National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Social Workers at $54,150/year. Accountants earn 32% more nationally. The gap is $25,730 per year — or $2,144 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$25,730
Accountants earn 32% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $291,657.
Best states for Social Workers
vs Accountants
Alaska+$-16,000
Vermont+$-16,000
Hawaii+$-18,000
Maine+$-18,000
Arizona+$-20,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Social Workers
New York+$36,000
California+$30,000
Connecticut+$30,000
Massachusetts+$30,000
New Jersey+$30,000
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $54,150 for Social Workers — a difference of $25,730 per year or $2,144 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Social Workers is $25,730 per year. Accountants earn 32% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $291,657.
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 Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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 Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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 Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
