Quick answer:Accountants and Auditors in California earn a median $97,050 per year, above the national median of $83,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 175,360 of them. Licensing runs through your state board of accountancy.
Accounting Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$97,050
$83,680
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$61,770
$56,020
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$75,810
$67,020
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$125,850
$109,810
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$160,520
$144,090
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
175,360
1,449,500
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.03
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
4.6%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $97,050 sits above the national median of $83,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.03 puts California slightly above the national average, so the occupation is a little more common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Accounting employment follows the local concentration of corporate headquarters, public accounting firms and government offices.
Accountants and Auditors Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), accountants and auditors wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
70,640
$94,360
$99,740
$60,310
$154,630
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
25,170
$110,730
$120,780
$73,420
$180,060
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
13,450
$96,340
$103,810
$62,520
$157,720
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
13,180
$121,700
$128,520
$78,440
$196,890
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
13,170
$92,110
$94,950
$61,350
$131,840
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
9,240
$83,920
$91,800
$57,260
$135,140
Fresno
2,810
$78,690
$88,140
$56,700
$128,600
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
2,530
$90,340
$97,190
$59,500
$141,090
Bakersfield-Delano
1,870
$79,620
$89,590
$55,090
$133,810
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
1,740
$94,690
$101,960
$62,180
$151,790
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
1,510
$91,610
$98,350
$60,740
$154,470
Stockton-Lodi
1,420
$83,570
$93,820
$59,080
$137,590
Modesto
1,200
$83,560
$93,000
$60,620
$134,750
Salinas
1,050
$83,810
$95,570
$59,410
$142,030
Visalia
870
$79,400
$86,120
$52,480
$127,070
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
860
$88,160
$94,600
$59,940
$133,180
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
740
$84,920
$94,640
$55,650
$135,540
Vallejo
690
$95,800
$99,420
$60,400
$143,470
Napa
520
$99,640
$103,790
$62,340
$151,890
Redding
490
$78,990
$87,780
$56,620
$127,830
Chico
420
$77,680
$86,290
$55,940
$126,280
Merced
360
$80,420
$88,230
$53,800
$130,930
El Centro
300
$76,280
$84,540
$51,990
$126,290
Yuba City
280
$78,530
$90,600
$54,420
$131,260
Hanford-Corcoran
210
$78,300
$87,210
$54,330
$128,840
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Accounting work does not require a license, but the CPA credential does: it is issued by a state board of accountancy, and the Uniform CPA Examination is administered through AICPA and NASBA. The education requirement commonly exceeds what a bachelor’s degree alone provides, and the exact rule is set by each state board and has been changing. Business programs may be accredited by AACSB, ACBSP or IACBE.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state board of accountancy that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
How much do accountants and auditors make in California?
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors in California is $97,050, above the national median of $83,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $75,810 at the 25th percentile to $125,850 at the 75th.
How many accountants and auditors work in California?
California holds about 175,360 accountant jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 1,449,500, and BLS projects about 124,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a accountant in California?
Accounting work does not require a license, but the CPA credential does: it is issued by a state board of accountancy, and the Uniform CPA Examination is administered through AICPA and NASBA. The education requirement commonly exceeds what a bachelor's degree alone provides, and the exact rule is set by each state board and has been changing. Business programs may be accredited by AACSB, ACBSP or IACBE. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state board of accountancy before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a accounting degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state board of accountancy.
What is the highest-paying area of California for accountants and auditors?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $121,700 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for accountants and auditors?
On pay, the state median of $97,050 sits above the national $83,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.03 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
