SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Bellingham, WA (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 + WA
COL Index: 119.03 (+19.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.0% Realized
$64,945 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $85,450 $41.08/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,378 $591.46/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 $41.08 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$5,127/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,128/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$8,841
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$5,298
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,239
Washington Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$64,945 ($2,497.89 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Bellingham, WA Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $85,450
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $60.9k 25th $73.7k Median: $85,450 50th (Median) $85.5k 75th $105k 90th $137k You: $85,450
10th (Entry) $60,880 $29.27/hr
25th (Junior) $73,720 $35.44/hr
50th (Median) $85,450 $41.08/hr
75th (Senior) $105,060 $50.51/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $136,830 $65.78/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Bellingham, WA
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$57,185$27.49/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$68,417$32.89/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$85,470$41.09/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$112,122$53.90/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$147,148$70.74/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 Bellingham, WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
28% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,529/month Requires minimum annual gross of $61,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,872/month Requires minimum annual gross of $74,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.60/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 Bellingham, WA.

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$85,450-$15,378$64,945$2,497.89
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$101,472-$19,917$75,467$2,902.56
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$117,494-$24,456$85,988$3,307.24
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$133,516-$29,069$96,436$3,709.06
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$149,538-$33,909$106,656$4,102.15
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 Bellingham, WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$85,450/yr
$41.08/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
18% Effective
-$15,378 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,883/mo
Post-$1,529/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 Bellingham, WA: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Bellingham, WA report a median annual wage of $85,450, 2.1% above the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $60,880 to $136,830, and HUD’s $1,529 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 21.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+42.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+29.6%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+23.6%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+19.5%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+19.4%
Midland, TX$100,890+18.1%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+17.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+17.2%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+17.1%
Boulder, CO$99,990+17.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Bellingham, WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$236,930$113.91/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$193,360$92.96/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,640$81.56/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$169,470$81.48/hr
Physician Assistant$161,260$77.53/hr
Financial Manager$158,960$76.42/hr
Construction Managers$156,580$75.28/hr
Industrial Production Managers$150,800$72.50/hr
Nurse Practitioner$147,890$71.10/hr
Marketing Managers$143,450$68.97/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 Bellingham, WA (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Bellingham, WA is $85,450 a year ($41.08/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 Bellingham, WA?

The median annual wage is $85,450 ($41.08 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $60,880 and $136,830. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $85,450, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $68,944 a year ($5,745 a month) after $16,506 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.32%, using 2026 tax rules.