Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Columbia, MO is $73,070/year ($35.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $81,697 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,160/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). 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 Columbia
Pay for accountants and auditors in Columbia runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $84K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,160/month, 24.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Columbia can be a reasonable trade-off for accountants and auditorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for accountants and auditors in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $79K | $83K |
| Kansas City | $80K | $86K |
| Springfield | $73K | $82K |
| Jefferson City | $64K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $59K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a accountants and auditor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 24.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for accountants and auditors in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,929/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Columbia?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $73K here vs. $84K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Columbia pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — below the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $73,070 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,820, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $107,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,758/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 24.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a accountants and auditors salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median accountants and auditors salary is worth about $81,697 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.