Entry-level Accountant salary in Washington, DC

Based on 203 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mclean, Arlington, Tysons, Bethesda, Rockville.

Also listed as: Auditor, Tax Accountant

Median salary$70,000
Middle 50%$66k–$82.2k
vs. all levels here−26%comparison median $95,150
Filings203FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $65,998 and $95,000.
PercentileSalary
10th$65,998
25th$65,998
50th (median)$70,000
75th$82,246
90th$90,000

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $65k $80k FY2020: median $60,000 (136 filings) FY2021: median $62,000 (119 filings) FY2022: median $65,000 (108 filings) FY2023: median $65,000 (146 filings) FY2024: median $66,560 (143 filings) FY2025: median $68,640 (145 filings) FY2026: median $73,647 (58 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 136 filings FY20 FY2021: 119 filings FY21 FY2022: 108 filings FY22 FY2023: 146 filings FY23 FY2024: 143 filings FY24 FY2025: 145 filings FY25 FY2026: 58 filings FY26 146
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$60,000$58,822$65,000136
FY2021$62,000$60,000$68,000119
FY2022$65,000$60,965$70,500108
FY2023$65,000$62,379$70,000146
FY2024$66,560$62,608$75,000143
FY2025$68,640$65,998$82,493145
FY2026$73,647$69,139$81,80358

Cost of living

Washington's median entry-level Accountant salary of $70,000 is worth about $64,300 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).

Compared with all workers here

All Accountants and Auditors in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $102,140 in May 2025 (41,470 employed). The H-1B median here is $70,000, 31% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
Deloitte$69,13941
EY$90,00028
CohnReznick Advisorytoo few8
Chawla & Chawlatoo few4
Han Grouptoo few4
Hughes Network Systemstoo few4
Brontidetoo few3
CWP Consultingtoo few3
Rogers & Company Cpas, Pllctoo few3
St Theresa Nurselinktoo few3

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $70,000 203
Mid-level · Level II $97,000 281
Senior · Level III $141,580 110
Expert · Level IV $147,850 66

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$65,998$70,000203
Mid-level · Level II$85,322$97,000281
Senior · Level III$104,666$141,580110
Expert · Level IV$123,989$147,85066

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.