Salary Data
Accountant Salary in Seattle
$89,000
median salary, 24% above the national average
According to Orbyt's 2026 salary analysis, the average Accountant salary in Seattle is $89,000. Salaries range from $68,000 (25th percentile) to $118,000 (75th percentile), adjusted for Seattle's cost of living.
Salary range
How Seattle compares
Seattle, WA
$89,000
Cost of living: 24% above average
National Average
$72,000
Seattle is $17,000 above
Accountant job market in Seattle
Seattle market overview
Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and a dense cluster of cloud computing, gaming, and AI companies. The presence of major tech headquarters drives some of the highest engineering salaries outside the Bay Area. Seattle's job market is particularly strong for cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and enterprise software roles.
What drives Accountant salaries
CPA licensure, industry specialization, and company size are the biggest factors. Public accounting at Big Four firms pays well at entry but demands long hours. Corporate accountants in tech and finance earn 10 to 20% more than those in other industries. Experience with complex areas like international tax, M&A, or revenue recognition commands premiums.
Beyond base salary
Total compensation
Bonuses of 5 to 15% are typical in corporate roles, rising to 15 to 25%+ in public accounting at manager level. Benefits include CPA exam reimbursement, busy season bonuses, and in public firms, a path to partnership with profit sharing. Tech companies add equity grants of $5,000 to $25,000.
Tax considerations in Seattle
Washington State has no personal income tax, which significantly boosts take home pay. However, state and local sales taxes are among the highest in the country at roughly 10.25%.
Career progression
Staff accountants start at $52,000 to $68,000, advancing to senior accountant at $70,000 to $90,000 in two to three years. Accounting managers earn $90,000 to $120,000. Controllers reach $130,000 to $175,000, and CFOs at mid size companies earn $200,000 to $350,000. Public accounting partnership offers the highest ceiling.
Top industries in Seattle
Negotiating in Seattle
Remind employers that no state income tax makes your effective compensation higher. You can accept a slightly lower gross salary and still take home more than in California.