Reviews an organization's controls, processes and risks from the inside, reporting to the board on whether things work as they should. BLS does not publish separate figures for accountants and auditors; it counts them within accountant (SOC 13-2011), whose median pay is $83,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-2011
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Internal Auditor in four numbers
- Median pay
- $83,680a year, or $40.23/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $56KTop 10% $144K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.0%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 115,3001,595,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20251.6M
- Projected 20351.7M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 1.6M Projected 2035 1.7M - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Internal Audit Manager, Senior Internal Auditor, Operational Auditor, Internal Audit Analyst, Chief Audit Executive.
Pay
How much do Accountants and Auditors make?
Every internal auditor in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$83,680
Middle half earn $67,020 to $109,810
- 10th
- $56,020
- 25th
- $67,020
- 75th
- $109,810
- 90th
- $144,090
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $56,020 |
| 25th | $67,020 |
| Median | $83,680 |
| 75th | $109,810 |
| 90th | $144,090 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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 64% of the 1,741 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.
Pay by state
Which states pay Accountants and Auditors the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $111,530 | $101,482 | 9,810 |
| 2New York | $102,640 | $95,107 | 109,830 |
| 3New Jersey | $100,830 | $92,670 | 42,250 |
| 4Massachusetts | $99,460 | $94,046 | 46,230 |
| 5Connecticut | $97,550 | $94,151 | 16,770 |
| 6California | $97,050 | $87,654 | 175,360 |
| 7Colorado | $97,030 | $94,156 | 35,410 |
| 8Washington | $96,550 | $90,223 | 34,740 |
| 9Rhode Island | $95,820 | $93,684 | 6,570 |
| 10Delaware | $95,020 | $95,203 | 6,570 |
Job outlook
Is Internal Auditor a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | +5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Accountants and Auditors to change 5.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 79,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 115,300 openings are projected each year, 7.2% of the 1,595,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Internal Auditor
A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or business is typical. Many internal auditors start in external audit at an accounting firm and move in-house after a few years, while others join internal audit rotational programs straight from college.
The Certified Internal Auditor credential from the Institute of Internal Auditors is the main professional certification, and work follows the IIA's Global Internal Audit Standards. Many auditors also hold a CPA license, or the CISA for technology audits. Internal audit is a common stepping stone to finance, risk and operations leadership roles.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does an Internal Auditor do?
Internal auditors work for the organization they audit. Rather than signing off on financial statements like external auditors, they look at whether the company's processes, controls and risk management work. A project might cover purchasing fraud risks, cybersecurity controls, regulatory compliance or the efficiency of a warehouse.
Auditors plan each review, interview staff, test transactions and controls, and write reports with findings and recommendations. They follow up to make sure management fixes problems. The head of internal audit reports to the board's audit committee, which gives the function independence. At public companies, internal auditors also support testing for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.
Day-to-day tasks
- Plan audits based on organizational risks
- Test internal controls and business processes
- Interview employees and review documents
- Identify control gaps, inefficiencies and fraud risks
- Write audit reports with recommendations
- Follow up on management's corrective actions
- Present results to the audit committee
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Internal auditors work at corporate headquarters, banks, hospitals, universities and government agencies, often with hybrid schedules. Some roles involve frequent travel to company locations. Hours are mostly regular, with busier periods around year-end and audit committee meetings.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Active Listening3.5
- Writing3.5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Speaking3.4
- Mathematics3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Speaking | 3.4 |
| Mathematics | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Persuasion3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Negotiation2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
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.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Internal Auditor?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CIE) built on O*NET's Accountant profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Internal Auditor |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 7 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional7.0
- Enterprising4.5
- Investigative4.4
- Social2.1
- Realistic1.1
- Artistic1.1
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Internal Auditor
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk
$50,670median a year
Most earn $36K to $75K
−5.6%Some college - Business and Financial Operations
- Management
- Business and Financial Operations
- Management
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with accountants and auditors highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Internal Auditor$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Internal Auditor | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Internal Auditor appears on
Questions
Internal Auditor: frequently asked questions
How much do Accountants and Auditors make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for accountants and auditors. It counts them within accountant, whose median pay is $83,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $67,020 and $109,810, and the top 10% earn $144,090 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Internal Auditor?
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 Internal Auditor a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 115,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Internal Auditor do?
Internal auditors work for the organization they audit. A typical task: plan audits based on organizational risks. 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 Internal Auditor?
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 1,731 careers in the bank.