CPA Salary

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How much does a CPA make? A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) earn an excellent salary for the work they perform. CPAs provide public accounting services, relating to assurance services. In assurance services, aka financial audit services, CPAs provide adherence to the applicable generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in financial statements, state the reasonableness of disclosures and the freedom from material misstatement.

How much does a CPA make?

CPAs may be employed by corporationsŃtermed "the private sector". CPAs may funtion as a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or finance manager, or as CEOs. CPAs in these types of positions do not provide services directly to the public.

CPAs may also have a niche in the income tax preparation industry, providing services to small to mid-sized firms that have both a tax and an auditing department.

CPAs can operate in all areas of finance, either providing public services or as an employee in corporations, including:

Assurance and Attestation Services

Corporate Finance

Corporate Governance

Estate Planning

Financial Accounting

Financial Analysis

Financial Planning

Forensic Accounting

Income Tax

Information Technology, especially as applied to accounting and auditing

Management Consulting and Performance Management

Tax Preparation and Planning

Venture Capital

Some CPAs are generalists offering a range of services (particularly those in small practices) while a number of CPAs do not provide all the services listed above, specializing in just one area.

Most CPA jobs require at least a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. CPA job opportunities appear favorable, with CPAs who earned professional recognition through certification or licensure having the best job prospects. Jobs for CPAs are forcasted to increase faster than average due to an increase in businesses, closer watch of company finances during difficult recession times, and changes in financial laws and regulations.

In general, accountants and auditors should have good job opportunities and will experience much faster than average employment growth of 22 percent from 2008-18. CPA's with a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting or a master's degree in accounting may have an advantage over accountants without such degrees. Accountants and auditors with professional certification, especially CPAs, should have the best job prospects.

How much does a CPA make per hour?

A May 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows the median hourly wages for accountants and auditors was $32.42.

Industry And Hourly Wage

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping,

and Payroll Services $35.54

Management of Companies and Enterprises $31.89

Local Government (OES Designation) $27.64

State Government (OES Designation) $25.98

Insurance Carriers $31.50

How much does a CPA make per year?

The median yearly salary for accountants and auditors according to a May 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics report was $67,430.

Industry And Annual Wage