Salaries in Accounting

are there real jobs out there for someone with 30 years of experience as a controller with 2 associates degrees in the Detroit area? Crickets!

So.... How do you answer the question of salary requirements with a value when you really do not want to provide them with one?

For those who negotiated their current salary—what actually moved the needle the most?
Market data? Competing offers? The threat of leaving? Curious what tactics made the biggest difference financially… more

How much salary should be expected for a tax senior associate with 3 years of experience with CPA and MTax with EisnerAmper?

Do you all like our retirement plan? I personally don't like pensions and the match on the 401k is tooo small with a vesting period that is too long.

I've received a solid offer, but the timing is rough. My firm pays bonuses mid-March, and after the year I've had, mine should be decent. Do I ride it out another 3-4 months just to leave afte… more

I've been covering for a coworker on maternity leave for 3 months now, so basically doing both our jobs. I found out yesterday that they're hiring someone new for that role at $10K more than w… more

Job hopping may not be the answer after all. I'm at my second accounting firm in 6 years and feeling like maybe I've hit a ceiling. My first switch got me about a 20% raise, but my second swit… more

I used to think experience automatically led to higher pay. But honestly? It’s negotiation.
I’ve met accountants with half my years who earn more because they pushed harder during hiring. It’s uncomfor… more

Considering accepting a Tax Manager position at Forvis Mazars. What were raises and bonuses like this past year?

I am currently a Senior associate in private in Real Estate Tax. I worked at big 4 (PwC and EY) for 4 years (2 as associate and 2 as senior) and switched to private because I was completely burnt, and… more

Curious about job market right now for new grads, and how much starting salaries are looking like in the east coast audit associates. Have some friends who are graduating soon and thinking about their… more

Not sure if I should be concerned about this. I had a great year where I met every target and had good client reviews, but my bonus didn't change from the previous year. Do bonuses at your company… more

I graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor's in Accounting. Since then, I have only been able to get bookkeeping jobs that pay low wages. I own my own bookkeeping business part-time, but with needing health insuran… more

This might be a dumb question, but how do you figure out if a salary offer is good when you've only ever been paid hourly? I'm moving to a staff accountant job, and the numbers are confusing m… more

Every firm says they offer “competitive pay,” but no one actually defines what that means. What would you consider competitive for a mid-level accountant right now?

Just wrapped up my first annual review at my firm, and my senior said I'm doing great with the reconciliations and month-end close. But no raise was mentioned at all. Is this typical for first-yea… more

Hit my senior promotion this month, but an 11% raise feels underwhelming. I'm with a regional firm in an MCOL area. It's also my first real promotion, so I have nothing to compare it to. Shoul… more

I left a big four firm and joined a regional firm and currently have a little under 3 years as an audit associate. I was recently contacted for a senior audit role at a top 10 firm i interviewed with … more

Got two offers on the table and trying to decide. One's got a solid base ($75K) but small bonus potential. The other's $68K base with up to 20% bonus if I hit targets. I've always preferre… more

I received a $60K offer for a remote accounting position. I'm about a year into my career and have no idea if this is competitive or not. The flexibility is great, but does that typically come wit… more

I'm a year into my first accounting role, making $56K in a mid-size city. I recently noticed job ads for entry-level accountants in the area are listing $64-70K. Same requirements I had when I sta… more

What would a manager at PWC coming into the CIM team expect to see salary wise? MCOL.

I’ve seen salaries drop for accounting jobs in Central Iowa this year. For example, Staff Accountant roles start around $42K now — last year they were $45–47K. Also got a part-time tax preparer offer … more

I got a 6% raise last month, but still feel broke. My bills went up more than that, and I'm doing way more work than last year. Is this normal? I always thought a raise should actually feel like s… more

I finished my CPA last month, and everyone at my firm was really happy for me, but no one's said anything about a raise. Do people actually get more money after passing, or is that just something … more

What’s the average base salary for SEC Reporting Manager in HCOL?

I had initial phone conversation with HR for financial analyst role. She asked me what my salary expectations were and I said 95k to 105k depending on benefits. To that she proceeded to explain what b… more

Does your firm share what people earn? Mine doesn't, and I have no way to know if I'm paid fairly compared to others. What's it like at your company?

My boss told me, “We really appreciate your hard work—so we’re giving you a 3% raise.”
I said thank you, went home, and checked inflation: 3.4%. So technically, I’m earning less this year than last. Bu… more

I'm considering two different offers. One pays $95K, but I'm hearing from people who work there that the hours are brutal - nights, weekends, the whole deal. The other offer is $62k, way more … more

Every time someone brings up low pay, management says, “But we have great culture!”
And they’re right—our team is great. But culture doesn’t pay rent. It doesn’t make student loans disappear. It doesn’t buy … more

Is the pay better in practice or industry? In the accounts sector (not audit)

When a non-CPA makes Principal, they don’t have to do a buy-in since they aren’t a partner, right? Is Principal comp structured as salary and bonus still?

A few months ago, a new staff joined our firm. Nice person, same title, same workload. During lunch one day, they casually mentioned their salary—and it was $7,000 higher than mine.
We both started at the sa… more

A recruiter just offered me $20k more than what I make now—for basically the same job.
It’s hard not to feel frustrated knowing I’ve been undervalued this whole time. How do you bring that up to your b… more

I've been in public accounting for four years and am considering opportunities in industry. If you made that change, did you see a real bump in salary, or was it roughly the same? I know the hours… more

87K as senior internal auditor reasonable?
I have 6 yrs total experience - 2 yrs at current job being sr. Internal auditor. Previous exp was in public accounting and 92K at sr level position. Right now… more

Got a management offer and I'm torn. An extra $20k would really help with my twins starting preschool, but my current role as a senior lets me coach my older son's soccer team and have dinner … more