SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Appleton, WI (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + WI
COL Index: 97.42 (-2.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.0% Realized
$58,627 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $80,360 $38.63/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.04% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,911 $650.44/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $38.63 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,822/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,061/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,788
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,982
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,165
Wisconsin Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,975
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$58,627 ($2,254.88 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Appleton, WI Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $80,360
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $58.5k 25th $66.1k Median: $80,360 50th (Median) $80.4k 75th $101k 90th $131k You: $80,360
10th (Entry) $58,490 $28.12/hr
25th (Junior) $66,060 $31.76/hr
50th (Median) $80,360 $38.63/hr
75th (Senior) $101,030 $48.57/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $130,740 $62.86/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Appleton, WI
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$53,778$25.85/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$64,342$30.93/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$80,379$38.64/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$105,444$50.69/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$138,383$66.53/hr · 14+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Managers+$82,890/yr
National median: $166,570
Skill overlap: 94%View Salary
Financial Examiners+$10,480/yr
National median: $94,160
Skill overlap: 93%
Tax Preparers-$28,760/yr
National median: $54,920
Skill overlap: 93%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks-$33,010/yr
National median: $50,670
Skill overlap: 89%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Appleton, WI under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
20% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $986/month Requires minimum annual gross of $39,440
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,256/month Requires minimum annual gross of $50,240
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.55/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.29/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Appleton, WI.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$80,360-$16,911$58,627$2,254.88
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$95,428-$22,021$67,681$2,603.12
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$110,495-$27,130$76,735$2,951.35
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$125,563-$32,240$85,789$3,299.58
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$140,630-$37,557$94,635$3,639.82
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Accountant & Auditor in Appleton, WI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Wisconsin tax codes.

Market Baseline
$80,360/yr
$38.63/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
21.04% Effective
-$16,911 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
20% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,900/mo
Post-$986/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 13-2011
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Accountant & Auditor in Appleton, WI: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Appleton, WI report a median annual wage of $80,360, 4.0% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $58,490 to $130,740, and HUD’s $986 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.55 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+51.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+37.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+31.5%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+27.1%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+27.0%
Midland, TX$100,890+25.5%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+25.0%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+24.6%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+24.5%
Boulder, CO$99,990+24.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Appleton, WI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$201,300$96.78/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$149,070$71.67/hr
Sales Managers$138,850$66.75/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$135,690$65.24/hr
Financial Manager$134,990$64.90/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$134,430$64.63/hr
Nurse Practitioner$129,030$62.03/hr
Marketing Managers$128,360$61.71/hr
Physician Assistant$128,270$61.67/hr
Human Resources Managers$126,580$60.86/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 393 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Appleton, WI (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Appleton, WI is $80,360 a year ($38.63/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Appleton, WI?

The median annual wage is $80,360 ($38.63 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $58,490 and $130,740. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Accountant & Auditor in Appleton, WI after taxes?

On the median wage of $80,360, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $62,102 a year ($5,175 a month) after $18,258 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.72%, using 2026 tax rules.