Local market data · Accounting firms · Chicago
AI for accounting firms in Chicago
The Chicago metro area had 1,818 accounting firms in 2022, the 4th most of 386 US metros and 3% of all in the country. They employed 27,139 people at an average of $110,543 a year. 85% have fewer than 10 staff, so the same few people answer the phone, book, follow up and do the paperwork. Those are the jobs AI tools take on today.
Talk through your firm with the person who builds it
A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your accounting firm to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.
Accounting firms in Chicago vs the US
| Chicago metro | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses | 1,818 | 55,642 |
| People employed | 27,139 | 572,944 |
| Average staff per business | 14.9 | 10.3 |
| Average yearly pay per employee | $110,543 | $97,895 |
| Share with fewer than 10 staff | 85% | 84% |
Pay here is 13% higher than the national average for accounting firms, so every hour of staff time costs more to spend on admin. The average accounting firm here has 14.9 people on payroll, 45% higher than the US figure of 10.3.
How big accounting firms in Chicago are
Businesses with paid employees, by number of employees, March 2022.
Accounting firms by county in the Chicago area
Cook County has the most, with 1,014 of the metro's 1,818 (56%). Among the 10 big metros on this page, Chicago ranks 7th for average pay and 7th for the share of small firms.
| County | Businesses | Employees | Avg pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 1,014 | 21,396 | $117,594 |
| DuPage County | 304 | 2,724 | $93,160 |
| Lake County | 154 | 1,210 | $93,574 |
| Will County | 92 | 427 | $58,867 |
| Kane County | 78 | 521 | $82,946 |
| Lake County | 72 | 376 | $56,771 |
| McHenry County | 44 | 214 | $60,308 |
| Porter County | 25 | 92 | $52,707 |
| Grundy County | 15 | 56 | $59,768 |
| DeKalb County | 13 | 67 | $52,866 |
| Jasper County | 4 | 39 | $45,077 |
| Kendall County | 3 | 17 | $52,412 |
Census withholds pay where few firms would make it identifiable.
Where AI helps a accounting firm first
An accounting firm gets the most from AI by automating the chasing: missing documents, unsigned engagement letters, repeat client questions and deadline reminders. Technical judgment and sign-off stay with the CPA or preparer. Westward can build these pieces on the firm’s own accounts, with a person approving anything that goes out.
What your team's admin hours cost in Chicago
Change any number. The starting values are the Chicago averages above; the hours and the share are yours to set.
Those hours cost you$318,000 a year
The share you would hand off$95,400 a year
Hours your team gets back1,800 a year
See what we would build for thisGuides for accounting firms, one job each
- Get more customers for accounting firms
- Never miss a call for accounting firms
- Follow up automatically for accounting firms
- Booking and scheduling for accounting firms
- More reviews for accounting firms
- Marketing and content for accounting firms
- Show up on Google and ChatGPT for accounting firms
- Cut admin and paperwork for accounting firms
- A dashboard that runs itself for accounting firms
Accounting firms in other big metros
| Metro | Businesses | Avg pay | Rank of 387 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 3,514 | $105,523 | 2nd |
| New York | 4,261 | $125,340 | 1st |
| Miami | 2,009 | $93,049 | 3rd |
| Dallas | 1,197 | $109,301 | 5th |
| Houston | 1,037 | $115,474 | 8th |
| Atlanta | 1,179 | $112,183 | 6th |
| Washington | 1,065 | $128,651 | 7th |
| Philadelphia | 1,028 | $112,388 | 9th |
| Boston | 834 | $127,141 | 11th |
Where these numbers come from
From the U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 (released 2024), industry code NAICS 541211 (Offices of certified public accountants), for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (13 counties). It counts businesses with paid employees in March 2022, so solo owners with no payroll are not in it. Average pay is total yearly payroll divided by employees. The calculator uses 50 working weeks and 2,080 hours a year. Page checked 2026-11-12.
Find the hours your firm can get back
A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your accounting firm to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.