CPA hourly rate cost in 2026
CPA hourly rate costs $150 to $500 per hour in 2026, and most people pay about $325.
What moves the price
- Where you live matters, and big cities cost more.
- The kind of work matters, and audits and IRS cases cost more than basic tax prep.
- A CPA with more years of skill or a special field charges more.
- The size of the job decides how many hours it takes.
- A big firm usually charges more than a small local one.
What is included
The hourly rate pays for the CPA's time on your work. Software, filing fees and work done by junior staff may be billed in other ways. Rush work and complex cases can cost more per hour.
CPA hourly rates by service
| Service | Rate per hour |
|---|---|
| General CPA work | $200 to $500 |
| IRS representation | $200 to $500 |
| Audit services | $200 to $400 |
| Consulting and advice | $250 to $500 |
| Forensic accounting | $300 to $500 |
| Specialists in big cities | $300 to $500+ |
Average prices in US dollars. Source: TaxDome.
Ways to pay less
- Ask for a flat fee quote on simple tax returns.
- Do the record keeping yourself or use a lower cost bookkeeper, who costs $20 to $60 per hour in one source.
- Gather all papers before the meeting so fewer paid hours are used.
What price guides say
We checked 3 price guides and read every number on their pages. They do not all measure the same thing, so the ranges on this page come from putting them side by side.
Common questions
How much does this cost in 2026?
CPA hourly rate costs $150 to $500 per hour in 2026, and most people pay about $325. Most people pay about $325 per hour. The low end is $150 and the high end is $500.
What changes the price the most?
The biggest factors are: Where you live matters, and big cities cost more; The kind of work matters, and audits and IRS cases cost more than basic tax prep; A CPA with more years of skill or a special field charges more.
How can I pay less?
Ask for a flat fee quote on simple tax returns. Do the record keeping yourself or use a lower cost bookkeeper, who costs $20 to $60 per hour in one source. Gather all papers before the meeting so fewer paid hours are used.
Where do these numbers come from?
From 3 named price guides: TaxDome, Jupid, Relay. Each one is linked on this page with the date we read it.
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