National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Accountants earn 26% more nationally. The gap is $20,680 per year — or $1,723 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$20,680
Accountants earn 26% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $234,414.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Accountants
Hawaii+$-12,120
Oregon+$-14,120
Vermont+$-14,120
Arizona+$-16,120
Colorado+$-16,120
Best states for Accountants
vs Paralegals
Connecticut+$24,120
New York+$24,120
Alaska+$22,120
Arkansas+$22,120
California+$22,120
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $20,680 per year or $1,723 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Paralegals is $20,680 per year. Accountants earn 26% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $234,414.
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 Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 per year.
Salary is one factor — Accountants earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
