Accountant and Auditor Salary in Columbus, OH
Accountants and Auditors in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $81,700 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $64,842 take-home, or $5,403 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median accountant and auditor salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,144
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,065
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,185
- Ohio income tax$1,464
- Take-home pay$64,842
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $2,043 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $62,799 ($5,233 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Accountant and Auditor pay by experience in Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,610 | $27.22 | $46,892 | $3,908 |
| 25th percentile | $65,170 | $31.33 | $53,534 | $4,461 |
| Median (50th) | $81,700 | $39.28 | $64,842 | $5,403 |
| 75th percentile | $104,790 | $50.38 | $80,450 | $6,704 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $132,330 | $63.62 | $98,857 | $8,238 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $81,700 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median accountant and auditor's $64,842 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,919 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Accountant and Auditor jobs are about as common in Columbus, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.11).
Best-paying cities for accountants and auditors, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #22 of 90 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $121,700 | $85,775 | $77,679 |
| 2 | Charlotte, NC | $92,910 | $70,994 | $72,928 |
| 3 | Sioux Falls, SD | $80,920 | $65,757 | $72,555 |
| 4 | Trenton, NJ | $99,550 | $74,712 | $72,409 |
| 5 | Boulder, CO | $99,990 | $75,482 | $71,749 |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | $102,020 | $76,565 | $71,647 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $95,020 | $72,730 | $71,463 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $100,020 | $75,502 | $71,375 |
| 22 | Columbus, OH | $81,700 | $64,842 | $67,919 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 90 metros →
About the job: accountants and auditors
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.0% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Accountant and Auditor salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Dayton, OH — $79,030
- Cleveland, OH — $80,000
- Cincinnati, OH — $80,640
- Akron, OH — $78,540
Frequently asked questions
How much does a accountant and auditor make in Columbus, OH?
The median accountant and auditor salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $81,700 a year, or about $39.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $65,170 and $104,790.
What is a accountant and auditor’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $81,700 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $64,842 a year ($5,403 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,464 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a accountant and auditor?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $83,680. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,919 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #22 of 90 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a accountant and auditor afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 22% of a median accountant and auditor’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Columbus, OH
- Project Management Specialist — $98,660
- Financial and Investment Analyst — $97,920
- Management Analyst — $90,010
- Loan Officer — $82,160
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $82,030
- Compliance Officer — $79,780
- Buyer and Purchasing Agent — $77,150
- Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist — $77,010
- Human Resources Specialist — $75,440
- Training and Development Specialist — $72,390
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators — $64,180