Accountant costs in Washington

Q: How do Washington accountant rates compare to other states?

Washington is 57% above the national average of $159/hr for accountant services . Local wage levels and cost of living drive most of this difference.

Q: Which Washington city has the highest accountant rates?

Seattle sits at the top of the Washington index for accountant services with rates of $186.75–$311.25/hr.

Q: What drives accountant pricing in Washington?

Washington's market is shaped by wet west, dry east variations , Seattle tech boom driving costs , and operates under L&I licensing required . These factors flow through to consumer rates non-uniformly across the state — see the geographic precision note for how local data is sourced.

Cities indexed

Hourly range, avg

$187–$311/hr

WA median

$249/hr

vs national

+57%

Accountant pricing in Washington

Washington features wet west, dry east variations, which shapes both seasonal demand and the kind of work accountants perform locally. The state's market is characterized by Seattle tech boom driving costs, and contractors operate under L&I licensing required.

Across 1 city indexed in Washington, accountant rates average $249/hr — about 57% above the national average of $159/hr.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, adjusted for Washington cost of living. Read the methodology.

All Washington cities

1 city

Seattle WA $186.75–$311.25/hr

Accountant in other states

TX Texas 3 CA California 3 TN Tennessee 2 NC North Carolina 1 IL Illinois 1 OH Ohio 1 IN Indiana 1 FL Florida 1

Frequently asked

6 answers

What's the average accountant rate in Washington?

Across 1 city indexed in Washington, the median accountant rate is $249/hr. Hourly ranges span $187/hr to $311/hr depending on the metro and contractor.

How do Washington accountant rates compare to other states?

Washington is 57% above the national average of $159/hr for accountant services. Local wage levels and cost of living drive most of this difference.

Which Washington city has the highest accountant rates?

Seattle sits at the top of the Washington index for accountant services with rates of $186.75–$311.25/hr.

What drives accountant pricing in Washington?

Washington's market is shaped by wet west, dry east variations, Seattle tech boom driving costs, and operates under L&I licensing required. These factors flow through to consumer rates non-uniformly across the state — see the geographic precision note for how local data is sourced.

Are these prices what consumers pay, or what workers earn?

Consumer-facing rates. We apply industry-standard 1.5–2.5× multipliers to BLS hourly wages to account for business overhead, insurance, licensing, employer costs, and profit margin. The full calculation is documented in the wage-to-price methodology.

How is Washington pricing data updated?

Pricing reflects the BLS OEWS May 2024 release. The next refresh lands when May 2025 data is published in April 2026. Cadence is documented in the update schedule.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 · Methodology · Last refreshed January 2026