National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Plumbers at $61,550/year. Accountants earn 23% more nationally. The gap is $18,330 per year — or $1,528 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$18,330
Accountants earn 23% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $207,776.
Best states for Plumbers
vs Accountants
Hawaii+$8,000
Alaska+$4,000
North Dakota+$-4,000
Illinois+$-6,000
Nevada+$-6,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$24,000
Texas+$22,000
California+$20,000
Florida+$20,000
Georgia+$20,000
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $61,550 for Plumbers — a difference of $18,330 per year or $1,528 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Plumbers is $18,330 per year. Accountants earn 23% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $207,776.
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, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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 Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
