SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Chico, CA (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 + CA
COL Index: 118.41 (+18.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.5% Realized
$56,326 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $77,680 $37.35/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.49% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,693 $642.05/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 $37.35 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,661/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,025/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,234
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,816
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,126
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,507
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$1,010
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$56,326 ($2,166.38 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Chico, CA Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $77,680
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $55.9k 25th $65.3k Median: $77,680 50th (Median) $77.7k 75th $97.5k 90th $126k You: $77,680
10th (Entry) $55,940 $26.89/hr
25th (Junior) $65,260 $31.38/hr
50th (Median) $77,680 $37.35/hr
75th (Senior) $97,540 $46.89/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $126,280 $60.71/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Chico, CA
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$51,985$24.99/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$62,196$29.90/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$77,699$37.36/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$101,927$49.00/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$133,768$64.31/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 Chico, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
25% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,190/month Requires minimum annual gross of $47,600
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,509/month Requires minimum annual gross of $60,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.19/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.55/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 Chico, CA.

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$77,680-$16,693$56,326$2,166.38
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$92,245-$22,177$64,533$2,482.05
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$106,810-$27,766$72,635$2,793.67
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$121,375-$33,355$80,738$3,105.29
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$135,940-$39,063$88,720$3,412.31
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 Chico, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$77,680/yr
$37.35/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
21.49% Effective
-$16,693 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
25% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,504/mo
Post-$1,190/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 Chico, CA: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Chico, CA report a median annual wage of $77,680, 7.2% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $55,940 to $126,280, and HUD’s $1,190 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 18.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.19 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+56.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+42.5%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+36.0%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+31.5%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+31.3%
Midland, TX$100,890+29.9%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+29.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+28.9%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+28.8%
Boulder, CO$99,990+28.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Chico, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$176,750$84.98/hr
Nurse Practitioner$167,080$80.33/hr
Physician Assistant$164,780$79.22/hr
Marketing Managers$139,830$67.23/hr
Human Resources Managers$139,830$67.23/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$139,600$67.12/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$137,890$66.29/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$131,520$63.23/hr
Software Engineer$131,360$63.15/hr
Financial Manager$130,600$62.79/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 Chico, CA (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Chico, CA is $77,680 a year ($37.35/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Chico, CA?

The median annual wage is $77,680 ($37.35 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $55,940 and $126,280. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $77,680, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $59,589 a year ($4,966 a month) after $18,091 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 23.29%, using 2026 tax rules.