Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Lawrence, KS is $79,050/year ($38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.24), which stretches that salary to about $87,600 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,182/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Lawrence?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lawrence’s Regional Price Parity (90.24). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Lawrence
Accountants and auditors pay in Lawrence tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $84K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,182/month, 23.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.24 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for accountants and auditors in metros near Lawrence, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita | $79K | $89K |
| Topeka | $76K | $86K |
| Manhattan | $66K | $73K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $100K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lawrence, KS
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $75K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lawrence numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a accountants and auditor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lawrence?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 23.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,182/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for accountants and auditors in Lawrence?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,178/month. At HUD’s $1,182/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Lawrence?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $84K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Lawrence compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Lawrence pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.24), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Lawrence, KS?
The median is $79,050 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,960, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $128,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Lawrence?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,012/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,182/month, which eats 23.6% 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 Lawrence?
Lawrence has a Regional Price Parity of 90.24 (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 $87,600 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.