The Average Salary of Accounting Jobs

Accounting jobs can pay high wages depending on the industry.

Individuals and organizations employ accounting professionals to help them track finances. Accountants and auditors organize financial information and advise clients on how to maintain finances and properly pay taxes. Bookkeepers and accounting clerks keep track of records, calculate spending, and estimate profit and loss.

Accountants and Auditors: Salary Ranges

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the more than 1.1 million accountants and auditors working across the country earned an average salary of $67,430 a year in 2009. Less-experienced accountants and those working in nonprofit situations earned in the bottom 10th percentile of wages, averaging just $37,690 annually. Those at the top of their field fell into the top 10th percentile of wages and earned $104,450 annually. However, the majority of accountants and auditors earned wages in the 50th percentile, ranging from $46,740 to $79,470 a year.

Accountants and Auditors: Industry and Location

States that reported average wages in line with the national averages include Colorado and Delaware, both just below $69,000 a year as of 2009. However, several states, including Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington D.C., all paid above average, between $73,000 and $80,000 a year. New York was the highest-paying state for accountants with $84,280 a year on average. The type of employer also has a great influence on wages. Most accountants and auditors worked for accounting, tax preparation, and bookkeeping firms and averaged $73,920 a year. Securities and commodity brokerage firms paid $80,780 on average. However, the bureau states that the federal government paid the best, averaging $88,190 a year.

Bookkeepers and Accounting Clerks: Salary Ranges

More than 1.7 million bookkeepers and accountant clerks earned an average annual wage of $34,750 as of 2009, according to the bureau. Those in the bottom 10th percentile earned $21,280 a year while the most experienced professionals in the top 10th percentile earned $50,450 annually. Most bookkeepers and accounting clerks earned wages in the middle 50th percentile, between $26,910 and $41,280 a year on average.

Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerks: Industry and Location

Location greatly influences bookkeepers and accounting clerks and their wages. South Dakota was one of the lowest-paying states, averaging $26,870 a year as of 2009, possibly due to low cost of living and high concentration of bookkeepers. Alaska, Massachusetts, and Maryland all paid well above average, around $39,000 a year. However, the bureau report states that the highest-paying area for bookkeepers and accounting clerks was Washington D.C., with an average annual wage of $47,100.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Accountants and Auditors
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Accountants and Auditors Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerks
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerks Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009