Accountants and Auditors
SOC code 13-2011 · O*NET-SOC 13-2011.00 · Considerable preparation needed · Business and finance
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth and numerous job openings for this occupation
Accounting is a degree-plus-exam profession: a bachelor's gets you in, and the CPA licence — roughly 150 credit hours plus the uniform exam — is what unlocks the top of the pay range. Demand spikes predictably every tax and audit season.
Accountants and Auditors pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$83,680
a year
Hourly
$40.23
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$94,750
$45.56 per hour
Middle 50%
$67,020 – $109,810
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$56,020 – $144,090
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
1,449,500
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $56,020
- $26.93/hr
- 25th percentile
- $67,020
- $32.22/hr
- Median percentile
- $83,680
- $40.23/hr
- 75th percentile
- $109,810
- $52.80/hr
- 90th percentile
- $144,090
- $69.27/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+5%
Growing faster than average
1,579,800
jobs in 2024
1,652,600
projected for 2034
About 72,800 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do accountants and auditors do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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 detailed reports on audit findings.
- 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.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does an accountants and auditors earn?
The national median is $83,680 a year. The full range runs from $56,020 at the 10th percentile to $144,090 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become an accountants and auditors without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is accountants and auditors in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 5% between 2024 and 2034 — growing faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Writing3.5/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Speaking3.4/5
- Mathematics3.4/5
- Active Learning3.3/5
- Monitoring3.3/5
Knowledge areas
- Economics and Accounting4.4/5
- English Language3.6/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
- Law and Government3.3/5
- Administration and Management3.3/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.3/5
- Administrative3.2/5
- Computers and Electronics3.1/5
Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.