Accountant in Portsmouth, NH

As a career analyst who’s spent years mapping out professional trajectories in New England, I can tell you that Portsmouth, New Hampshire, isn’t your typical accounting hub. It’s a historic seaport city with a distinct economy, a tight-knit professional community, and a cost of living that demands a clear-eyed financial plan. This guide is for the accountant who’s done the math on the national averages and is now asking: what does a career look like on the ground in the Granite State’s coastal city?

We’re going beyond glossy brochures. We’ll dig into your real take-home pay after New Hampshire’s unique tax structure, pinpoint which employers are actually hiring, and walk through the neighborhoods where your salary will stretch or strain. Let’s get to work.

The Salary Picture: Where Portsmouth Stands

First, the hard data. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and local market analysis, the median salary for an accountant in the Portsmouth metro area is $89,075 per year. This breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.82. For context, the national average for accountants sits at $86,080. So, Portsmouth pays slightly above the national norm, but not by a wide margin. The key here is the local job market scale; with only 44 accountant jobs in the metro and a 10-year job growth of 4%, this is a stable, mature market—not a high-growth boomtown. You’re moving here for quality of life and stability, not for explosive career leaps.

To understand where you fit, here’s an experience-level breakdown. These are estimates based on local firm structures and BLS data, adjusted for the Portsmouth market.

Experience Level	Years of Experience	Estimated Portsmouth Salary Range
Entry-Level Accountant	0-2	$58,000 - $72,000
Mid-Level Accountant	3-7	$75,000 - $95,000
Senior Accountant	8-12	$90,000 - $115,000
Expert/Manager	12+	$110,000 - $140,000+

How does this compare to other New Hampshire cities?
Portsmouth sits in a sweet spot. It pays more than Manchester, NH’s largest city, where the median is around $85,500, but less than the Boston metropolitan area, where the median can exceed $95,000. The trade-off is clear: you accept a slightly lower ceiling for a coastal lifestyle and a lower commute stress than the Boston suburbs. Nashua and Concord offer similar salaries but with a more inland, suburban feel. For an accountant valuing a walkable historic district and ocean access, Portsmouth’s premium is justified.

The Real Take-Home: After Taxes and Rent

Let’s get practical. A median salary of $89,075 sounds solid, but New Hampshire has no state income or sales tax. This is a double-edged sword: your paycheck is larger upfront, but the state heavily relies on property taxes, which are among the highest in the nation. This directly impacts your housing costs.

Here’s a monthly budget breakdown for a single accountant earning the median salary. (Calculations based on 2024 tax brackets, single filer, standard deduction, and NH’s 8.5% Social Security/Medicare tax).

Category	Monthly Amount	Notes
Gross Monthly Pay	$7,422	($89,075 / 12)
Federal Income Tax	$1,100	Estimated
FICA (8.5%)	$631
Net Take-Home Pay	$5,691
Rent (1BR Average)	$1,582
Utilities (Electric, Heat, Internet)	$250	NH winters are cold; heating costs are real.
Groceries	$400
Car Payment/Insurance/Gas	$550	Assumes a car is necessary.
Health Insurance	$300	Employer-subsidized estimate.
Retirement (401k - 5%)	$371	Pre-tax, recommended.
Discretionary/Other	$2,238
Remaining	$1,302

Can they afford to buy a home?
This is the critical question. The Portsmouth housing market is intense. The median home price is approximately $650,000. With a 20% down payment ($130,000), a 30-year mortgage at 7% would mean a monthly payment of over $3,400, not including property taxes. A single accountant on the median salary would be house poor, with over 60% of their net income going to housing. A dual-income household or a significant career move into the expert tier ($120,000+) is necessary for comfortable homeownership. Renting is the standard for many professionals in their first 5-10 years in Portsmouth.

Where the Jobs Are: Portsmouth's Major Employers

Portsmouth’s accounting job market is dominated by a mix of regional firms, healthcare, and maritime/logistics. The 44 jobs in the metro are concentrated here.

1. Pannell Kerr Forster (PKF) of New England: A major regional firm with a Portsmouth office. They specialize in audit, tax, and consulting for commercial clients. They are a primary feeder for public accounting talent and often hire from local colleges.
2. Seacoast Regional Bank (now Rockland Trust): With multiple branches in the city, this bank needs accountants for internal financial reporting, commercial lending analysis, and regulatory compliance. Stability is a key factor.
3. Portsmouth Regional Hospital (Part of HCA Healthcare): As the largest hospital in the Seacoast, it requires a robust team of accountants for revenue cycle management, cost accounting, and departmental budgeting. Healthcare accounting is a stable, growing niche.
4. The City of Portsmouth: Municipal government is a significant employer. Accountants here handle public fund accounting, grant management, and budget preparation for the city’s operations. These are civil service positions with excellent benefits.
5. Pease Development Authority: Managing the Pease International Tradeport and the former naval air station, this state authority employs accountants for facility management, tenant billing, and economic development finance. It’s a unique blend of public and commercial work.
6. Local Maritime & Logistics Companies: While not always big names, companies like Cianbro (construction and marine projects) and various shipping logistics firms require accountants familiar with project accounting and inventory management.
7. Small-Mid Size Public Accounting Firms: Firms like Dow & Associates or Watts, Waterstein & Partners serve the local small business community (restaurants, retail, tourism). These are excellent places to start for broad exposure.

Insider Tip: Hiring trends are cyclical. The hospital and city government have steady, year-round openings. Public accounting firms do most of their hiring between January and March (post-tax season) and again in late summer for audit season. The Pease Tradeport sees activity tied to new business development projects.

Getting Licensed in NH

New Hampshire follows the standard 150-hour rule for CPA licensure, administered by the New Hampshire Board of Accountancy.

• Requirements:
  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting or equivalent.
  • 150 total semester hours of education.
  • Pass all four sections of the Uniform CPA Exam.
  • One year (2,000 hours) of qualifying experience under a licensed CPA.
• Costs: Exam fees (approx. $1,500), application fees (approx. $150), and review course costs ($1,500 - $3,000). Total out-of-pocket before licensure: $3,150 - $4,650.
• Timeline: If you start with 120 credits, you need 30 more. This can be done via a master’s program (1-2 years) or additional community college credits (1-2 years). Once you have the education, you can sit for the exam. The experience requirement can be met concurrently. A realistic timeline from starting the process to holding a CPA license is 2-4 years.
• Insider Tip: The NH Board is relatively efficient. A common path for mid-career switchers is to take online courses at Granite State College or Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) to reach the 150-hour mark while working.

Best Neighborhoods for Accountants

Your commute and lifestyle are shaped by where you live. Portsmouth is small (pop. ~22,332), but micro-neighborhoods vary.

Neighborhood	Vibe & Commute	Estimated 1BR Rent	Best For
Downtown/Downtown Historic District	Walkable, cobblestone streets, high energy. Commute is a 5-minute walk to downtown firms.	$1,800 - $2,200	The professional who wants to be in the heart of it all, doesn’t mind noise, and values proximity over space.
West End	Residential, quiet, tree-lined. 10-minute drive to downtown. More single-family homes and larger apartments.	$1,600 - $1,900	Accountants seeking a balance of neighborhood feel with reasonable access. Popular with young professionals and families.
South End (Puddle Dock Area)	Transitional, mix of historic homes and new condos. 5-10 minute drive to downtown. Near the hospital.	$1,500 - $1,800	Those who want slightly more space and don’t mind a short drive. Good access to the hospital and I-95.
Pease/Tradeport Area	Suburban, office park feel. 10-15 minute drive to downtown (via Route 1). Most affordable option.	$1,300 - $1,600	Budget-conscious professionals who work at the Tradeport, the hospital, or commute south to MA.
Kittery, ME (Across the River)	Quaint, coastal village feel. 10-minute drive to Portsmouth. No state income tax in ME, but ME state income tax applies.	$1,400 - $1,700	Those who prioritize a quieter, coastal lifestyle and don’t mind crossing the state line.

Insider Tip: Parking in downtown Portsmouth is a nightmare and expensive. If you live downtown, you may not need a car, which can offset the higher rent. In other neighborhoods, a car is essential, and you’ll need to budget for parking at work or use a monthly lot.

The Long Game: Career Growth

The 4% job growth indicates a maturing market. Growth here is about specialization and advancement within existing structures.

• Specialty Premiums:
  • CPA License: A must for senior roles. Non-CPA accountants hit a ceiling around the senior level.
  • Non-Profit Accounting: High demand in a city with many arts organizations and charities. Can command a 10-15% premium in relevant roles.
  • Government Accounting: Specialized knowledge of GASB (Governmental Accounting Standards Board) is a golden ticket for city/authority jobs and pays well.
  • Healthcare Revenue Cycle: Specialized knowledge of hospital billing and compliance is a portable skill with HCA and other regional systems.
• Advancement Paths:
  1. Public Accounting: Associate → Senior → Manager → Partner (at local firms) or move to a controller/CFO role in industry.
  2. Industry (Hospital/Bank): Staff Accountant → Senior → Accounting Manager → Controller. Limited upper-tier roles; may need to move to Boston for VP/CFO.
  3. Government: Accountant → Senior Accountant → Finance Director. These are stable, pension-eligible paths.
• 10-Year Outlook: The core industries (healthcare, banking, government) are not going away. The growth won’t be explosive, but it will be consistent. The key to advancement will be obtaining your CPA and layering on a niche skill (non-profit, government, healthcare). The path to a $120,000+ salary is clear but requires deliberate specialization.

The Verdict: Is Portsmouth Right for You?

Pros	Cons
Quality of Life: Unbeatable coastal access, historic charm, walkable downtown.	High Cost of Living: Rent and home prices are steep relative to salaries.
Stable Job Market: Employed by stable institutions (hospital, government, banks).	Limited Growth Ceiling: 4% job growth and a small market mean fewer senior roles.
Strong Community: Tight-knit professional network; you’ll see the same faces.	Competitive Housing: The rental and real estate market is fierce.
No State Income Tax: Your $89,075 salary goes further than in many states.	Requires a Car: Public transit is limited; you’re dependent on a vehicle.

Final Recommendation: Portsmouth is an excellent choice for a mid-career accountant (5-15 years experience) with a dual-income household or who has secured a senior role ($100,000+). It’s perfect for those prioritizing lifestyle over maximizing salary potential. For a recent graduate, it’s a challenging start due to high rent, but possible if you have a roommate and a clear path to licensure. If your primary goal is to climb the corporate ladder to a $200,000+ CFO role, Boston or a larger metro is a better long-term bet. For the accountant who values the ocean, community, and stability, Portsmouth is a calculated and rewarding destination.

FAQs

Q: Is the job market as small as the data suggests?
A: Yes, but it’s tight-knit. The 44 listed jobs are for traditional accountant roles. Many opportunities are filled through networking before being posted. The key is to connect with the local Seacoast Business Networking groups or the NH Society of CPAs.

Q: What’s the commute like from nearby towns?
A: From Dover or Rochester (south), the commute is 15-25 minutes via Route 16/Spaulding Turnpike. From Exeter or Hampton (north), it’s 15-20 minutes via Route 101. Traffic is minimal compared to Boston. The main bottleneck is the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge if you commute from Kittery, ME.

Q: Are there opportunities for remote/hybrid work?
A: Increasingly, yes. Many of the firms and employers listed offer hybrid schedules (2-3 days in office). However, fully remote roles are less common for local firms, as the client base is regional and in-person meetings are valued.

Q: How important is it to have a CPA license here?
A: Critical. Without it, you will be capped at a senior staff level. The median salary of $89,075 is achievable without a CPA, but advancing beyond that, especially into management, is extremely difficult. The local market respects and rewards the credential.

Q: What’s the best way to break into the market as a newcomer?
A: Use your LinkedIn to connect with Portsmouth-based accountants and HR managers at the employers listed above. Attend a Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce event. Consider a contract role through a local staffing agency (like Robert Half has an office in Manchester) to get your foot in the door. Be prepared to move to the Seacoast; remote candidates from further away are at a disadvantage.