Accountants & Auditors salary in Lansing, MI
Median pay for accountants & auditors in Lansing, MI: $76,610/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $51,200 – $110,300 · about 2,300 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($74,290) by +$2,320 (+3%).
What it's really worth in Lansing
With Lansing's cost of living at 93 (US=100), that $76,610 has the buying power of about $82,353 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $68,270 · median home $250,377 · median rent $1,265/mo.
How Lansing ranks for this job
On raw pay, Lansing, MI is 77th of the 187 metros we hold accountants & auditors wages for. Once Lansing's cost of living is applied, it ranks 32nd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Lansing 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 Lansing
A median home in Lansing, MI costs $250,377 — about 3.3× 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 $1,265/mo works out at 20% 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 Lansing.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lansing | Rent vs Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $113,980 | +49% | 2.9× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,990 | +36% | 2.6× |
| New York, NY | $103,900 | +36% | 2.8× |
| Washington, DC | $97,320 | +27% | 1.9× |
Same job elsewhere in MI
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lansing | Rent vs Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | $79,320 | +4% | 1.2× |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $77,420 | +1% | 1.6× |
| Kalamazoo, MI | $73,120 | −5% | 1× |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $72,530 | −5% | 1.3× |
Staying in MI keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires accountants & auditors around Lansing
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- State of Michigan · Government
- Auto-Owners Insurance · Finance
Other jobs in Lansing
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.