Accountants & Auditors salary in Modesto, CA
Median pay for accountants & auditors in Modesto, CA: $81,100/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $57,050 – $135,880 · about 1,120 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($74,290) by +$6,810 (+9%).
What it's really worth in Modesto
With Modesto's cost of living at 105 (US=100), that $81,100 has the buying power of about $77,145 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $74,872 · median home $468,302 · median rent $2,052/mo.
How Modesto ranks for this job
On raw pay, Modesto, CA is 27th of the 187 metros we hold accountants & auditors wages for. Once Modesto's cost of living is applied, it ranks 95th.
The headline number flatters Modesto. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, accountants & auditors here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Modesto
A median home in Modesto, CA costs $468,302 — about 5.8× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,052/mo works out at 30% 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 Modesto.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Modesto | Rent vs Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $113,980 | +41% | 1.8× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,990 | +28% | 1.6× |
| New York, NY | $103,900 | +28% | 1.7× |
| Washington, DC | $97,320 | +20% | 1.2× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Modesto | Rent vs Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $113,980 | +41% | 1.8× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,990 | +28% | 1.6× |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $93,650 | +15% | 1.3× |
| San Diego, CA | $89,120 | +10% | 1.4× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires accountants & auditors around Modesto
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- E. & J. Gallo Winery · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Modesto
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.