Side-by-side distribution
Accountant
$87,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 28.4%
- Live roles
- 3,526
Investment Banking
$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 66.2%
- Live roles
- 358
Highest-paying jobs
Corporate / Controllership Accountant
Accountant / Finance (Senior/Lead)
Senior Accountant Expert
Senior Accountant (Contract to Hire)
Senior Accountant
Sr. Accountant
Senior Technical Accountant
Sr. Accountant, AI Operations
Sr. Accountant, AI Operations
Senior Accountant
Highest-paying jobs
Investment Banker II
Investment Banker I
BlackArch Investment Banker
Investment Banker - M&A Vice President
Vice President, Investment Banker
Investment Banking - Banker - Real Estate - VP - New York
Investment Banking & Capital Markets–Banker–Healthcare Services Vice President
Investment Banking - Banker - Tech - VP - New York or San Francisco
Investment Banking - Banker - Power & Utilities, Renewables - VP - New York
Investment Banking & Capital Markets – Banker – Financial Institutions Group Vice President
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
BDO Canada
|
$65,000 | 28 |
Cushman & Wakefield
|
$61,466 | 14 |
Hunt St
|
$25,300 | 13 |
| TS Tempur Sealy | $76,000 | 12 |
Supporting Strategies
|
$67,600 | 10 |
U.S. Bank
|
$80,521 | 8 |
|
SpaceX
|
$147,500 | 7 |
Colliers International
|
$66,401 | 7 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| PS Piper Sandler | $175,000 | 26 |
Houlihan Lokey
|
$187,500 | 21 |
Moelis & Company
|
$200,000 | 20 |
Mizuho Americas
|
$120,000 | 18 |
MUFG
|
$115,000 | 15 |
| MS Morgan Stanley | $187,500 | 12 |
Guggenheim Securities
|
$175,000 | 12 |
| RB RBC | $175,000 | 12 |
Accountant salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | $140,400 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $122,000 | 37 |
| Austin | $110,500 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $100,500 | 7 |
| New York | $100,000 | 98 |
| Boston | $97,000 | 25 |
| Los Angeles | $95,000 | 21 |
| Seattle | $94,875 | 4 |
| Chicago | $92,500 | 49 |
| Denver | $92,400 | 17 |
Investment Banking salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $180,000 | 131 |
| San Francisco | $175,000 | 20 |
| Chicago | $175,000 | 16 |
| Boston | $175,000 | 3 |
| Atlanta | $175,000 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 23 |
| Toronto | $76,002 | 8 |
Accountant vs Investment Banking: which pays more?
The median for Accountant is $87,500 per year (typically $70,000–$105,000), versus $175,000 for Investment Banking ($117,500–$200,000). That puts Investment Banking about 100% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Accountant and Investment Banking are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.