Many employers also require accounting candidates to have professional certifications, such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. Whether you’re just exploring careers or starting your first accounting job, Becker supports you with the knowledge you need to get on the path to landing one of the highest paying accounting jobs! Check out our course, How to Survive and Thrive to Start your Accounting Career and get insights from hundreds of CPAs on what they wished they knew in their first accounting role. Accountants, who maintain contra asset account and analyze financial records and data, earn a median annual salary of $81,680. For instance, the bottom 10% earn less than $52,780 annually, while the top 10% earn $141,420 or more, according to the U.S.
Financial Analyst
Government accountants have the opportunity to help ensure public funds are used efficiently and effectively. You’ll also help ensure compliance with laws and regulations and contribute to policy-making decisions. Government accounting may have various challenging and interesting work assignments.
- If you enjoy working with numbers, you might find that one of the accounting fields below is right for you.
- Government accountants have the opportunity to help ensure public funds are used efficiently and effectively.
- For example, accountants and auditors who work in accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services earned an average annual salary of $93,060 in 2023, according to the BLS.
- For example, according to BLS data, you can earn more as an accountant in a high-cost state like New York or California, where living expenses are higher.
- Rural areas may offer lower base salaries but provide better work-life balance and lower living expenses.
Show me the money: The highest paying accounting jobs
On this page, you will find further information about the factors that impact accountant salaries as well as a table outlining the best states for accountants. The accountant salary landscape in 2025 offers lucrative opportunities for finance professionals. With median salaries ranging from $64,180 to $123,410 depending on experience and location, accounting careers provide stable, well-compensated paths for business-minded individuals. As of 2024, more than 1.67 million accountants and auditors work across the United States, with demand continuing to grow as businesses navigate complex financial regulations and technological changes. The profession offers diverse career paths, from accounting clerk positions to senior financial management roles, each with distinct salary ranges and growth potential. The ABA designation is similar to the CPA, but is essentially a more financially based credential for accountants or finance professionals.
Certified Quality Auditor (Quality Assurance Manager)
It’s their responsibility to prevent fraud, identify fraud, and expose fraud by organizations/individuals. This position requires people with accounting, investigative, legal, and criminology skills. A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level education requirement for several business occupations. However, about 26 percent of business graduates continue their education with an advanced degree 3.
Certified Fraud Examiner
- According to the BLS, accountants and auditors earn an average annual salary of $90,780 as of May 2023.
- Hourly wages range from $10.10 to $21.18.Salaries and wages depend on multiple factors including geographic location, experience, seniority, industry, education etc.
- All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.
- The demand for public accountants is set to increase as more companies seek assistance in complying with new accounting standards and regulations.
- It is also a well-paid profession, with the potential to earn a high salary.
- The goal is to provide accurate and timely information that will help these individuals make informed decisions about the company.
Forensic accountants may also be involved in testifying in court as expert witnesses. Among the reasons you may choose to work in tax accounting are the various tax laws. Every year, the IRS updates the tax code, which provides new challenges for tax accountants. You must stay up-to-date on the latest changes to prepare your clients’ taxes properly. Additionally, tax accountants must be able to navigate the complex web of tax laws to find the best way to minimize their clients’ taxes Online Bookkeeping and provide tax advice. This type of accounting focuses on the preparation of tax returns and tax payments.
What factors affect an accountant’s salary?
You can also be an external auditor with an auditing firm, where you’ll inspect clients’ financial what is business accounting accounts to confirm they comply with regulations. Certified Quality Auditors are professionals that use examining, questioning,evaluating, and reporting techniques to assess a quality system’s adequacy and deficiencies. CQAs judge a system;s industrial management, quality evaluation and control system. CQA candidates need extensive experience (8 years, with at least three of them in decision-making).