National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs Accountants at $79,880/year. Accountants earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $16,200 per year — or $1,350 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
Annual salary gap
$16,200
Accountants earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $183,632.
Best states for Accountants
vs Teachers
Texas+$20,000
Virginia+$19,980
Florida+$19,680
Colorado+$18,580
Missouri+$16,180
Best states for Teachers
vs Accountants
Wyoming+$-2,140
Rhode Island+$-3,000
Vermont+$-4,000
Pennsylvania+$-4,200
Michigan+$-6,890
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $79,880 for Accountants — a difference of $16,200 per year or $1,350 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and Accountants is $16,200 per year. Accountants earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $183,632.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 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 — Accountants earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Elementary and Middle School Teachers 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, Teachers earn approximately $31 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.