Accountant | Salary & Job Information

Becoming an Accountant via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Ashford University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering accounting courses to train individuals to become top-notch accountants, finance accountants, forensic accountants, tax accountants, bookkeepers, certified public accountants, bookkeeping clerks, etc. Accountants and auditors make on average $67,430 per year and there are about 1,106,980 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Ashford University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for an Accountant
  • government building
  • retail store
  • hospital
  • accounting firm
  • law firm
  • small business office
  • court house
  • state capitol
  • collection agency
  • bank
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Accountant
  • self-employed
  • able to do part of their work at home
  • opportunities commensurate with personal goals
  • realize and maximize individual career path
  • specialized representation
  • attractive salary
  • jobs availablity
  • more profitable industry
  • lesser hours and flexibility
  • build accounting knowldge
Potential Drawbacks
  • keep track of important people
  • work late hours
  • be responsible for others
  • boring job
  • handle lots of money
  • not a lot of business in this economy
  • inside job only
  • lots of paperwork
  • you don't work on a team or with other coworkers
  • could get robbed
Related Professions to Consider
  • Accounting Manager/Supervisor
  • Director of Accounting
  • Accounting Manager Technical Accounting
  • Cost Accounting Manager
  • Real Estate Lease Accounting Manager
  • Financial Accounting Manager
  • Manager of Operations Accounting
  • Hedge Accounting Manager
  • Manager of General Accounting
  • Technical Accounting Senior Analyst
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Accountant
  • Why do you want to be an accountant?
  • What is your speciality?
  • What are your interests finance taxes retirement etc?
  • How do you plan to keep up to date on new laws?
  • Have you kept your education certificates up to date?
  • What is your degree level?
  • Are you prepared to work long hours around busy times?
  • How do you control errors in your work?
  • What are the challenges and opportunities facing accountants today?
  • How do you present financial data to non financial staff?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • William F Gurrie
  • Innovative Framing Systems
  • Miguel A Palma Certified Public Accountant
  • Raines Fischer
  • Allyn M Moskowitz Certifed Public Accountant
  • Hitachi Data Systems
  • Wing Chung Certified Public Accountant
  • Thomas M Howard Certified Public Accountant
  • Allyn M Moskowitz Certified Public Accountant
  • Oracle
Accountant Training books Accountant (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • taxation
  • supply chain management
  • restaurant management
  • project management
  • public administration
  • management
  • marketing
  • labor relations
  • leadership
  • finance

Accountant Salary Information

Category: Accountants and auditors

Total # Employed in the US 1,106,980
Average Hourly Wage: $32.42/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.12 $22.47 $29.01 $38.21 $50.22
Average Yearly Salary $67,430
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$37,690 $46,740 $60,340 $79,470 $104,450
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 5.3% 8.9% 10.5% 55.6% 17.0% 2.4%
Accountants and auditors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Oklahoma $40.52/hr $84,280
Florida $38.46/hr $79,990
North Dakota $38.14/hr $79,330
Mississippi $36.65/hr $76,220
Missouri $35.23/hr $73,290
Colorado $34.7/hr $72,170
Delaware $34.19/hr $71,120
Idaho $33.6/hr $69,890
Kansas $33.49/hr $69,660
District of Columbia $33.15/hr $68,950
Connecticut $33.13/hr $68,910
Utah $32.59/hr $67,780
Alaska $31.79/hr $66,120
Wyoming $31.63/hr $65,780
Virginia $31.44/hr $65,390
Montana $30.93/hr $64,330
Puerto Rico $30.85/hr $64,180
Oregon $30.65/hr $63,750
South Carolina $30.21/hr $62,830
Kentucky $30.09/hr $62,580
Hawaii $29.93/hr $62,260
Tennessee $29.33/hr $61,010
Nebraska $29.28/hr $60,900
Guam $29.09/hr $60,510
Ohio $29.03/hr $60,380
New Mexico $28.82/hr $59,950
North Carolina $28.66/hr $59,610
New York $28.48/hr $59,250
Alabama $28.31/hr $58,870
New Hampshire $28.27/hr $58,800
Iowa $28.2/hr $58,660
Arkansas $28.13/hr $58,500
Louisiana $28.1/hr $58,460
Michigan $28/hr $58,240
Wisconsin $27.58/hr $57,370
Indiana $27.34/hr $56,860
Washington $27.09/hr $56,350
New Jersey $27.08/hr $56,330
Maine $27.07/hr $56,300
Maryland $26.44/hr $54,990
Massachusetts $26.22/hr $54,540
South Dakota $25.94/hr $53,950
Nevada $25.94/hr $53,950
West Virginia $25.56/hr $53,160
California $25.24/hr $52,490
Pennsylvania $24.3/hr $50,550


Category: Financial analysts

Total # Employed in the US 235,240
Average Hourly Wage: $40.98/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21.19 $26.75 $35.42 $47.56 $67.0
Average Yearly Salary $85,240
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$44,080 $55,640 $73,670 $98,920 $139,350
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.9% 4.4% 10.1% 2.7% 44.6% 31.0% 6.2%
Financial analysts — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Oklahoma $51.75/hr $107,650
Colorado $46.61/hr $96,960
Delaware $45.69/hr $95,040
Missouri $45.08/hr $93,760
Tennessee $43.83/hr $91,170
Florida $42.91/hr $89,260
Connecticut $40.68/hr $84,620
Kansas $40.59/hr $84,420
Michigan $39.96/hr $83,120
District of Columbia $39.17/hr $81,480
Mississippi $39.15/hr $81,420
Wyoming $38.4/hr $79,860
North Dakota $38.24/hr $79,540
Indiana $37.6/hr $78,210
Montana $37.35/hr $77,680
Utah $37.19/hr $77,360
Maine $37.09/hr $77,160
Idaho $36.88/hr $76,710
Alaska $36.63/hr $76,190
Puerto Rico $36.24/hr $75,370
Nebraska $36.23/hr $75,360
Oregon $36.17/hr $75,230
Ohio $35.74/hr $74,340
New Hampshire $35.34/hr $73,520
South Carolina $35.19/hr $73,200
Massachusetts $33.62/hr $69,940
Wisconsin $33.55/hr $69,790
Kentucky $33.03/hr $68,690
Hawaii $32.79/hr $68,210
North Carolina $32.5/hr $67,590
Arkansas $32.13/hr $66,820
Nevada $31.89/hr $66,340
Louisiana $31.46/hr $65,430
Maryland $31.24/hr $64,980
Virginia $30.94/hr $64,350
Alabama $30.55/hr $63,540
Iowa $30.29/hr $63,000
New York $30.14/hr $62,680
Guam $30.01/hr $62,420
New Jersey $29.97/hr $62,340
South Dakota $29.93/hr $62,260
Washington $29.6/hr $61,570
California $29.07/hr $60,470
Pennsylvania $29.05/hr $60,420
New Mexico $28.12/hr $58,490
West Virginia $26.36/hr $54,830


Category: Personal financial advisors

Total # Employed in the US 149,460
Average Hourly Wage: $45.28/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$16.25 $21.52 $32.79 $56.05 $0.0
Average Yearly Salary $94,180
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$33,790 $44,760 $68,200 $116,580 $0
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 4.7% 12.3% 4.9% 50.4% 21.3% 5.9%
Personal financial advisors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Oklahoma $70.41/hr $146,460
Missouri $67.01/hr $139,390
Delaware $60.2/hr $125,210
Alabama $52.04/hr $108,240
Utah $46.68/hr $97,090
Kentucky $46.63/hr $96,980
North Dakota $45.65/hr $94,950
Idaho $45.65/hr $94,960
Wisconsin $45.49/hr $94,630
Mississippi $43.92/hr $91,350
Colorado $43.91/hr $91,330
Montana $43.43/hr $90,330
New Hampshire $43.31/hr $90,090
South Carolina $42.64/hr $88,700
Virginia $40.84/hr $84,950
Maine $40.27/hr $83,760
Connecticut $40.04/hr $83,290
Wyoming $39.89/hr $82,970
Florida $39.58/hr $82,320
California $39.42/hr $81,990
New Jersey $39.29/hr $81,710
Kansas $38.85/hr $80,810
Puerto Rico $36.84/hr $76,620
District of Columbia $35.64/hr $74,130
Washington $35.34/hr $73,510
New York $35.2/hr $73,210
Tennessee $35.06/hr $72,930
West Virginia $35.03/hr $72,860
Guam $34.82/hr $72,420
Ohio $34.38/hr $71,500
Michigan $33.44/hr $69,560
Maryland $33.23/hr $69,130
Indiana $32.19/hr $66,950
Hawaii $31.16/hr $64,810
Oregon $30.68/hr $63,820
Louisiana $30.11/hr $62,630
New Mexico $29.28/hr $60,910
Nebraska $29/hr $60,330
Arkansas $28.62/hr $59,520
Pennsylvania $28.02/hr $58,280
Alaska $27.5/hr $57,200
South Dakota $24.37/hr $50,690
Iowa $23.89/hr $49,690
Nevada $22.78/hr $47,380


Category: Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents

Total # Employed in the US 69,500
Average Hourly Wage: $25.87/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$13.94 $17.9 $23.34 $32.37 $43.72
Average Yearly Salary $53,800
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$28,990 $37,240 $48,550 $67,330 $90,940
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.9% 21.1% 23.6% 9.6% 35.8% 7.6% 1.4%
Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Delaware $35.21/hr $73,230
Alaska $34.87/hr $72,520
North Dakota $34.35/hr $71,440
Indiana $33.75/hr $70,200
Kansas $32.41/hr $67,410
Pennsylvania $32.28/hr $67,150
Montana $31.7/hr $65,930
Connecticut $30.7/hr $63,860
Colorado $30.17/hr $62,750
Oklahoma $30.08/hr $62,580
Virginia $29.62/hr $61,610
New York $29.44/hr $61,230
Mississippi $29.37/hr $61,090
Missouri $29.22/hr $60,780
South Carolina $28.61/hr $59,500
Louisiana $27.89/hr $58,020
Nebraska $27.38/hr $56,960
Ohio $26.56/hr $55,240
District of Columbia $26.23/hr $54,550
New Jersey $25.98/hr $54,040
Alabama $25.5/hr $53,050
Arkansas $25.33/hr $52,690
New Mexico $25.25/hr $52,520
Wyoming $24.99/hr $51,970
Iowa $24.74/hr $51,450
Tennessee $24.52/hr $51,000
Kentucky $24.26/hr $50,470
Wisconsin $24.21/hr $50,360
North Carolina $23.71/hr $49,320
Puerto Rico $23.68/hr $49,260
Oregon $23.25/hr $48,360
Massachusetts $23.01/hr $47,850
South Dakota $22.77/hr $47,370
Washington $22.62/hr $47,060
Maryland $21.85/hr $45,450
Utah $21.77/hr $45,280
New Hampshire $21.75/hr $45,240
Guam $21.71/hr $45,150
Idaho $21.59/hr $44,900
West Virginia $21.33/hr $44,360
Hawaii $21.06/hr $43,810
Maine $20.94/hr $43,560
California $20.48/hr $42,600
Michigan $20.1/hr $41,810
Nevada $18.71/hr $38,920


Category: Tax preparers

Total # Employed in the US 61,130
Average Hourly Wage: $17.34/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$8.5 $10.47 $14.45 $21.82 $30.9
Average Yearly Salary $36,060
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$17,680 $21,780 $30,060 $45,390 $64,270
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.1% 15.5% 24.8% 8.8% 31.5% 12.5% 4.9%
Tax preparers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Missouri $29.06/hr $60,440
Alaska $27.49/hr $57,170
Colorado $23.86/hr $49,620
Indiana $23.73/hr $49,350
North Dakota $23.29/hr $48,450
District of Columbia $20.62/hr $42,880
North Carolina $20.6/hr $42,850
New Mexico $20.01/hr $41,630
Mississippi $19.97/hr $41,540
Puerto Rico $19.86/hr $41,310
Connecticut $19.58/hr $40,740
Tennessee $19.5/hr $40,560
New York $18.85/hr $39,210
Idaho $18.8/hr $39,100
Guam $18.34/hr $38,140
Wyoming $18.14/hr $37,720
Arkansas $17.71/hr $36,830
Iowa $17.14/hr $35,650
Nebraska $16.73/hr $34,800
Virginia $16.69/hr $34,720
Delaware $16.66/hr $34,660
Kentucky $16.21/hr $33,730
Kansas $16.11/hr $33,500
South Carolina $15.6/hr $32,450
Wisconsin $15.36/hr $31,950
Utah $15.3/hr $31,830
Oklahoma $15.12/hr $31,450
Washington $15.04/hr $31,280
New Hampshire $14.96/hr $31,110
West Virginia $14.58/hr $30,330
Florida $14.48/hr $30,120
Maine $14.41/hr $29,980
Massachusetts $14/hr $29,120
Ohio $13.89/hr $28,890
Michigan $13.86/hr $28,820
Oregon $13.77/hr $28,650
New Jersey $13.71/hr $28,510
Montana $13.7/hr $28,490
Alabama $13.37/hr $27,810
Maryland $13.04/hr $27,120
Nevada $12.65/hr $26,320
South Dakota $12.28/hr $25,550
California $12.25/hr $25,470
Hawaii $12.01/hr $24,990
Louisiana $11.85/hr $24,660


Category: Financial specialists, all other

Total # Employed in the US 153,720
Average Hourly Wage: $31.16/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$16.87 $21.18 $28.05 $37.63 $49.31
Average Yearly Salary $64,810
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$35,100 $44,050 $58,350 $78,280 $102,560
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.2% 15.8% 21.1% 10.0% 34.1% 13.9% 2.9%
Financial specialists, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $43.46/hr $90,410
Delaware $38.77/hr $80,650
Missouri $34.91/hr $72,610
Kansas $34.77/hr $72,320
Oklahoma $33.78/hr $70,260
Colorado $32.56/hr $67,730
Connecticut $32.46/hr $67,510
Nevada $32.26/hr $67,100
Indiana $31.91/hr $66,370
Maine $31.89/hr $66,330
West Virginia $31.67/hr $65,880
North Dakota $31.64/hr $65,810
South Carolina $31.45/hr $65,410
Oregon $31.17/hr $64,830
Mississippi $31.03/hr $64,530
Utah $31.02/hr $64,510
Alabama $30.91/hr $64,280
North Carolina $30.82/hr $64,100
Montana $29.98/hr $62,350
New Hampshire $29.64/hr $61,660
South Dakota $29.61/hr $61,590
Wisconsin $29.45/hr $61,260
Guam $29.28/hr $60,900
New Mexico $29.15/hr $60,640
Wyoming $29.13/hr $60,590
Washington $29.11/hr $60,540
Nebraska $28.86/hr $60,030
Alaska $28.72/hr $59,740
Tennessee $28.51/hr $59,300
Kentucky $28.3/hr $58,870
Hawaii $28.26/hr $58,790
Puerto Rico $28.21/hr $58,670
Ohio $27.99/hr $58,220
New York $26.99/hr $56,130
Iowa $26.77/hr $55,680
Idaho $26.69/hr $55,510
Virginia $26.36/hr $54,820
Michigan $25.94/hr $53,940
Arkansas $24.76/hr $51,490
Maryland $24.68/hr $51,340
New Jersey $24.47/hr $50,890
Louisiana $24.21/hr $50,350
California $22.93/hr $47,680
Pennsylvania $22.56/hr $46,920


Category: Accountants

Total # Employed in the US 1,106,980
Average Hourly Wage: $32.42/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.12 $22.47 $29.01 $38.21 $50.22
Average Yearly Salary $67,430
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$37,690 $46,740 $60,340 $79,470 $104,450
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 5.3% 8.9% 10.5% 55.6% 17.0% 2.4%


Category: Billing, Cost, and Rate Clerks

Total # Employed in the US 493,780
Average Hourly Wage: $15.82/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.59 $12.73 $15.25 $18.4 $22.1
Average Yearly Salary $32,900
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$22,020 $26,490 $31,720 $38,270 $45,970
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
3.7% 34.1% 35.0% 12.1% 12.7% 2.0% 0.4%


Accounting Programs by State & City