Accountants & Auditors salary in Memphis, TN
Median pay for accountants & auditors in Memphis, TN: $72,060/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $44,990 – $128,990 · about 4,410 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($74,290) by −$2,230 (-3%).
What it's really worth in Memphis
With Memphis's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $72,060 has the buying power of about $78,371 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $62,178 · median home $247,229 · median rent $1,441/mo.
How Memphis ranks for this job
On raw pay, Memphis, TN is 123rd of the 187 metros we hold accountants & auditors wages for. Once Memphis's cost of living is applied, it ranks 79th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Memphis is one of the places where accountants & auditors gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Memphis
A median home in Memphis, TN costs $247,229 — about 3.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,441/mo works out at 24% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where accountants & auditors earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Memphis.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $113,980 | +58% | 2.5× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,990 | +44% | 2.3× |
| New York, NY | $103,900 | +44% | 2.4× |
| Washington, DC | $97,320 | +35% | 1.7× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $76,440 | +6% | 1.2× |
| Knoxville, TN | $71,260 | −1% | 1.2× |
| Chattanooga, TN | $70,140 | −3% | 1.1× |
| Kingsport, TN | $66,780 | −7% | 0.9× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires accountants & auditors around Memphis
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Smith & Nephew · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Memphis
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.