Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Modesto, CA is $83,560/year ($40.17/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.11), that's roughly $80,261 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,758/month, about 33.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $84K get you in Modesto?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Modesto’s Regional Price Parity (104.11). 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 Modesto
Accountants and auditors pay in Modesto tracks closely to the national median, $84K locally vs. $84K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,758/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 104.11) 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 Modesto, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $94K | $83K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $111K | $96K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $96K | $86K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $122K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Modesto, CA
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $74K 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 Modesto?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,758/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Modesto?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,637/month. At HUD’s $1,758/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Modesto?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $84K locally vs. $84K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Modesto compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Modesto pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.11), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — below the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Modesto, CA?
The median is $83,560 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,620, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $134,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Modesto?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,272/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,758/month, which eats 33.3% 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 Modesto?
Modesto has a Regional Price Parity of 104.11 (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 $80,261 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.