National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Accountants earn 40% more nationally. The gap is $31,890 per year — or $2,658 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$31,890
Accountants earn 40% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $361,483.
Best states for Welders
vs Accountants
North Dakota+$-9,330
Alaska+$-11,330
Wyoming+$-11,330
Hawaii+$-13,330
Louisiana+$-15,330
Best states for Accountants
vs Welders
California+$41,330
New York+$39,330
Connecticut+$35,330
Massachusetts+$35,330
Maryland+$31,330
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $31,890 per year or $2,658 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Welders is $31,890 per year. Accountants earn 40% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $361,483.
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 Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 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 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
