Average Accountant Salary in Memphis, TN

The average Accountant in Memphis, TN earns $79,990 per year. See how this compares to the national average and what it means for your budget.

Average Salary
$79990
Median Salary
$72060
vs. National
11.9% below
Real Pay (COL-adjusted)
$86777

“Real pay” adjusts the average for Memphis’s cost of living (Regional Price Parity 92.179, U.S. average = 100) — what this salary is worth in national-average dollars.

What Accountants actually earn in Memphis

The spread from entry-level (10th percentile) to top earners (90th), from BLS wage data.

10th (entry) $44990
25th $57360
Median $72060
75th $95940
90th (top) $128990

4410 Accountants employed in the Memphis metro.

Can a Accountant afford a home in Memphis?

Max home price under the 28% rule (housing ≤ 28% of gross), 10% down, 6.7% 30-yr rate. Median Memphis home: $157100.

Earnings levelSalaryMax homeMedian home?
Entry (10th)$44990$180760Yes
Median$72060$289522Yes
Top (90th)$128990$518255Yes

What’s this salary worth in another city?

What you earn (or want to compare)

Take-home pay for a Accountant in Memphis

Estimated pay after federal, FICA, and TN state taxes (2026). Prefilled with the local average — adjust for your situation.

Estimate only — not tax advice. Tax year 2026, federal + FICA + state (single or married filing jointly). Excludes local/city income taxes (e.g., NYC, Philadelphia) and individual credits. See our methodology.

Memphis at a glance

Population629063
Median household income$51211
Median home value$157100
Median rent$1123/mo
Cost of living (RPP, U.S.=100)92.179
Bachelor’s degree or higher16.9%
Poverty rate22%

In Memphis, TN, Accountants earn a median of $72,060 a year — about 21% below the U.S. median of $90,780. Among the 50 metros tracked here for this role, that ranks #47.

What that pay is worth in Memphis

Local prices run 92 on the BEA cost-of-living index (U.S. = 100), so a $79,990 salary stretches further than the sticker number — about $86,777 in national-average buying power.

Can Accountants afford a home in Memphis?

A typical Memphis home runs about $157,100 — 2.0 times the average Accountant salary, very affordable against the classic 3x rule of thumb. Median rent near $1,123/mo takes roughly 17% of gross pay — within the 30% comfort line.

The Accountant pay ladder in Memphis

Entry-level (10th percentile) Accountants earn about $44,990; the top 10% reach $128,990 — a $84,000 spread, wide for this field. Most of that gap comes down to experience, employer, and how hard you negotiate.

The Accountant job market in Memphis

Memphis employs roughly 4,410 Accountants. It’s a sizable local market to build a career in.

Compare Memphis with other cities

See the full Accountant salary by city ranking to weigh Memphis against the other metros on both pay and cost-adjusted value, or use the cost-of-living calculator to compare any two cities directly.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Accountants make in Memphis?

The average Accountant in Memphis, TN earns about $79,990 per year, 11.9% below the national average of $90,780.

What is the take-home pay for Accountants in Memphis after taxes?

After federal and TN taxes, this $79,990 salary is worth about $65,102 a year - roughly $5,425 a month in take-home pay, an effective tax rate near 19%.

What do the highest-paid Accountants earn in Memphis?

The top 10% of Accountants in Memphis earn about $128,990 a year, versus about $44,990 for the bottom 10%.

Can Accountants afford a home in Memphis?

A typical Memphis home runs about $157,100 - roughly 2.0x this salary, within reach by the classic 3x rule of thumb.

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