What is the Salary Range for an Accountant?
Starting Salary According to the PayScale salary survey Web site, the median starting salary for accountants in 2009 is about $40,000. General Range The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics includes auditors in its salary figures for accountants. The range for the middle 80 percent of accountants in 2008 was between about $37,000 and $102,000. The middle 50 percent were earning between $46,000 and $78,000. Common Employers Most accountants work for accounting firms, tax preparation services and payroll services, where the average annual salary is about $72,000 as of 2008. Government Jobs State and local government accounting jobs generally pay in an average range between $52,000 and $56,000, while the federal government pays significantly higher, about $84,000 on average. Salaries of CPAs Certified public accountants have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and have also become state-certified by passing a rigorous exam. CPAs who participated in the 2007 SmartPros Salary Survey repor
