by-side

Considering a move? Compare District of Columbia with another state

Frequently asked questions

What is the median salary for Accountants and Auditors in District of Columbia?
According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in District of Columbia is $111,530.
How does District of Columbia compare to the national median for Accountants and Auditors?
The District of Columbia median is +29.0% versus the BLS national figure of $86,427.
What is the salary range for Accountants and Auditors in District of Columbia?
BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $71,470 and the 90th-percentile at $185,220, 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.
Disclaimer

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.