National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Nurses earn 11% more nationally. The gap is $9,130 per year — or $761 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,130
Nurses earn 11% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $103,491.
Best states for Nurses
vs Accountants
California+$33,150
Hawaii+$30,000
Oregon+$21,000
Alaska+$19,920
Nevada+$17,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Nurses
Virginia+$4,000
Missouri+$0
Texas+$0
Arkansas+$-890
Alabama+$-1,000
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $9,130 per year or $761 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Nurses is $9,130 per year. Nurses earn 11% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $103,491.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Registered Nurses both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Accountants earn approximately $38 per hour nationally and Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
