PublicPay

Accounting federal salary series 0510

Full-time federal employees in the Accounting series earned a median of $133,964 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 22% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $107,411 and $167,902.

Median pay
$133,964
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$107,411–$167,902
25th–75th percentile
Employees
11,222
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1.6%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Accounting
All federal (full-time)

What shapes accounting pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-12 (2,915 employees, median $105,829). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Veterans Affairs (935 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in New York ($267,168) and lowest in Arizona ($97,087), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 47% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Accounting pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Accounting pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-7 104 $56,262 $52,917–$59,310
GS-9 252 $67,896 $63,780–$74,070
GS-11 1,443 $86,019 $82,031–$93,874
GS-12 2,915 $105,829 $99,651–$114,376
GS-13 2,806 $133,964 $124,177–$146,143
GS-14 1,333 $164,041 $153,509–$177,497
GS-15 420 $197,200 $185,180–$197,200
SK-14 458 $259,402 $246,464–$264,301
SK-15 64 $280,156 $277,311–$288,543
SK-16 61 $290,131 $259,060–$292,300
SK-17 34 $292,300 $292,300–$292,300
ZA-3 87 $131,298 $121,200–$133,142
ZA-4 73 $180,050 $161,618–$187,093

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Accounting pay by agency

Accounting pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Veterans Affairs 935 $99,906 $84,638–$124,019
Department of Justice 860 $138,024 $116,071–$158,322
Securities and Exchange Commission 630 $259,402 $249,815–$267,168
Department of Homeland Security 544 $136,157 $105,979–$163,104
Department of the Treasury 532 $116,362 $101,443–$138,370
Department of Agriculture 500 $120,056 $104,017–$138,370
Department of Health and Human Services 363 $138,024 $114,765–$158,322
Department of Commerce 288 $142,084 $122,659–$172,809
Department of the Interior 256 $130,664 $110,462–$158,322
Department of Energy 241 $131,273 $113,456–$151,754
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 233 $138,356 $114,377–$167,672
Department of Transportation 197 $122,899 $102,543–$163,104
General Services Administration 122 $126,203 $100,083–$142,084
Department of Housing and Urban Development 120 $158,306 $133,964–$172,700
Environmental Protection Agency 111 $133,964 $125,648–$149,642

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Accounting pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Accounting pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
District of Columbia 1,386 $167,902 $142,084–$197,200
Maryland 673 $148,711 $123,886–$172,700
Virginia 511 $138,024 $112,657–$172,700
West Virginia 401 $107,411 $98,459–$124,177
Texas 350 $123,342 $99,906–$143,084
Missouri 270 $116,413 $100,957–$129,809
Colorado 205 $130,543 $113,107–$150,324
New York 191 $267,168 $144,696–$267,168
Georgia 167 $131,273 $101,204–$161,830
Oklahoma 159 $103,907 $93,212–$123,112

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare accounting pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.6% from $131,906 in September 2025 to $133,964 in September 2026. Headcount went from 12,585 to 11,222 (−10.8%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

Related occupations in Accounting and Budget Group