CostGuide

Legal & Financial

CPA cost in the US

Nationally, CPA runs about $250 per hour. In the lowest-cost cities in this guide it is closer to $196, and in the highest-cost cities about $290.

Typical cost

Most people pay about

$250

per hour

On the low end
$150
On the high end
$450

Estimated from national price data. Insurance, coverage, and the details of your situation can change the real number a lot. Not a quote.

What moves the price

  1. Firm size
  2. Specialty
  3. Business returns
  4. Advisory
  5. Location

Ways to pay less

  1. Use a local small firm
  2. Separate bookkeeping
  3. Ask for a monthly advisory retainer only if needed
  4. Prepare a P&L first
  5. Clarify what the rate includes

Lowest-cost cities for CPA

PlaceTypicalRange
National typical$250
$150 to $450
Brownsville, TX$196
$118 to $353
Jackson, MS$206
$124 to $371
Laredo, TX$195
$117 to $351
McAllen, TX$196
$118 to $353
Shreveport, LA$205
$123 to $369
Amarillo, TX$216
$130 to $389
El Paso, TX$201
$121 to $362
Lubbock, TX$214
$128 to $385

Highest-cost cities for CPA

PlaceTypicalRange
National typical$250
$150 to $450
Honolulu, HI$290
$174 to $522
San Francisco, CA$340
$204 to $612
New York, NY$333
$200 to $599
San Jose, CA$354
$212 to $637
Sunnyvale, CA$351
$211 to $632
Santa Barbara, CA$304
$182 to $547
Cambridge, MA$318
$191 to $572
Fremont, CA$330
$198 to $594

CPA in every city

Typical estimate for each city. Open one for the full range.

District of Columbia
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota

Questions people ask

CPA: what does it cost?

Across the US, CPA typically costs about $250 per hour, with most prices between $150 and $450.

Where is CPA cheapest?

Among the 250 cities in this guide, the lowest estimates are in Brownsville, TX, Jackson, MS, Laredo, TX, at about $196.

Is this a quote?

No. These figures are estimates built from national price data and each city's cost of living. A local pro will price your actual job.