National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Accountants at $79,880/year. Nurses earn 10% more nationally. The gap is $9,130 per year — or $761 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,130
Nurses earn 10% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $103,491.
Best states for Accountants
vs Nurses
Virginia+$4,000
Missouri+$0
Texas+$0
Arkansas+$-890
Alabama+$-1,000
Best states for Nurses
vs Accountants
California+$33,150
Hawaii+$30,000
Oregon+$21,000
Alaska+$19,920
Nevada+$17,000
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Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $79,880 for Accountants — a difference of $9,130 per year or $761 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Accountants is $9,130 per year. Nurses earn 10% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $103,491.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses and Accountants and Auditors 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, Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour nationally and Accountants earn approximately $38 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.