National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Police Officers at $72,280/year. Accountants earn 10% more nationally. The gap is $7,600 per year — or $633 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
Annual salary gap
$7,600
Accountants earn 10% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $86,148.
Best states for Police Officers
vs Accountants
Alaska+$10,000
California+$10,000
Hawaii+$8,000
New Jersey+$4,000
Illinois+$0
Best states for Accountants
vs Police Officers
Virginia+$18,000
North Carolina+$16,000
Texas+$16,000
Georgia+$14,000
New York+$14,000
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $72,280 for Police Officers — a difference of $7,600 per year or $633 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Police Officers is $7,600 per year. Accountants earn 10% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $86,148.
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 Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 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 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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 Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.
