Expert Accountant salary in Washington, DC

Based on 66 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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$147,850
Middle 50%$125k–$178.4k
vs. all levels here+55%comparison median $95,150
Filings66FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $99,347 and $262,602.
PercentileSalary
10th$123,989
25th$125,000
50th (median)$147,850
75th$178,417
90th$223,564

Salary by year

Median salary

$100k $140k $180k FY2020: median $132,500 (29 filings) FY2021: median $122,084 (15 filings) FY2022: median $145,000 (35 filings) FY2023: median $147,636 (31 filings) FY2024: median $126,000 (23 filings) FY2025: median $142,200 (52 filings) FY2026: median $165,840 (14 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 29 filings FY20 FY2021: 15 filings FY21 FY2022: 35 filings FY22 FY2023: 31 filings FY23 FY2024: 23 filings FY24 FY2025: 52 filings FY25 FY2026: 14 filings FY26 52
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$132,500$112,500$164,97629
FY2021$122,084$116,563$141,30015
FY2022$145,000$119,007$170,00035
FY2023$147,636$117,999$162,50031
FY2024$126,000$121,222$163,00023
FY2025$142,200$123,989$172,41752
FY2026$165,840$145,250$191,90614

Cost of living

Washington's median expert Accountant salary of $147,850 is worth about $135,800 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 $147,850, 45% higher.

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$128,14919
EY$190,91314
PwC US Taxtoo few4
Alvarez & Marsal Taxtoo few2
Chugh Cpastoo few2
Finpal Servicestoo few2
Forvis Mazarstoo few2
Jones, Maresca & Mcelwaney, P.atoo few2

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.