Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Bellingham, WA is $85,450/year ($41.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $82,696 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,794/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $85K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About accountants and auditors
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What this looks like in Bellingham
Accountants and auditors pay in Bellingham tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $84K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,794/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for accountants and auditors in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $99K | $89K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $86K | $86K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $94K | $91K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $93K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Accountants and Auditors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Accountants and Auditors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $112K | +33% | 9,810 |
| New York | $103K | +23% | 109,830 |
| New Jersey | $101K | +20% | 42,250 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +19% | 46,230 |
| Connecticut | $98K | +17% | 16,770 |
| California | $97K | +16% | 175,360 |
| Colorado | $97K | +16% | 35,410 |
| Washington | $97K | +15% | 34,740 |
| Rhode Island | $96K | +15% | 6,570 |
| Delaware | $95K | +14% | 6,570 |
| Virginia | $93K | +11% | 47,100 |
| Maryland | $89K | +7% | 26,170 |
| Oregon | $86K | +3% | 14,920 |
| New Hampshire | $83K | -0% | 7,000 |
| Alaska | $83K | -0% | 2,190 |
| North Carolina | $82K | -2% | 49,270 |
| Georgia | $82K | -2% | 44,020 |
| Minnesota | $82K | -2% | 30,530 |
| Nevada | $82K | -2% | 6,930 |
| Texas | $81K | -3% | 116,470 |
| Illinois | $80K | -4% | 54,930 |
| Utah | $80K | -4% | 15,490 |
| Arizona | $80K | -4% | 27,410 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -5% | 25,100 |
| Oklahoma | $79K | -5% | 16,720 |
| Ohio | $79K | -5% | 50,440 |
| Florida | $79K | -5% | 91,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | -6% | 54,290 |
| Kansas | $79K | -6% | 13,610 |
| Vermont | $79K | -6% | 2,630 |
| South Dakota | $79K | -6% | 5,820 |
| Michigan | $79K | -6% | 41,460 |
| New Mexico | $79K | -6% | 6,300 |
| Indiana | $78K | -7% | 25,660 |
| Wyoming | $78K | -7% | 2,670 |
| Maine | $77K | -7% | 3,860 |
| Iowa | $77K | -7% | 13,210 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -8% | 27,340 |
| Missouri | $77K | -8% | 28,000 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -9% | 15,270 |
| Montana | $76K | -9% | 4,730 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -10% | 4,430 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -10% | 11,930 |
| Alabama | $75K | -11% | 24,300 |
| Idaho | $75K | -11% | 5,570 |
| Hawaii | $75K | -11% | 4,670 |
| Louisiana | $74K | -12% | 14,050 |
| West Virginia | $73K | -12% | 4,900 |
| Nebraska | $72K | -14% | 10,340 |
| Mississippi | $68K | -19% | 7,350 |
| Arkansas | $66K | -21% | 7,870 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track accountants and auditors salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a accountants and auditor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 31.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for accountants and auditors in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,653/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is accountants and auditor a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $84K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Bellingham pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $85,450 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,880, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $136,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,708/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 31.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a accountants and auditors salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median accountants and auditors salary is worth about $82,696 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do accountants and auditors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.