Software Engineer vs Accountant Salary
Software Engineers earn approximately 36.3% more than Accountants nationally — $124,000 vs $79,000.
Software Engineer vs Accountant: salary breakdown
On a national-median basis, Software Engineers out-earn Accountants by $45,000 per year — a 36.3% gap. That works out to roughly $3,750/month or $22/hour of difference.
Important context: these are MEDIANS — the middle salary in the country. Real-world variation is wide: entry-level roles in either career may pay 25-35% below median, while senior roles or specialized niches can pay 50-100%+ above. Your specific numbers depend on experience, location, employer, and credentials.
When does the salary gap matter most?
For someone choosing between these careers, the $45,000 annual difference compounds:
- Over 10 years: ~$450,000 in raw salary difference
- Over 40 years: ~$1,800,000 (without raises or compounding)
- With 3% annual raises: the gap typically grows because the higher-paid role's raises are also larger in dollar terms
- With investment compounding: the $45,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $8,955,000 — significantly more than the raw difference
But salary isn't everything. Job satisfaction, work-life balance, growth potential, and career switching costs all matter. A career you can sustain for decades beats a higher-paying one you'll burn out on.
By state and city — significant variation
National medians are starting points. Real salaries vary 30%+ by location:
- Software Engineer in California ≈ $146,320 (1.18× national)
- Software Engineer in Mississippi ≈ $104,160 (0.84× national)
- Accountant in California ≈ $93,220
- Accountant in Mississippi ≈ $66,360
Use our Software Engineer salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.
Other comparisons in Tech
Other comparisons in Finance
Related tools
Software Engineer salary by state — Accountant salary by state — Best cities for Software Engineer — Best cities for Accountant — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.