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Salary comparison

Accountants and Auditors vs. Advertising Sales Agents: Who Earns More?

Accountants and Auditors out-earn Advertising Sales Agents by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Accountants and Auditors land at $83,680 and Advertising Sales Agents at $64,820. The education gap is real: accountants and auditor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while advertising sales agent programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Accountants and Auditors is District of Columbia ($111,530); for Advertising Sales Agents it's Washington ($101,320).

Accountants and Auditors
Advertising Sales Agents
Median salary
$83,680
$64,820
Hourly rate
$40.23/hr
$31.16/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$56,020
$35,240
Senior level (90th %)
$144,090
$146,010
Education required
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
1,449,500
91,700
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
-6.4%
Category
Business & Finance
Sales
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Accountants and Auditors median pay.

State
Accountants and Auditors
Advertising Sales Agents
District of Columbia
$111,530
$75,030
New York
$102,640
$98,360
New Jersey
$100,830
$69,620
Massachusetts
$99,460
$80,500
California
$97,050
$80,360
Colorado
$97,030
$73,420
Washington
$96,550
$101,320
Oregon
$85,800
$62,810
Minnesota
$81,600
$62,660
Illinois
$80,230
$66,290
Utah
$79,990
$74,260
Wisconsin
$79,400
$63,270
Michigan
$78,820
$64,800
South Carolina
$76,560
$68,200
Nebraska
$72,080
$62,890

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Accountants and Auditors or Advertising Sales Agents?

Accountants and Auditors earn more nationally. The median is $83,680 for Accountants and Auditors versus $64,820 for Advertising Sales Agents, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Accountants and Auditors or Advertising Sales Agents?

Accountants and Auditors has the better 10-year outlook at 4.6% projected growth, compared to -6.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Accountants and Auditors or Advertising Sales Agents?

Accountants and Auditors typically requires bachelor's degree. Advertising Sales Agents requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Accountants and Auditors get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Accountants and Auditors at $111,530/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Accountants and Auditors vs. Advertising Sales Agents pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Accountants and Auditors earn $111,530 vs. $75,030 for Advertising Sales Agents. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Full Advertising Sales Agents salary breakdownView →Best cities for Accountants and Auditors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Advertising Sales Agents by take-home payExplore →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →How to become a advertising sales agentsGuide →