What Is an Accountant's Salary in Ohio?

Ohio is home to accounting schools, associations, and consultancy services. All the Big Four accounting firms — Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG — maintain offices in the state.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports accountants and auditors in Ohio earned an annual average salary of $77,760 in 2022 — lower than the $86,740 national average wage for this career. However, Ohio's lower cost of living may mean these salaries carry stronger purchasing power than higher salaries in more expensive states.

Becoming a certified public accountant (CPA), earning a graduate degree, or acquiring professional certifications can help increase an Ohio accountant's salary. Use this guide to explore how much you can earn as an accountant in Ohio.

Salary by Experience

An experienced accountant generally commands a higher salary than a worker new to the field. This increase over time reflects more experienced accountants' specialized skills and knowledge in areas such as auditing, financial analysis, tax accounting, and forensic accounting.

A seasoned professional is also more likely to land higher-paying leadership or management roles in a finance office or accounting firm. Additionally, employers often reward good performance with bonuses, pay raises, or other financial benefits. Experienced accountants can also boost their income by pursuing professional certifications, earning a master's degree, or winning an industry-recognized award.

The tables below explore salary progression by experience in several large Ohio cities. Though occasional dips in average compensation appear as experience goes up, this typically reflects inadequate datasets.

Source: Payscale

Source: Payscale

Source: Payscale

CPA vs. Accountant Salary in Ohio

A bachelor's degree in accounting can lay a solid foundation for your finance career. To advance as an accounting professional, however, you may need to obtain CPA licensure.

While both professions require basic accounting skills, accountants cannot complete the same duties as CPAs. Being a CPA means an accountant has gained the professional designation necessary to engage in an array of accounting practices. The charts below demonstrate how holding a CPA license increases average wages for accountants in Ohio.

Source: Payscale, Payscale

Source: Payscale, Payscale

Source: Payscale, Payscale

Across Ohio, average wages for CPAs are higher than those of general accountants. However, the road to licensure as a CPA is lengthy. To qualify for this professional designation, accountants must complete 150 credits of college-level education — 30 more than a typical bachelor's degree — in addition to supervised work experience and passing scores on the Uniform CPA Examination.

Though a master's degree is not required for CPA licensure, earning one can help accounting professionals fulfill the 150-credit educational requirement while boosting their earning potential. For example, nationwide Payscale data from June 2023 shows workers with a bachelor's in accounting earn an average of $77,000 in annual income, while workers with an MBA in accounting earn an average of $80,000.

Cost of Living in Ohio

According to the World Population Review's index, Ohio offers a lower-than-average cost of living. This index scores each state's cost of living against an average of 100. World Population Review's metrics score Ohio at 94, slightly more expensive than Kentucky but a little cheaper than Minnesota. Major cities such as Cincinnati or Dayton may be more expensive than less-populated areas such as Youngstown or Lima.

For working professionals, a low cost of living means your accountant salary stretches further than it does in more expensive states.

Job Availability in Ohio

Source: Projections Central

Ohio's projected growth rate of 4.8% for accountant and auditor jobs lags behind the national average of 6.9% from 2020 to 2030. Several factors may explain this trend: According to a study from the Greater Ohio Policy Center, the state's population only grew 3% between 2000 and 2020 while its workforce dwindled by 91,000 people in the same timeframe.

Major metropolitan areas such as Columbus, however, continue to thrive, and accountants in these regions may find more opportunities than professionals in rural Ohio can access.