What is the average earning potential for a CPA?

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I don’t know an exact dollar figure, and this shifts depending on where you live. I think it’s safe to say that a career as a cpa will get you a comfortable life. You’ll be able to pay your bills, pay for vacation, a decent house and car, and probably some extra change for savings/investments. I don’t think most CPA’s become rich, or have extravagant wealth. There’s always outliers, I’m sure there are partners that are loaded and living extravagant lives and some CPA’s are broke/poor.

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Agreed- very few ‘rich’ CPA- who on a whole are pretty risk intolerant. Even partners, who do make great money aren’t rich rich, but they are very well off and have a very safe source of income.

All these numbers seem way low to me. I’m in an M-HCOL with 4 YOE and the average between myself and my friends in industry is already around 80-90k. I would expect more like 150-200k. Senior accountants can make 75k

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A bucket of all average CPAs, most of which didn't stay in public..... My bet the average is $75-100k. A lot of people have no career progression ambition - nothing wrong with that, they want a paycheck to go live their lives. If you want those with ambition and drive, I bet it is more like $150-200.

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Prob like 75-100

There is no average. Senior manager, directors and partners make more than this. A lot never make it there though.

I would say an average CPA, in a MCOL metro area, could expect to make 85-105k mid-career.

Obviously there's a long tail in the earnings distribution, I'm just describing the average

I mean as a staff accountant it can be in the mid 40s in a LCOL area. If you become partner at a big4 it could be as high as $3-5 million if you become CEO.

75-85 sounds about right.


Some B4 will claim 100+ but not based on my experience and what I hear from friends. Think about it... if everyone at B4 was at 100+ would you really hear so much complaining?

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