State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Accountant Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Accountants and Auditors earn a median of $83,680 per year ($40.23/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.6% through 2034, with about 124,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 13-2011Business and Financial OperationsLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $83,680
- Projected growth
- +4.6%
- Openings a year
- 124,200
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Accountant, Accounting Officer, Audit Partner, Auditor, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Cost Accountant.
How much do Accountants and Auditors make?
10th percentile$56,020
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$67,020
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$83,680
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$109,810
Upper quartile
90th percentile$144,090
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $83,680 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $40.23/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $94,750 |
| People employed | 1,449,500 |
Versus all US occupations
At $83,680, Accountants and Auditors earn 64% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $32,700 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 4% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $144,090 or more while the bottom 10% earn $56,020, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 70% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $111,530, and still leads at $101,482 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Accountants and Auditors the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,530 | $101,482 | 9,810 |
| New York | $102,640 | $95,107 | 109,830 |
| New Jersey | $100,830 | $92,670 | 42,250 |
| Massachusetts | $99,460 | $94,046 | 46,230 |
| Connecticut | $97,550 | $94,151 | 16,770 |
| California | $97,050 | $87,654 | 175,360 |
| Colorado | $97,030 | $94,156 | 35,410 |
| Washington | $96,550 | $90,223 | 34,740 |
| Rhode Island | $95,820 | $93,684 | 6,570 |
| Delaware | $95,020 | $95,203 | 6,570 |
Is Accountant a growing career?
Accountants and Auditors4.6%
All US occupations3.1%
+4.6% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Accountants and Auditors to change 4.6% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 72,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 124,200 openings are projected each year, 7.9% of the 1,579,800 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Globalization, a growing economy, and a complex tax and regulatory environment are expected to drive strong demand for accountants and auditors.
Employment growth of accountants and auditors is expected to be closely tied to the health of the overall economy. As the economy grows, these workers will continue being needed to prepare and examine financial records.
The continued globalization of business may lead to increased demand for accounting expertise and services related to international trade and international mergers and acquisitions.
How to become an Accountant
Working as an accountant or auditor requires no license — a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is the usual entry point. Becoming a Certified Public Accountant is a separate, licensed step: CPAs are licensed by their state's Board of Accountancy, and any accountant who files a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission must be a licensed CPA. The education and experience requirements for a CPA license are changing state by state right now and should be checked with your own state board.
The credential path, step by step
- Earn a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field4 years
Accountants and auditors typically need a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field such as business. Some employers prefer applicants with a master's degree in accounting, or in business administration with an accounting concentration.
- Get practical experience
Students may gain experience through internships with public accounting or business firms. Some people with an associate degree, or bookkeeping and auditing clerks who meet their employer's education and experience requirements, take junior accounting positions and advance by demonstrating their skills on the job.
- Decide whether you need the CPA license
Any accountant who files a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission must be a licensed CPA. Others become CPAs to improve job prospects or to gain clients; employers may pay the costs associated with the exam.
- Check your state board's current education pathway
The requirements changed in 2025 and states are adopting the new pathways on different timetables. NASBA publishes which jurisdictions have signed new licensure pathways into law and when they take effect. Your state board declares you eligible before you can apply to sit the exam.
- Pass the Uniform CPA Examination
Three four-hour Core sections (AUD, FAR, REG) plus one four-hour Discipline section of your choice (BAR, ISC or TCP).
- Complete the required experience and apply for the license
One or two years of professional experience depending on which pathway your state has adopted, then apply to your state Board of Accountancy.
Exams you have to pass
Uniform CPA Examination (CPA Exam)
Required of everyone seeking to qualify as a US CPA; it exists to help ensure only qualified individuals are licensed. Under the CPA Evolution structure in place since January 2024 it comprises three four-hour Core sections — Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Taxation and Regulation (REG) — plus one four-hour Discipline section chosen from Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Control (ISC), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). You must be declared eligible by a jurisdiction before you can apply to sit a section.
Administered by NASBA CPA Examination Services on behalf of state boards of accountancy; content developed by the AICPA.
- How long the training takes
4 years for a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field
That is enough for the job itself. CPA licensure requires more, and how much depends on which pathway your state has adopted: a graduate degree in accounting, or a bachelor's plus 30 additional semester credits (150 semester hours in total, often via a 5-year combined bachelor's and master's), or a bachelor's alone at 120 semester hours paired with a longer experience requirement.
- Continuing education
Not required
No continuing education is required to work as an accountant. Many state licensing boards require CPAs to maintain and improve their skills through continuing professional education (CPE); the rules and hour counts are set by each state board and change frequently.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
The occupation of accountant or auditor is not licensed. The CPA credential is, and it is issued by each state's Board of Accountancy — and its requirements are currently in flux, so a single national rule cannot be stated. In 2025 NASBA and the AICPA updated the Uniform Accountancy Act to recognize three model pathways to licensure: a graduate degree in accounting plus one year of professional experience; a bachelor's degree in accounting plus 30 additional semester credits (150 semester hours total) plus one year of experience; or a bachelor's degree in accounting at 120 semester hours plus two years of experience — each in combination with passing the CPA Exam. The same update shifted interstate mobility from a state-based 'substantial equivalency' test to an individual-based practice privilege determined by a CPA's own education, exam and experience. Individual jurisdictions must formally enact legislation and change their rules to adopt any of this, implementation dates vary, and NASBA maintains a map and list of the jurisdictions that have already signed new pathways into law. Do not assume the older 150-semester-hour rule still applies where you live without checking your state board. A few states allow a number of years of public accounting experience to substitute for a college degree.
Who governs the credential
- National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) — Serves the state boards of accountancy that issue CPA licenses. Its CPA Examination Services arm handles Uniform CPA Examination application processing, credential evaluations and score reporting for many jurisdictions, and NASBA maintains the published list of jurisdictions that have signed new licensure pathways into law, with effective dates.
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) — With NASBA, maintains the Uniform Accountancy Act, the model legislation states draw on for CPA licensure requirements and interstate practice, and develops the Uniform CPA Examination.
- State boards of accountancy — Issue the CPA license. Each board sets its own education, examination and experience requirements and its own continuing professional education rules.
Credential detail for accountants is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Accountants and Auditors · checked August 23, 2026
- NASBA — Pathways (map of jurisdictions with new licensure pathways signed into law) · checked August 23, 2026
- NASBA — New CPA Licensure Pathways and CPA Mobility (Dec 23, 2025) · checked August 23, 2026
- NASBA — Becoming a CPA · checked August 23, 2026
- NASBA — CPA Exam · checked August 23, 2026
- NASBA — Maintaining a License · checked August 23, 2026
- AICPA & CIMA — Everything You Need to Know About the CPA Exam · checked August 23, 2026
- AICPA & CIMA — AICPA and NASBA Approve Model Legislation for New CPA Licensure Path · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Accountants and auditors typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field to enter the occupation. Completing certification in a specific field of accounting, such as becoming a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), may improve job prospects.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What does an Accountant do?
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.
Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records, identify potential areas of opportunity and risk, and provide solutions for businesses and individuals. They ensure that financial records are accurate, that financial and data risks are evaluated, and that taxes are paid properly. They also assess financial operations and work to help ensure that organizations run efficiently.
Day-to-day tasks
- Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
- Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
- Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
- Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.
- Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.
- Examine records and interview workers to ensure recording of transactions and compliance with laws and regulations.
- Examine inventory to verify journal and ledger entries.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most accountants and auditors work full time. Longer periods of work are typical at certain times of the year, such as for quarterly audits or during tax season.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where accountants and auditors work
| Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services | 23% |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 8% |
| Finance and insurance | 8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 6% |
| Self-employed workers | 5% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.8/5
- Writing3.5/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
- Mathematics3.3/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Coordination3.3/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Persuasion3.0/5
- Negotiation2.9/5
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits an Accountant?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.1
Investigativeprimary3.6
Artistic1.1
Social2.1
Enterprisingprimary3.9
Conventionalprimary7.0
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Accountant: frequently asked questions
How much do Accountants and Auditors make?
Accountants and Auditors earn a median of $83,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 64% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $40.23/hr. The middle half earn between $67,020 and $109,810. The top 10% earn $144,090 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Accountant?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Accountants and Auditors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation.
Is Accountant a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.6% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 124,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Accountant do?
Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records, identify potential areas of opportunity and risk, and provide solutions for businesses and individuals. A core O*NET task: collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay Accountants and Auditors the most?
The highest state medians for Accountants and Auditors are District of Columbia ($111,530), New York ($102,640), New Jersey ($100,830) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Accountant?
O*NET scores Accountants and Auditors highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become an Accountant?
4 years for a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. That is enough for the job itself. CPA licensure requires more, and how much depends on which pathway your state has adopted: a graduate degree in accounting, or a bachelor's plus 30 additional semester credits (150 semester hours in total, often via a 5-year combined bachelor's and master's), or a bachelor's alone at 120 semester hours paired with a longer experience requirement.
Do you need a license to work as an Accountant?
Not a state license. The occupation of accountant or auditor is not licensed. The CPA credential is, and it is issued by each state's Board of Accountancy — and its requirements are currently in flux, so a single national rule cannot be stated. In 2025 NASBA and the AICPA updated the Uniform Accountancy Act to recognize three model pathways to licensure: a graduate degree in accounting plus one year of professional experience; a bachelor's degree in accounting plus 30 additional semester credits (150 semester hours total) plus one year of experience; or a bachelor's degree in accounting at 120 semester hours plus two years of experience — each in combination with passing the CPA Exam. The same update shifted interstate mobility from a state-based 'substantial equivalency' test to an individual-based practice privilege determined by a CPA's own education, exam and experience. Individual jurisdictions must formally enact legislation and change their rules to adopt any of this, implementation dates vary, and NASBA maintains a map and list of the jurisdictions that have already signed new pathways into law. Do not assume the older 150-semester-hour rule still applies where you live without checking your state board. A few states allow a number of years of public accounting experience to substitute for a college degree.
What exams and certifications apply to an Accountant?
The CPA Exam (Uniform CPA Examination). Required of everyone seeking to qualify as a US CPA; it exists to help ensure only qualified individuals are licensed. Under the CPA Evolution structure in place since January 2024 it comprises three four-hour Core sections — Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Taxation and Regulation (REG) — plus one four-hour Discipline section chosen from Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Control (ISC), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). You must be declared eligible by a jurisdiction before you can apply to sit a section.