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Accounting, Budget & Finance

Accountant

Salary, job outlook, education and requirements

Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.

Also called: Accountant · Accounting Officer · Audit Partner · Auditor · CPA (Certified Public Accountant) · Cost Accountant · Financial Auditor · Financial Reporting Accountant

O*NET-SOC 13-2011.00 (Accountants and Auditors)

National median pay
$83,680
$40.23 per hour · 2025 data
Projected growth
5%
2025-2035, United States
Openings per year
115,300
Projected annual job openings
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Experience: No work experience

Accountant salary

Wages for accountants and auditors across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.

10th percentile
$56,020
per year
25th percentile
$67,020
per year
Median
$83,680
per year
75th percentile
$109,810
per year
90th percentile
$144,090
per year

National median hourly wage: $40.23.

Accountant pay by state

Ten largest states by population, annual wages.

State10th percentileMedian90th percentile
California$61,770$97,050$160,520
Texas$53,380$80,920$132,040
Florida$50,280$79,250$131,930
New York$63,700$102,640$171,030
Pennsylvania$50,680$79,000$130,270
Illinois$54,510$80,230$131,990
Ohio$52,140$79,320$131,400
Georgia$51,830$81,900$145,960
North Carolina$53,610$82,050$146,100
Michigan$52,620$78,820$131,080

Accountant job outlook

  • Employment is projected to go from 1,595,200 jobs in 2025 to 1,674,600 in 2035 (5% change).
  • About 115,300 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
  • CareerOneStop outlook rating: Bright (Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings).

How to become an accountant

Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
No work experience
On-the-job training
No on-the-job training

Education level of current workers

  • High school diploma or equivalent2.2%
  • Some college, no degree3.2%
  • Associate's degree5.7%
  • Bachelor's degree58.9%
  • Master's degree26.6%
  • Doctoral or professional degree3.4%

Related training programs

  • Accounting
  • Accounting and Business/Management
  • Accounting and Computer Science
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Auditing
  • Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation
  • Taxation

What does an accountant do?

Common tasks

  • Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
  • Process invoices for payment.
  • Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.
  • Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.
  • Prepare adjusting journal entries.
  • Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
  • Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.
  • Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
  • Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
  • Review data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income, or expenditures.

Most important skills

Reading Comprehension
Reading work-related information.
Critical Thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Active Listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Complex Problem Solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Judgment and Decision Making
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Mathematics
Using math to solve problems.
Speaking
Talking to others.

Accountant certifications

8 of 75 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.

See all 75certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder

Accountant jobs

Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more accounting, budget & finance jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Accounting, Budget & Finance jobs hub.

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This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Accountants and Auditors. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.