Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Virginia is $93,290/year ($44.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $98,418 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $93K get you in Virginia?
About accountants and auditors
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for accountants and auditors, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $84K. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $97K spread from bottom to top.
Accountants and Auditors salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $84K | -10% | 7,920 |
| Charlottesville | $82K | -13% | 1,100 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $79K | -15% | 6,160 |
| Lynchburg | $79K | -15% | 680 |
| Winchester | $78K | -17% | 590 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $77K | -17% | 320 |
| Roanoke | $77K | -17% | 1,200 |
| Harrisonburg | $77K | -18% | 450 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $75K | -20% | 490 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a accountants and auditor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 28.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for accountants and auditors in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,600/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $93K here vs. $84K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Virginia pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Virginia?
The median is $93,290 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,000, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $156,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,764/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 28.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $98,418 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.