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What Salary Can You Earn As An Accountant?   

A team of female accountants

Accountants are an integral part of business, from the biggest corporations to sole traders – everyone needs to look after their finances and meet the many rules and regulations around money.

What this means is that the accounting industry is always popular.

The industry is popular, and what’s more there are a great many different roles within the sector.

Certainly, Accountancy is an area where you can be very well paid.

Here are some roles and the salaries you can expect.

  • Please note these are average figures, and, in fact, actual salaries can vary depending on factors such as the company’s size, the industry, the location, and the person’s experience and education. Check resources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics or job sites that provide salary information for more specific and up-to-date information.

Staff Accountant

A staff accountant is an entry-level position in most organizations.

They are responsible for maintaining financial reports, records, and general ledgers, preparing and analyzing budgets, and performing general bookkeeping.

The average salary for a staff accountant in the US is approximately $60,000 per year.

Senior Accountant

A senior accountant handles complex accounting activities like preparing financial statements, performing account reconciliations, maintaining the general ledger, and assisting with tax audits.

The average salary for a Senior Accountant in the US is approximately $80,000 per year.

Accounting Manager

An accounting manager oversees a team of accountants within a company. They are responsible for developing and maintaining accounting principles, practices, and procedures.

Likewise, they mainly prepare financial statements and present them to the upper management.

The average salary for an Accounting Manager in the US is approximately $105,000 annually.

Financial Controller

A financial controller is responsible for all the accounting operations of a company.

This includes producing periodic financial reports, maintenance of accounting records, and especially a comprehensive set of controls and budgets designed to mitigate risk.

The average salary for a Controller in the US is approximately $120,000 per year.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

A CFO is a senior executive with responsibility for the financial actions of a company.

The CFO’s duties include:

  • Tracking cash flow and financial planning.
  • Analyzing the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
  • Proposing corrective actions.

Rising up the ranks evidently pays off as the average salary for a CFO in the US is approximately $200,000 per year, but this can vary depending on the size and type of the company.

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