Salary guide, May 2025
Cost Accountant pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in the United States was $83,680 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $67,020 and $109,810.
Broader occupation · SOC 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $56,020 | $67,020 | $83,680 | $109,810 | $144,090 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $26.93 | $32.22 | $40.23 | $52.80 | $69.27 |
BLS estimated 1,449,500 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $80,920 | $63,700 to $105,500 | 30,950 | 1.18 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $78,990 | $62,570 to $102,490 | 14,770 | 1.09 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $78,630 | $62,940 to $101,210 | 10,410 | 0.79 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $81,950 | $67,050 to $105,160 | 9,190 | 1.33 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,650 | $82,830 to $137,490 | 111,930 | 1.27 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,650 | $82,830 to $137,490 | 111,930 | 1.27 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $82,620 | $71,100 to $104,150 | 37,450 | 0.99 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $82,360 | $72,280 to $103,120 | 41,360 | 0.98 |
Rank every metro for Cost Accountant
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Tobacco Manufacturing$102,500
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$102,150
- Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing$102,000
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$101,510
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$99,560
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$98,990
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$98,930
- Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media$98,870
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$97,920
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$97,660
- Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing$96,860
- Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing$96,400
- Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing$95,880
- Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing$95,790
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$94,960
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 90,380 | $70,640 | $87,790 | $112,270 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 11,600 | $76,390 | $97,920 | $128,140 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 11,550 | $72,440 | $88,270 | $110,180 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 11,090 | $67,480 | $83,630 | $105,160 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 8,670 | $72,570 | $90,970 | $114,300 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 7,950 | $73,000 | $88,090 | $109,450 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 7,870 | $75,080 | $93,380 | $123,350 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 7,470 | $68,640 | $85,450 | $112,160 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 5,030 | $76,630 | $98,990 | $126,630 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 4,910 | $71,550 | $85,950 | $107,860 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 4,470 | $67,360 | $84,320 | $107,850 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 4,020 | $70,350 | $88,040 | $115,280 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3,910 | $65,680 | $82,710 | $103,810 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3,730 | $70,480 | $84,570 | $105,800 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 3,720 | $67,350 | $85,410 | $109,180 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 3,400 | $79,400 | $98,930 | $129,470 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 3,370 | $79,690 | $101,510 | $130,520 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3,140 | $73,740 | $91,120 | $118,310 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 2,930 | $61,800 | $78,330 | $99,150 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 2,930 | $61,800 | $78,330 | $99,150 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 2,870 | $78,550 | $99,560 | $131,880 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 2,830 | $64,560 | $80,110 | $103,430 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 2,800 | $69,430 | $86,830 | $105,600 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 2,670 | $65,850 | $81,620 | $103,340 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 2,600 | $67,670 | $84,470 | $111,420 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,370 | $68,080 | $86,990 | $109,000 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,370 | $68,080 | $86,990 | $109,000 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 2,230 | $75,930 | $95,880 | $119,920 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 2,220 | $63,790 | $80,060 | $100,010 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 2,040 | $62,410 | $79,560 | $99,990 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 2,010 | $68,290 | $86,340 | $109,470 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 1,940 | $68,320 | $84,140 | $111,610 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 1,860 | $67,150 | $85,180 | $109,990 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,830 | $61,920 | $76,000 | $97,010 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 1,750 | $74,430 | $92,690 | $114,280 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 1,660 | $73,600 | $92,190 | $114,010 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 1,650 | $68,920 | $86,780 | $110,120 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 1,640 | $64,310 | $83,850 | $105,490 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 1,610 | $76,240 | $94,770 | $120,480 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 1,550 | $64,740 | $96,860 | $132,150 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 1,540 | $63,060 | $78,540 | $102,350 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 1,500 | $64,920 | $80,790 | $104,070 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 1,470 | $70,120 | $89,550 | $120,940 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 1,300 | $75,480 | $93,070 | $115,220 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 1,090 | $72,860 | $91,810 | $113,700 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,070 | $61,660 | $74,750 | $94,600 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,070 | $74,870 | $94,960 | $117,160 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,070 | $74,870 | $94,960 | $117,160 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 1,000 | $71,720 | $88,010 | $111,550 |
| 311400 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 960 | $73,000 | $88,410 | $116,720 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 860 | $65,140 | $80,300 | $99,090 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 840 | $64,090 | $77,260 | $101,150 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 800 | $78,740 | $102,150 | $124,300 |
| 311800 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 790 | $73,410 | $96,400 | $118,220 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 750 | $67,370 | $79,410 | $102,190 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 710 | $64,990 | $79,780 | $100,520 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 660 | $64,160 | $86,400 | $106,280 |
| 315000 | Apparel Manufacturing | 630 | $73,660 | $91,230 | $124,380 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 610 | $69,600 | $93,590 | $123,680 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 610 | $78,430 | $97,660 | $108,250 |
| 311100 | Animal Food Manufacturing | 600 | $68,080 | $89,080 | $113,090 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 600 | $72,080 | $86,970 | $99,060 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 570 | $67,920 | $80,530 | $102,450 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 530 | $69,820 | $89,640 | $103,650 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 500 | $65,310 | $80,010 | $100,280 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 480 | $67,920 | $84,420 | $103,740 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 470 | $70,320 | $82,060 | $106,270 |
| 315200 | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 470 | $75,980 | $94,100 | $128,520 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 450 | $64,270 | $83,870 | $111,320 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 450 | $75,110 | $95,790 | $134,340 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 400 | $60,550 | $76,960 | $95,740 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 360 | $64,820 | $80,360 | $107,580 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 360 | $66,910 | $85,820 | $104,560 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 350 | $74,150 | $94,610 | $115,950 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 330 | $67,380 | $80,010 | $100,470 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 330 | $57,170 | $79,960 | $100,260 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 290 | $57,000 | $78,910 | $101,420 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 270 | $68,240 | $83,860 | $130,990 |
| 334600 | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 260 | $71,260 | $98,870 | $135,620 |
| 313200 | Fabric Mills | 230 | $61,940 | $83,800 | $113,340 |
| 313300 | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 180 | $74,250 | $91,060 | $121,570 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 180 | $75,560 | $86,050 | $101,470 |
| 314100 | Textile Furnishings Mills | 170 | $62,400 | $80,490 | $100,280 |
| 316000 | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 170 | $51,650 | $72,590 | $85,980 |
| 339910 | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 170 | $62,400 | $77,500 | $94,570 |
| 311700 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 160 | $74,150 | $92,370 | $99,490 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 150 | $78,770 | $102,000 | $121,000 |
| 315900 | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 120 | $68,010 | $81,480 | $103,360 |
| 312200 | Tobacco Manufacturing | 100 | $78,810 | $102,500 | $121,730 |
| 316200 | Footwear Manufacturing | 70 | $66,710 | $79,550 | $93,900 |
| 316900 | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 70 | $45,530 | $57,610 | $83,320 |
| 313100 | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 50 | $51,210 | $59,440 | $80,250 |
| 315100 | Apparel Knitting Mills | 40 | $73,660 | $82,110 | $165,560 |
| 316100 | Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 40 | $60,220 | $68,330 | $78,610 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Cost Accountant, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $64,660 | $81,680 | $106,450 |
| May 2025 | $67,020 | $83,680 | $109,810 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about qualification in practice?
We look for costing method, ERP and rollup process, inventory valuation and reserve work, physical count and cycle count involvement, and variance analysis examples. We ask what they changed in a standard and how operations reacted. A degree in accounting is typical, and a CPA or CMA can add weight.
Spreadsheet skill is expected, but we test whether they understand the data underneath it.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Cost Accountant?
The median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in the United States was $83,680 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $67,020 and $109,810. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $56,020. 90% earned less than $144,090.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Cost Accountant at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 1,449,500 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters presents data for the Cost Accountant, which BLS classifies as Accountants and Auditors. The national median salary for this group is $83,680 as of May 2025, with a medianChange of $2,000 from the prior year. The middleBandWidth is $42,790, which covers the variance between the 25th and 75th percentiles.
This width indicates that while many accountants fall within a specific salary band, specialized manufacturing cost expertise may push compensation toward the higher end of the range.
Manufacturing industries show medians consistent with the broader national occupation. Tobacco Manufacturing lists $102,500, while Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing reports $102,150. Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing shows $102,000. These sector-specific medians reside above the national occupational average, illustrating that manufacturing sectors value specialized cost accounting. BLS data excludes bonuses, profit sharing, and certification premiums for CPA or CMA status.
Regional employment statistics offer context on accounting hubs. New York-Newark-Jersey City shows a median of $105,650 and a location quotient of 1.27. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim lists a median of $94,360 with a location quotient of 1.21. These figures encompass all accountants and auditors, not just manufacturing cost accountants. The location quotients suggest these metros have a solid concentration of accounting talent, yet they do not specifically indicate local Cost Accountant availability or wage floors.
The Cost Accountant requires deep ERP knowledge, specifically for BOM and routing costing, month-end inventory reconciliation, and margin analysis. Since the BLS aggregates all accounting roles, these figures do not distinguish between generic financial accountants and technical cost accountants. Recruiters must look beyond these medians, as the specialized nature of cost accounting in manufacturing often demands a higher salary than the broad national accountant median.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Why is there such a difference between the national median for accountants and the tobacco industry median?
The $102,500 industry median reflects the specific financial demands within the tobacco sector, compared to the general accountant average of $83,680. It suggests manufacturing industries often pay a premium for specialized accounting talent.
Are certification premiums for CPA or CMA included in these salary figures?
No, these are base salary figures provided by the BLS and exclude any premiums for professional certifications like the CPA or CMA.
Does the location quotient indicate that New York has more Cost Accountants available?
The 1.27 location quotient indicates a high concentration of accountants relative to the rest of the country, but it does not measure the specific supply of cost accountants. It reflects general occupation density.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4