Accountants vs High School Teachers
Accountants earns $11,640 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Accountants | High School Teachers | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2025 | $83,680 | $72,040 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $56,020 to $144,090 | $48,780 to $107,600 |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 4 | 4 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Jobs opening up each year | 115,300 | 63,500 |
| Growth by 2035 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| People doing it now | 1,595,200 | 1,087,500 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $111,530 in Washington DC down to $66,330 in Arkansas | $102,670 in Washington down to $48,710 in Oklahoma |
Also compared: Accountants vs Civil Engineers Accountants vs Dental Hygienists Accountants vs Financial Analysts Accountants vs Graphic Designers Accountants vs Human Resources Specialists Accountants vs Kindergarten
Jobs that use what you already know
Same skills, same knowledge, same daily tasks. Most of these are not on this site.
Accountants
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Financial Examiners
- Treasurers and Controllers
- Tax Preparers
- Financial Managers
- Budget Analysts
What these usually take: Usually a four-year degree, plus a few years of experience.
High School Teachers
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Tutors
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
What these usually take: Usually a four-year degree, plus a few years of experience.
O*NET 30.3 Database, U.S. Department of Labor. These are jobs that use similar skills, knowledge and daily tasks. It is a measure of how alike two jobs are — not a record of people moving between them.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2025, and employment projections 2025-35. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.