WestwardAI Consulting

Local market data · Accounting firms · New York

AI for accounting firms in New York

The New York metro area had 4,261 accounting firms in 2022, the most of all 386 US metros and 8% of all in the country. They employed 65,632 people at an average of $125,340 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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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 New York vs the US

New York metroUnited States
Businesses4,26155,642
People employed65,632572,944
Average staff per business15.410.3
Average yearly pay per employee$125,340$97,895
Share with fewer than 10 staff88%84%

Pay here is 28% 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 15.4 people on payroll, 50% higher than the US figure of 10.3.

How big accounting firms in New York are

Fewer than 5 staff3,046 (71%) US 65%
5 to 9698 (16%) US 19%
10 to 19273 (6%) US 9%
20 to 49137 (3%) US 4%
50 or more107 (3%) US 3%

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

Accounting firms by county in the New York area

Nassau County has the most, with 793 of the metro's 4,261 (19%). Among the 10 big metros on this page, New York ranks 3rd for average pay and 4th for the share of small firms.

CountyBusinessesEmployeesAvg pay
Nassau County7934,194$101,234
New York County54438,006$140,456
Suffolk County5022,939$92,014
Bergen County3242,175$92,246
Westchester County2771,173$89,965
Kings County249870$59,034
Queens County217689$51,837
Monmouth County1801,033$91,919
Middlesex County1682,967$122,380
Morris County1654,837$131,996
Essex County1351,721$127,865
Union County123761$76,915

10 smaller counties not shown. 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 New York

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

Those hours cost you$360,000 a year

The share you would hand off$108,000 a year

Hours your team gets back1,800 a year

See what we would build for this

Guides for accounting firms, one job each

Accounting firms in other big metros

MetroBusinessesAvg payRank of 387
Los Angeles3,514$105,5232nd
Chicago1,818$110,5434th
Miami2,009$93,0493rd
Dallas1,197$109,3015th
Houston1,037$115,4748th
Atlanta1,179$112,1836th
Washington1,065$128,6517th
Philadelphia1,028$112,3889th
Boston834$127,14111th

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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (22 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.

Related businesses in New York

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