Accountant Salary: Chicago, IL vs San Francisco, CA
BLS reports this occupation as "Accountants and Auditors" (13-2011); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Accountants in Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Chicago, IL | San Francisco, CA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $82,360 | $110,730▲ | -$28,370 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,280 | $88,820▲ | -$16,540 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,120 | $143,590▲ | -$40,470 |
| 90th Percentile | $134,100 | $180,060▲ | -$45,960 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 103.6 | 115.6 | -12.0 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $79,502 | $95,776▲ | -$16,274 |
| Total Employment | 41,360 | 25,170 | +16,190 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $28,370 more (median: $82,360 vs $110,730). BEA's regional price parity is 103.6 in Chicago, IL and 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $79,502 and $95,776, so San Francisco, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $28,370 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $79,502 for Chicago and $95,776 for San Francisco, a difference of $16,274.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 41,360 Accountant jobs in the Chicago area and 25,170 in the San Francisco area. For broader context, see our Illinois overview and the full Accountant city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Accountant salary higher in Chicago, IL or San Francisco, CA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Accountants ($110,730 per year, against $82,360 in Chicago, IL; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $79,502 in Chicago, IL and $95,776 in San Francisco, CA.
How do prices compare between Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 103.6 for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area and 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 3.6% above the national level for Chicago, IL and 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA.
Which city pays Accountants more once local prices are counted?
San Francisco, CA: at national-average prices its median Accountant wage is $95,776, against $79,502 for Chicago, IL. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.