Local market data · Accounting firms · Los Angeles

AI for accounting firms in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles metro area had 3,514 accounting firms in 2022, the 2nd most of 386 US metros and 6% of all in the country. They employed 28,673 people at an average of $105,523 a year. 88% 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.

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Accounting firms in Los Angeles vs the US

	Los Angeles metro	United States
Businesses	3,514	55,642
People employed	28,673	572,944
Average staff per business	8.2	10.3
Average yearly pay per employee	$105,523	$97,895
Share with fewer than 10 staff	88%	84%

Pay here is 8% 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 8.2 people on payroll, 21% lower than the US figure of 10.3.

How big accounting firms in Los Angeles are

Fewer than 5 staff2,535 (72%) US 65%

5 to 9561 (16%) US 19%

10 to 19234 (7%) US 9%

20 to 49113 (3%) US 4%

50 or more70 (2%) US 3%

Businesses with paid employees, by number of employees, March 2022.

Accounting firms by county in the Los Angeles area

Los Angeles County has the most, with 2,549 of the metro's 3,514 (73%). Among the 10 big metros on this page, Los Angeles ranks 9th for average pay and 3rd for the share of small firms.

County	Businesses	Employees	Avg pay
Los Angeles County	2,549	20,729	$105,927
Orange County	965	7,944	$104,468

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 Los Angeles

Change any number. The starting values are the Los Angeles averages above; the hours and the share are yours to set.

People on your teamStarts at the Los Angeles average for a accounting firmHours each spends a week on phones, booking, follow-up and paperwork8 is a starting guess. Put in your ownCost of one hour of their time ($)Starts at the Los Angeles average pay, from Census payrollShare of those hours you would hand to AI: 30%Your call. We tell you on the call what is realistic for your accounting firm

Those hours cost you$163,200 a year

The share you would hand off$48,960 a year

Hours your team gets back960 a year

See what we would build for this

Guides for accounting firms, one job each

Accounting firms in other big metros

Metro	Businesses	Avg pay	Rank of 387
New York	4,261	$125,340	1st
Chicago	1,818	$110,543	4th
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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (2 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.

Get started using AI in your business

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