Accountants and Auditors Employment

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Accountants and auditors held about 1.2 million jobs in 2004. They
worked throughout private industry and government, but 1 out of 4 wage
and salary accountants worked for accounting, tax preparation,
bookkeeping, and payroll services firms. Approximately 1 out of 10
accountants or auditors was self-employed.

Many accountants and auditors are unlicensed management accountants,
internal auditors, or government accountants and auditors; however, a
large number are licensed CPAs. Most accountants and auditors work in
urban areas, where public accounting firms and central or regional
offices of businesses are concentrated.

Some individuals with backgrounds in accounting and auditing are full-
time college and university faculty; others teach part time while
working as self-employed accountants or as accountants for private
industry or government.
Earnings

Median annual wage and salary earnings of accountants and auditors
were $50,770 in May 2004.

The middle half of the occupation earned between $39,890 and $66,900.
The top 10 percent of accountants and auditors earned more than
$88,610, and the bottom 10 percent earned less than $32,320.




In May 2004, median annual earnings in the industries employing the
largest numbers of accountants and auditors were as follows:

Federal executive branch and United States Postal Service -- $56,900
Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services --
53,870
Management of companies and enterprises -- 52,260
Local government -- 47,440
State government -- 43,400

According to a salary survey conducted by the National Association of
Colleges and Employers, bachelor's degree candidates in accounting
received starting offers averaging $43,269 a year in 2005; master's
degree candidates in accounting were offered $46,251 initially.

According to a 2005 salary survey conducted by Robert Half
International, a staffing services firm specializing in accounting and
finance, accountants and auditors with up to 1 year of experience
earned between $28,250 and $45,000 a year. Those with 1 to 3 years of
experience earned between $33,000 and $52,000.

Senior accountants and auditors earned between $40,750 and $69,750,
managers between $48,000 and $90,000, and directors of accounting and
auditing between $64,750 and $200,750. The variation in salaries
reflects differences in size of firm, location, level of education,
and professional credentials.

In the Federal Government, the starting annual salary for junior
accountants and auditors was $24,677 in 2005. Candidates who had a
superior academic record might start at $30,567, while applicants with
a master's degree or 2 years of professional experience usually began
at $37,390. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas
where the prevailing local pay level was higher. Accountants employed
by the Federal Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and
managerial positions averaged $74,907 a year in 2005; auditors
averaged $78,890.

Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Accountants and Auditors, on the
internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm (visited November 15,
2006).

For more information, visit: http://www.benefito.com/accountant-earnings.php