Accountant · District of Columbia · SOC 13-2011
District of Columbia Accountant Salary — 2026 BLS + BEA RPP
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- Median Accountant salary in District of Columbia: $103,030 nominal, $93,060 real (BEA RPP basis).
- Accountant ranking: #1 on the BLS table, #2 once cost of living is in.
- Cost premium eats $9,970 from the headline wage; the state ranks much lower on real take-home than nominal.
- P25-P75 spread runs $79,420 to $141,540; P10 floor $65,540, P90 ceiling $180,890.
Wage breakdown — District of Columbia
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $65,540 | $59,198 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $79,420 | $71,735 |
| P50 (median) | $103,030 | $93,060 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $141,540 | $127,844 |
| P90 (top tier) | $180,890 | $163,386 |
| Mean | $116,580 | $105,299 |
| Employment | 9,600 Accountants in District of Columbia | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | District of Columbia index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 110.7 |
| Goods | 106.5 |
| Services | 109.0 |
| Rents | 168.1 |
District of Columbia is a high-cost state — RPP 110.7 above the national 100 baseline. Most of the cost premium routes through rents (168.1) and services (109.0).
After-tax take-home — District of Columbia (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Accountant) | $103,030 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,914 | 13.5% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$5,917 | 4–10.75% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,882 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $75,318 | 73.1% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $68,030 | ÷ (110.7 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the District of Columbia state-tax burden means for Accountant take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 5.7% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $75,318 (73.1% of gross). After the 110.7 RPP, real take-home is $68,030.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $81,680 for Accountants with mean pay of $93,520 and total employment of 1,448,290. District of Columbia sits at #1 on nominal pay and #2 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, District of Columbia falls 1 positions — the cost premium eats into the headline wage.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) Accountant salary in District of Columbia?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 110.7 for District of Columbia), the real-wage equivalent is $93,060 — what the $103,030 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $71,735 to $127,844.
- How many Accountants does District of Columbia employ?
- BLS OES counts 9,600 Accountants employed in District of Columbia in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Where does District of Columbia rank for Accountant pay?
- On nominal BLS wages alone, District of Columbia ranks among the 51 states and DC by median pay. After the BEA cost-of-living adjustment the ordering changes — high-cost states fall, low-cost states rise. Both rankings are shown in the data table on this page.
- Is District of Columbia a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for Accountants?
- No — District of Columbia's RPP of 110.7 sits above 100, meaning the $103,030 nominal wage compresses to a real-wage equivalent of $93,060. The cost premium goes mostly to rents and services.
- Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for District of Columbia?
- The BLS median is a calibration anchor, not a ceiling. Use it to validate that an offer is in-band — anything well below the P25 in this state is a flag, anything above the P75 typically requires demonstrable specialty depth, niche credentials, or a high-COL metro within District of Columbia.
- Does CPA licensure raise accountant pay in District of Columbia?
- BLS aggregates accountants and auditors under SOC 13-2011 — CPA-licensed and non-CPA pay are not split. In practice, CPA-licensed accountants in District of Columbia typically earn 10-20% above the all-accountant median, and the gap widens at the senior/manager level where CPA is functionally required for partner-track public accounting and CFO roles. District of Columbia requires 150 semester hours of education to sit for the exam (the AICPA Uniform CPA standard).
- Is busy season ($35K of overtime) included in District of Columbia accountant BLS figures?
- Yes — BLS OES uses annualized W-2 earnings, so January-April busy-season overtime is rolled into the median. The high P90 in public-accounting-heavy District of Columbia markets reflects busy-season hours plus year-end bonuses. Industry accountants typically have flatter hours and a lower P90 ceiling but more predictable totals.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 13-2011, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how District of Columbia Accountant pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.