Software Developer vs Accountant Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.
Higher paying occupation
Software Developer
$121,352/yr median(+$41,640 · 52.2% more)
Higher pay
Software Developer
Median$121,352
Mean$127,085
10th %ile$74,572
25th %ile$94,378
75th %ile$151,381
90th %ile$178,009
Employed1.7M+
Accountant
Median$79,712
Mean$87,756
10th %ile$52,794
25th %ile$64,187
75th %ile$101,940
90th %ile$130,795
Employed1.4M+
Salary Distribution Comparison
Software Developer
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,572 |
| 25th percentile | $94,378 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $121,352 |
| 75th percentile | $151,381 |
| 90th percentile | $178,009 |
Accountant
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,794 |
| 25th percentile | $64,187 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $79,712 |
| 75th percentile | $101,940 |
| 90th percentile | $130,795 |
Top Paying States
Software Developer
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $170,910 |
| 2 | Washington | $166,910 |
| 3 | New York | $161,260 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $150,520 |
| 5 | Maryland | $137,890 |
Accountant
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $103,030 |
| 2 | New York | $101,780 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $101,340 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $96,580 |
| 5 | California | $96,360 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which pays more, Software Developer or Accountant?
- Software Developer pays more with a median salary of $121,352/year, which is 52.2% more than Accountant at $79,712/year.
- What is the salary difference between Software Developer and Accountant?
- The median salary difference is $41,640/year (52.2%).
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