Compensation is always a hot topic in accounting, but it's gotten even hotter these days thanks to the difficulty the profession has in attracting and retaining talent.
One of the key contributors to the difficulty, according to recent studies — including
With that in mind, Accounting Today recently conducted its inaugural salary survey to create a snapshot of compensation levels across the country. The results are below, and support the conclusion that entry-level salaries in the field are not competitive. While there is plenty of money in accounting, it doesn't start to become really available until the manager and even the partner level (where things begin to get particularly interesting for those employed by large firms).
Salaries for staff and seniors, meanwhile, are relatively low regardless of which size firm you're working at, and don't stand up against salaries for similar positions across a range of professions. (See our feature story on the next for more competitive salaries, "
Below is our primary chart of accounting salaries for a range of positions at public firms, as well as a range of other data points covering bonuses,
| Position | 5th pctl. | 25-75th pctl. | 95th pctl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner/managing partner (large firm) | $60 | $150-$359 | $203 | $1,000 |
| Owner/managing partner (small firm) | $60 | $80-$180 | $120 | $360 |
| Executive committee member/service line leader | $75 | $112-$300 | $225 | $750 |
| Partner (large) | $95 | $150-$285 | $205 | $700 |
| Partner (small) | $68 | $100-$160 | $125 | $160 |
| Manager (large) | $72 | $104-142 | $121 | $200 |
| Manager (small) | $46 | $76-$130 | $106 | $130 |
| Manager | $63 | $97-$140 | $120 | $200 |
| Senior | $61 | $75-$96 | $88 | $115 |
| Staff | $50 | $60-$72 | $65 | $100 |
Some methodology and notes to bear in mind:
- Arizent Research and Accounting Today conducted this research in May 2024, with 569 respondents, of whom 82% work at CPA firms, and the rest at non-CPA accounting firms (10%), tax-only firms (5%) and audit-only firms (1%).
- All salary figures are national; regional salaries will naturally vary.
- A few results from very large firms (the Big Four and other billion-dollar firms) significantly skewed the compensation figures for owners/MPs, partners, and partners who are executive committee members and/or service line leaders.
- To achieve statistical significance, "Large firms" in these results are those with 10 or more employees; "small firms" have 2-9 employees.
