Salary report · Los Angeles, CA

What is the average Accountant salary in Los Angeles, CA?

Accountants in Los Angeles earn a median of $89,700 per year — about 15% above the national average. Pay ranges from $64,600 (25th percentile) to $139,000 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$64,600
Median
$89,700
75th percentile
$114,800
90th percentile
$139,000
YoY change
+5.1%

Accountant salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$58,300
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$89,700
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$114,800
Lead · 8+ yrs
$130,100

How Los Angeles pay compares

Los Angeles median$89,700
National median$78,000
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 173)$51,800

Cost-of-living adjusted is the Los Angeles salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$74K
2022
$77K
2023
$81K
2024
$85K
2025
$90K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 5.1%.

Accountant job market in Los Angeles

LA is the entertainment and aerospace capital of the US, with strong tech and healthcare sectors. Salaries run 15–30% above national average; California state taxes are among the highest.

An estimated 13,900 accountants work in the Los Angeles metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Prepare financial statements
  • File tax returns
  • Audit accounts
  • Reconcile records
  • Advise on tax strategy

Related job salaries in Los Angeles

Accountant salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Accountant make in Los Angeles, CA?+

Accountants in Los Angeles earn a median of $89,700 per year — about 15% above the national average of $78,000.

What's the entry-level Accountant salary in Los Angeles?+

Entry-level Accountants in Los Angeles typically earn around $58,300 per year. Salaries scale to about $130,100 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $89,700 a good Accountant salary in Los Angeles?+

$89,700 is the median, meaning half of Accountants in Los Angeles earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 173, that's roughly $51,800 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Accountant pay growing in Los Angeles?+

Accountant salaries in Los Angeles grew about 5.1% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +4%.

Where do Accountants in Los Angeles get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Accountant salary in Los Angeles is around $139,000. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in Los Angeles?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the Los Angeles median.

Check my salary →

Stay Ahead With RealProfits

Get practical insights, new tools, and smarter ways to think about money, work, and your future.