Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Accountant and Auditor Salary in Los Angeles, CA

Accountants and Auditors in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $94,360 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $69,440 take-home, or $5,787 a month.

Median salary
$94,360
$45.37 per hour
Typical range
$60,310 – $154,630
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
70,640
1.21× national concentration
▲0.5%
Pay trend: The median for accountants and auditors in Los Angeles, CA rose from $93,890 (May 2024) to $94,360 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 1.9%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median accountant and auditor salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Accountant and Auditor in Los Angeles, CA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$69,440
per year · effective tax rate 26.4%
$5,787Monthly
$2,893Twice a month
$2,671Every 2 weeks
$33.38Hourly
  • Federal income tax$11,929
  • Social Security (6.2%)$5,850
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,368
  • California income tax$4,546
  • CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,227
  • Take-home pay$69,440

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Accountant and Auditor pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$60,310$29.00$48,187$4,016
25th percentile$74,060$35.61$57,256$4,771
Median (50th)$94,360$45.37$69,440$5,787
75th percentile$122,290$58.79$86,118$7,177
90th percentile (top earners)$154,630$74.34$104,794$8,733

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $94,360 buys in Los Angeles, CA

Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median accountant and auditor's $69,440 take-home pay has the buying power of $61,145 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,245
39% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,755
48% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,542
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Los Angeles, CA has 1.2× the national concentration of accountant and auditor jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for accountants and auditors, adjusted for cost of living

Los Angeles, CA ranks #77 of 90 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $121,700$85,775$77,679
2Charlotte, NC $92,910$70,994$72,928
3Sioux Falls, SD $80,920$65,757$72,555
4Trenton, NJ $99,550$74,712$72,409
5Boulder, CO $99,990$75,482$71,749
6Bridgeport, CT $102,020$76,565$71,647
7Providence, RI $95,020$72,730$71,463
8Denver, CO $100,020$75,502$71,375
77Los Angeles, CA$94,360$69,440$61,145

*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 California

Frequently asked questions

How much does a accountant and auditor make in Los Angeles, CA?

The median accountant and auditor salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $94,360 a year, or about $45.37 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $74,060 and $122,290.

What is a accountant and auditor’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?

On the median $94,360 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $69,440 a year ($5,787 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,773 in California taxes in 2026.

Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a accountant and auditor?

Pay here is 13% above the national median of $83,680. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $61,145 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #77 of 90 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a accountant and auditor afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median accountant and auditor’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA

Cost of living & all salaries in Los Angeles, CA →