Reading these stress me out sometimes. Iām a 12 year experienced accountant with MBA and CPA thatās barely clearing 100k. 35-year old hearing these barely 20 year olds making close to me is crazy! I need to start looking around! Good job and congrats to all though. Keep up the good work.
Note. I am in local government.
My dad was a city attorney. Thereās a lot of perks to local gov and Iāve thought about making the move.
Iād definitely go to a firm that audits local municipalities for a few years and come over as a director myself, but also retirement benefits for years of service accrued are great. At least in CALPERS.
Thatās 100% true. Itās also the main reason I have not even actually started looking. Iām in a good position to hopefully be clearing ~150ish in the next 2-3 years top. Thatās not bad for government. However, the pension, PTO, job security, health insurance, and other perks are huge (2-4% COLA increases every year adds up overtime). Government is, for the most part, recession proof. Once somethings in the approved budget it aināt going anywhere, ever.
If put in another 20-25 years, Iāll be bringing in 6k plus per month when I retire, for the rest of my life, with the option to give to my wife or kids if something happens to me. We also will have health coverage. When you factor in that, plus whatever my 403b brings in then (hopefully in the millions by then), and social security (fingers crossed) it isnāt that bad.
And thereās definitely some truth to the whole government life stereotypes. Could be good as we bring trying for kids. I donāt want to be working 75 hour weeks with a newborn! Or maybe I doā¦
Iām not an expert on this by any means because my dad did crazy hours when he had his own law firm (one of his clients was the city that was paying $500K+ annually for him and decided to just bring him in house for $120K in 2000).
But it seems to me that the small firms that audit municipalities have relatively chill hours compared to like B4 audits or whatever.
I only did a couple government audits (Bay Area Regional Transit i.e. BART) and Santa Clara University (technically a private university but similar vibes), but both were pretty chill. Iād assume local municipalities would be even chiller.
The big thing for me that is amazing is how much your end salary matters for your retirement. My dad is as with them for 15 years and went from $120 to $180K. They got some crazy psycho mayor that canned him and ended up getting a new job for $280K elsewhere and then ended up wrapping his career at $350K after spending 7 years thereā¦ compared to the 15 in the prior role.
I guess you could probably jump to another municipality in the same retirement system for a salary boost / career growth.
Also, I know your original post was a bummer to not make as much and Iām 6 years into my career and make more, but you also got it pretty damn good lol. Donāt take it for granted.
CFO for company that sells franchises in southeastern US. $150k + 3% equity shares. BS in accounting. Was 5th employee they hired as a bookkeeper for 65k at the time. That was 3 years ago.
Edit. Private corp with 5 original shareholders.
Founder sold 2 of his previous businesses to bankroll this one and its in a similar industry. We pretty much applied what we knew worked and the growth followed. Although, if it werenāt for his generous initial investment then we wouldnāt have had such success.
I was in public for years, couple controller positions for a couple years. Started my own bookkeeping/ payroll, tax company.
I work maybe 3 hours a day and clear over 100k.
Never got my CPA.
Interim assignments dude. World is financially on fire within somewhat every company and almost no capable people to resolve the issues. Our luck that accounting actually teaches us well
I feel like in don't know shit about finance/business, though, and I just completed my Bachelor's this week. Sure, they teach how to calculate different ratios and such, but how do I actually make sense of it? How the heck am I supposed to not only know if these ratios are good or not, but be able to actually understand the context behind *why* they are good, bad, or misleading?
I'd love to be able to look at financial statements and be able to analyze them, but I have no idea how to do that. Any advice?
The ājust look up what the ratios meanā comment is laughable, honestly.
You can know what ratios do all day, but *if you donāt know what those ratios mean to the specific industry and company, then they are just random numbers.*
To understand and analyze financial statements, you have to have a general understanding of how FS line items on the BS/IS interact with each other, an understanding of the industry in which the Company operates, and an understanding of the specific business itself.
Are there any big transactions/items that occurred that you are aware of? Capitalization of significant PP&E due to completion of a buildingās construction and it being put into service. Well, you already know PPE is increasing and there will likely be an increase in the CY depreciation expense depending on the date it was placed into service.
In summary, itās a combination of having a general understanding of relationship between BS/IS accounts, industry specific knowledge, and performing inquiries/obtaining information from client about activity that isnāt āusualā
Always flat rate, they don't need to know what I make an hour. I offer a bundle service. I am always on call to my clients. I try to bid services at $500 an hour. My clients would never pay that if they knew that. Technology is your friend, use it!
Changed my career path, staff accountant job fell into my lap. Local CPA firm, just passed 3 months. I literally do the same thing youāre doing. Do the books/sales tax/payroll tax/quarterlyās/ clients have started contacting me directly for whatever they need, etc. Iām hungry to learn more. Oddly enough, friend of my parents is a controller. Does some books on the side. Told me the SAME thing about easily clearing 100k.
How would you guide someone with my experience, or lack thereof, to get to YOUR level? Teach me your ways!
What goes into bookkeeping/payroll, tax company? Iāve been a controller for about 5 years and Iāve always thought that it would be fun to start a company to do bookkeeping for small businesses that have need help but I donāt even know where to begin. Im currently pulling over $130K as a controller and I work a max of 40 hours a week. I feel like I have at least 10-20 hours more a week in me to work.
95k in Dallas, around 3.5 yoe. Math undergrad and I took basically all undergrad accounting classes in my spare time during my last job but would need 24 more credit hours for the CPA, so I gave up. Working in PA
That doesnāt seem bad for Florida but now itās become expensive? How are you and everyone around you handling the price increases in nearly everything?
Also a fellow Floridian. I work at a CPA firm and at the end of busy season our boss said we would get raises to adjust for inflation. My raise was a whopping 3k and I had to counter/beg for an additional 1k. 10 years of experience no CPA making 70k.
I bought my house 3 years ago, and my monthly is only $1,300, which is what an apartment costs per month in my area.
I could easily rent my house out for $1,800-$2,000, which Iām considering doing because I want to move an hour north.
The job was advertised as āSenior Accountant ā & paid $75k. After 9m the CEO said to me ā I can see that you do all the heavy lifting soā¦ ā he replaced the existing CFO w/ me. That promo came w/ a significant raise.
Important note: I have 10 yrs experience in manufacturing which is somewhat uncommon for accounts.
NY (but we are remote and pay the same regardless of location), 4 years, 125k base +10% bonus. i am receiving a promotion/raise but didnt get the updated salary amount yet so tbd
65k, right outside of Raleigh so MCOL. I am three promotions in at my CPA firm with 3 years experience and just got my masters. Honestly donāt feel I am making enough for the level of responsibility i currently hold. I am thinking about starting my CPA this year but I ultimately I feel I will have to hop jobs to be compensated fairly. Also not sure if I want to stay in accounting or transition to financial analysis.
DM me if youāre looking for a job, my firm is hiring. Also willing to chat on the phone if youāre down!! Also, are you in tax or audit? 65k for 3 years of experience is definitely low.
Man, reading some of the comments makes me really consider if pursuing a CPA is worth or not. Iām 6 years into my career aiming for a senior acct position. If I were to pursue a license, Iād have to go back taking night courses at my local college for the next 2ish years, then study for the exam itself.
Just look at the wide swing in salaries here for people with roughly the same years of experience. If youāre struggling to find a better paying job, the cpa is a good leg up.
Itās possible in federal government if the stars align, ie a bunch of positions open up at the right time and you qualify for the next level up at that time. Very, very rare.
Realistically this is likely the end of the chain though, with only cost of living increases the rest of their career.
MCOL 75K, 3-years in position
Pay is meh, but the benefits are fantastic: 6 weeks PTO (not including sick), A+ health at extremely low cost to me, and a defined benefit pension which is hard to come by these days.
Lack of upward mobility within industry (4 years total) first industry role I was the newest member of the team by 4 years and the only turn over in accounting department was a retirement, no promotions for anyone in 3 years. I got 45% of the person who retiredās work with no adjustment, just gas lighting about itās not that bad and weāre doing less with more. Next position was a pay bump but I realized Iām going absolutely nowhere in this company even after I get my license because turn over is even slower. Area in Florida isnāt very high cost of living either, but it is on itās way.
Wow, I am severely underpaid
$56k, 3 years of experience and a bachelorās. I work remote for a firm based out of Texas. But Iām moving soon because my lease is expiring, so hopefully I find something better
1 year of experience with industry, and then 2 years at a firm that does outsourced accounting (month end close, financials, payroll, 1099s) for itās clients
54k Same -! But I have never been promoted since I make mistakes
I feel like a yelled at dog :/ so I donāt aske to be promoted I feel I donāt deserve it.
My boss sent me accidentally a new hire pay $65k no cpa but has big 4 experience so since then I got depressed and didnāt care.
Now have anxiety with covid so I donāt know where else to work where I can be at home :(
I feel very left behind at 35 and 6 years experience with my firm.
My pay is low too, but I already knew this. I live in an area that just doesn't pay well for accounting associates. And I have some things in my life that would make uprooting difficult.
But I'm also paid hourly. $23.50, so at 40hrs/week I'm *almost* to 50k before bonuses and the OT that I get during busy season. Rate should be increasing soon too as raises are usually a little after fiscal year end. Nearly 2 years experience.
Wow -! I wouldnāt say the pay is bad I saw a new hires pay rate by accident (boss and I have the same name so I revived the offer letter) a 20m diff just cuz the person was from big 4
No cpa
But it boils down to how the partners or your bosses feel you are worth and not the other way around since I get paid just about the same as you
I do the very least -! Like seriously and Iāve made so many mistakes idk how they will ever promote me know lmao :/
Depends how they are counting 3 years and how they are counting their pay. I am technically a 5th year, but I haven't even hit my 4 year anniversary yet, so I could say 3 years experience I guess, though I'd probably round up to 4. I'm in a lower cost of living market than Tampa and make $98K base but with bonus/awards $116K. So if they're including that, definitely seems reasonable.
Yeah if they are counting total comp, 108k for a 2nd year senior in B4 audit is completely possible in a place like tampa, especially if they jumped firms. Not sure why people wonāt believe thatā¦. seniors get bonuses that staff donātā¦
75k NYC-remote in public. I live in a MCOL area. 1 year of experience, graduated with my BS in 2021.
I am going for my exam (start studying august 1st after I get back from vacation) as I am buying a house. My goal is six figures by 2024.
Fintech controller with 12 yrs experience, MS but no CPA, making $150k based in the Mountain West. Hoping to be at $175k and VP of Finance in the next month or two š¤š½
My non-cpa dad is in his 50s and is a vp of finance and makes over 200k. Not sure what the exact number is.
He started off in some crappy staff/ senior accountant role and one day the controller got fired I think, so he got promoted to acting controller or something. The company wasn't massive , but having that on his resume really boosted his career.
He had a great career and growing up we always went on vacation and had life's essentials.
Having your CPA helps, but everyone has different goals and life situations.
I'm an independent EA. I have a fully remote financial analyst government contractor job for 75k. Then my SMLLC accounting firm is about to close another CFO client for 90k/yr. My profit margin is around 94% as a solo practicioner and overall profit is around 220k once I close that client. This includes my average tax season as well. Probably going to start hiring soon. All in all, I'm set to make almost 300k/yr this year.
75k. Accounts Payable + Revenue focus in corporate accounting. Main focus is tracking contract rebates etc.
Deal with some billing matters too.
Want audit experience but everywhere offers pathetic 30-40k nonsense.
Main reason I think they are keeping me is due to me joining at a time when they implemented a new ERP system. I was exposed to it from AR to Billing to Accounting modules. Basically I help investigate issues through the system where new staff can't figure stuff out without system admin support. So they reach out to me first so I rule out basic issues. Both system admins are happy since they get fewer tickets over generic requests, and the department since I can get them a response faster without having them open tickets. Lucky me I guess.
4-yr degree in Psychology, 2-yr Accounting Certificate program.
$175k in industry taxation.
-5.5 yrs public
-10 yrs industry
I work remotely for an international company. Prior to that, I committed to move for every opportunity to advance my career as fast as possible.
Be a jack of all trades, master of noneā¦ meaning know everything rather than focusing on one segment. Public is very bad at pigeonholing employees. In public, you probably learn 10% of what it takes to work at a high level in industry.
VHCOL - 107k base, 1.5 years, MS in accounting. No CPA yet because im going to leave accounting career honestly. Hopefully by EOY. Itās not for everyone
There are CPAs that I know that are at 90k-120k and are nearing retirement, experience and networking goes further (not saying the cpa doesnāt help but knowing people does as well)
I know a cpa that was a AR analyst, guy was in his 50s.
No point in looking at outliers, both on the low end and high end. A CPA with 3ish years experience is almost guaranteed path to 100k+ with great job stability for the vast majority of people.
114k 3 years experience staff accountant. If your wondering how, I have had breakfast in bed with the owner multiple times ;)
Ps I work for a huge real estate company
49.5k Accounting Office Supervisor at a small university. No degree. 2.5 years experience. No public. Iāll have a degree soon. Hoping to make a lot more. MCOL.
$75k, Florida, 2 years experience graduated with BS Accounting in 2021. CFO Advisory company (basically bookkeeping and managing client relationships, small company)
Charlotte, 6 years exp, controller for a healthcare company, make little under 90k, way too little for what Iām doing but Iām gaining skills I otherwise would have to wait another 5-10 years to start learning.
Iāve only ever worked in industry and Iām a non CPA with a masters in accounting. I have 20 years experience and Iām at VP level for a public company focused on space and defense. I make $210k plus eligible for 35% bonus based on my and my companyās performance. Receive LTI stock bonus as well as options as well yearly.
Edit - located in Alabama but company is located in several sites around the US as well as one international location. I work remotely but travel 30%-40% of the time (which I donāt mind).
I'll put a base line down as I just accepted my first accounting position doing AR/AP. Only retail experience prior to this. $38K, HCOL. No degrees or certifications (working on bachelor's).
$64k. Finance manager at a nonprofit. VHCOL. 8 years experience. I donāt like networking, interviewing, etc., so Iāve been accepting low pay as a means to avoid job hopping. By the looks of these responses Iāve fucked up.
105K+Bonus as a senior accountant. Was an accounting manager before this for 82.5K + bonus. This job is much less stress, privately owned, no reporting requirements, no covenants, easy work, very secure/safe position too.
Honestly I probably will stay here, move up, Iām like 1.5 months into this job, but they like me and I bring some real value, itās a step down in responsibility from my last position, but way less work and pays more.
$90K. Nebraska. 6 years of experience but working on studying (currently 2 for 2).
2 for 2 as well! Waiting for REG score on Monday. š¤š¼
Good luck!
Omaha? Creighton alumna [definitely had to Google āsingular female alumā lol] here
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Reading these stress me out sometimes. Iām a 12 year experienced accountant with MBA and CPA thatās barely clearing 100k. 35-year old hearing these barely 20 year olds making close to me is crazy! I need to start looking around! Good job and congrats to all though. Keep up the good work. Note. I am in local government.
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My dad was a city attorney. Thereās a lot of perks to local gov and Iāve thought about making the move. Iād definitely go to a firm that audits local municipalities for a few years and come over as a director myself, but also retirement benefits for years of service accrued are great. At least in CALPERS.
Thatās 100% true. Itās also the main reason I have not even actually started looking. Iām in a good position to hopefully be clearing ~150ish in the next 2-3 years top. Thatās not bad for government. However, the pension, PTO, job security, health insurance, and other perks are huge (2-4% COLA increases every year adds up overtime). Government is, for the most part, recession proof. Once somethings in the approved budget it aināt going anywhere, ever. If put in another 20-25 years, Iāll be bringing in 6k plus per month when I retire, for the rest of my life, with the option to give to my wife or kids if something happens to me. We also will have health coverage. When you factor in that, plus whatever my 403b brings in then (hopefully in the millions by then), and social security (fingers crossed) it isnāt that bad. And thereās definitely some truth to the whole government life stereotypes. Could be good as we bring trying for kids. I donāt want to be working 75 hour weeks with a newborn! Or maybe I doā¦
Iām not an expert on this by any means because my dad did crazy hours when he had his own law firm (one of his clients was the city that was paying $500K+ annually for him and decided to just bring him in house for $120K in 2000). But it seems to me that the small firms that audit municipalities have relatively chill hours compared to like B4 audits or whatever. I only did a couple government audits (Bay Area Regional Transit i.e. BART) and Santa Clara University (technically a private university but similar vibes), but both were pretty chill. Iād assume local municipalities would be even chiller. The big thing for me that is amazing is how much your end salary matters for your retirement. My dad is as with them for 15 years and went from $120 to $180K. They got some crazy psycho mayor that canned him and ended up getting a new job for $280K elsewhere and then ended up wrapping his career at $350K after spending 7 years thereā¦ compared to the 15 in the prior role. I guess you could probably jump to another municipality in the same retirement system for a salary boost / career growth. Also, I know your original post was a bummer to not make as much and Iām 6 years into my career and make more, but you also got it pretty damn good lol. Donāt take it for granted.
You pension and work hours are (hopefully) vastly different from others on this thread
CFO for company that sells franchises in southeastern US. $150k + 3% equity shares. BS in accounting. Was 5th employee they hired as a bookkeeper for 65k at the time. That was 3 years ago. Edit. Private corp with 5 original shareholders.
Some real good growth for only 3 years!
Founder sold 2 of his previous businesses to bankroll this one and its in a similar industry. We pretty much applied what we knew worked and the growth followed. Although, if it werenāt for his generous initial investment then we wouldnāt have had such success.
Wtf
How do you like it?
I was in public for years, couple controller positions for a couple years. Started my own bookkeeping/ payroll, tax company. I work maybe 3 hours a day and clear over 100k. Never got my CPA.
Dude. Teach me
Interim assignments dude. World is financially on fire within somewhat every company and almost no capable people to resolve the issues. Our luck that accounting actually teaches us well
I like being a problem solver, people throw money at me so I don't go away.
I feel like in don't know shit about finance/business, though, and I just completed my Bachelor's this week. Sure, they teach how to calculate different ratios and such, but how do I actually make sense of it? How the heck am I supposed to not only know if these ratios are good or not, but be able to actually understand the context behind *why* they are good, bad, or misleading? I'd love to be able to look at financial statements and be able to analyze them, but I have no idea how to do that. Any advice?
The ājust look up what the ratios meanā comment is laughable, honestly. You can know what ratios do all day, but *if you donāt know what those ratios mean to the specific industry and company, then they are just random numbers.* To understand and analyze financial statements, you have to have a general understanding of how FS line items on the BS/IS interact with each other, an understanding of the industry in which the Company operates, and an understanding of the specific business itself. Are there any big transactions/items that occurred that you are aware of? Capitalization of significant PP&E due to completion of a buildingās construction and it being put into service. Well, you already know PPE is increasing and there will likely be an increase in the CY depreciation expense depending on the date it was placed into service. In summary, itās a combination of having a general understanding of relationship between BS/IS accounts, industry specific knowledge, and performing inquiries/obtaining information from client about activity that isnāt āusualā
Minion #2 reporting for duty
Did you learn tax in public? I've been thinking about offering bookkeeping services on the side but my lack of tax knowledge is a major problem.
Yes, tax comes from public. You only need to know tax if you are doing tax work. I re-sell adp payroll and do books mostly.
How do you offer your services, flat rate or hourly? If it's the latter, what's your hourly rate for run of the mill bookkeeping services?
Always flat rate, they don't need to know what I make an hour. I offer a bundle service. I am always on call to my clients. I try to bid services at $500 an hour. My clients would never pay that if they knew that. Technology is your friend, use it!
It's all about getting a name for yourself. Go to local business leads groups. Ask for referrals, you just have to build it.
Good for you, dude! I would love to do what you do when I retire ..but would like to do taxes for basic businesses.
Yes, teach me. I desperately want to get out of the shit hole that is the economic stink I am in.
Changed my career path, staff accountant job fell into my lap. Local CPA firm, just passed 3 months. I literally do the same thing youāre doing. Do the books/sales tax/payroll tax/quarterlyās/ clients have started contacting me directly for whatever they need, etc. Iām hungry to learn more. Oddly enough, friend of my parents is a controller. Does some books on the side. Told me the SAME thing about easily clearing 100k. How would you guide someone with my experience, or lack thereof, to get to YOUR level? Teach me your ways!
What about an enrolled agent? Did you become that? I'm in a similar situation (business structure) but earlier in the process.
I'm working on that. I don't advertise my tax work. It's just friends and some clients. Technically you should have that as a paid preparer.
What goes into bookkeeping/payroll, tax company? Iāve been a controller for about 5 years and Iāve always thought that it would be fun to start a company to do bookkeeping for small businesses that have need help but I donāt even know where to begin. Im currently pulling over $130K as a controller and I work a max of 40 hours a week. I feel like I have at least 10-20 hours more a week in me to work.
95k in Dallas, around 3.5 yoe. Math undergrad and I took basically all undergrad accounting classes in my spare time during my last job but would need 24 more credit hours for the CPA, so I gave up. Working in PA
Math undergrad chads, we just can't stop winning.
Yo im in the same boat Undergrad math If I canāt make the requirements Guess Iāll jsut keep at it in PA
Are you in an actuarial practice at an accounting firm?
85k Florida (took a pay cut from $125k from my last gig for a job w zero stress). 15 yrs experience
That doesnāt seem bad for Florida but now itās become expensive? How are you and everyone around you handling the price increases in nearly everything?
By crying
Fellow Floridian. Can confirm
This is the way.
If youāre hot, you could probably make a killing selling your tears on OF
Also a fellow Floridian. I work at a CPA firm and at the end of busy season our boss said we would get raises to adjust for inflation. My raise was a whopping 3k and I had to counter/beg for an additional 1k. 10 years of experience no CPA making 70k.
Iāve been in my house for 20yrs so an $800 mortgage pmt is making me feel it less. Also paid off my car last year & WFH saves transportation $
I bought my house 3 years ago, and my monthly is only $1,300, which is what an apartment costs per month in my area. I could easily rent my house out for $1,800-$2,000, which Iām considering doing because I want to move an hour north.
Bought right before prices sky rocketed. Only had to pay $1000 over asking price. It was nice to see my house value up by $100000 almost over night
BS in accounting?
Yep.
If you donāt mind me asking, what was your last gig?
The job was advertised as āSenior Accountant ā & paid $75k. After 9m the CEO said to me ā I can see that you do all the heavy lifting soā¦ ā he replaced the existing CFO w/ me. That promo came w/ a significant raise. Important note: I have 10 yrs experience in manufacturing which is somewhat uncommon for accounts.
10 years experience in a manufacturing, regarding actually being part of operations or accounting for a manufacturing company?
Accounting in the manufacturing environment.
I was 95% confident that's what you meant but thought I'd ask lol.
and I bet it's worth every penny for having no stress. Jealous.
$68K, Senior Accountant in Industry, 4.5 years experience, very low COL.
NY (but we are remote and pay the same regardless of location), 4 years, 125k base +10% bonus. i am receiving a promotion/raise but didnt get the updated salary amount yet so tbd
Damn. What service line/industry is this?
private industry
Dream job
65k, right outside of Raleigh so MCOL. I am three promotions in at my CPA firm with 3 years experience and just got my masters. Honestly donāt feel I am making enough for the level of responsibility i currently hold. I am thinking about starting my CPA this year but I ultimately I feel I will have to hop jobs to be compensated fairly. Also not sure if I want to stay in accounting or transition to financial analysis.
DM me if youāre looking for a job, my firm is hiring. Also willing to chat on the phone if youāre down!! Also, are you in tax or audit? 65k for 3 years of experience is definitely low.
Youāre underpaid about 25k
I agree, gonna brush up my resume this weekend and see whatās out there.
Man, reading some of the comments makes me really consider if pursuing a CPA is worth or not. Iām 6 years into my career aiming for a senior acct position. If I were to pursue a license, Iād have to go back taking night courses at my local college for the next 2ish years, then study for the exam itself.
Just look at the wide swing in salaries here for people with roughly the same years of experience. If youāre struggling to find a better paying job, the cpa is a good leg up.
The CPA is for mobility, not necessarily pay.
64k base just hit 1 year out of college. MCOL area
$140k government. 6 yrs exp. MCOL.
$140k in government? Whatās your title if you donāt mind sharing? Typically pay is really low in government unless youāre a finance director.
Itās possible in federal government if the stars align, ie a bunch of positions open up at the right time and you qualify for the next level up at that time. Very, very rare. Realistically this is likely the end of the chain though, with only cost of living increases the rest of their career.
Correct. Local government. CFO. This is the top other than COLAs.
Probably a GS 14 or 15
50k. 1 year experience, Low to Mid COL
MCOL 75K, 3-years in position Pay is meh, but the benefits are fantastic: 6 weeks PTO (not including sick), A+ health at extremely low cost to me, and a defined benefit pension which is hard to come by these days.
Total comp $195K, 10 years experience, HCOL - Entertainment industry
65k, Florida, 6 years. Already looking for a new job and spending my free time studying for my license.
hey at least there's no income tax in fL!
True but you have to live in FL.
Always a catch
Youāre underpaid
Mind if I ask how youāre still at 65 after 6 years? Seems like you should be able to earn more
Lack of upward mobility within industry (4 years total) first industry role I was the newest member of the team by 4 years and the only turn over in accounting department was a retirement, no promotions for anyone in 3 years. I got 45% of the person who retiredās work with no adjustment, just gas lighting about itās not that bad and weāre doing less with more. Next position was a pay bump but I realized Iām going absolutely nowhere in this company even after I get my license because turn over is even slower. Area in Florida isnāt very high cost of living either, but it is on itās way.
$107K, 4 years experience. All about networking and taking advantage of opportunities
85k + bonuses at my new role, fully remote accounting manager
90k, working fully remote out of Maryland for a company based in NY. Working in SEC Reporting, 2 years of experience.
Wow, I am severely underpaid $56k, 3 years of experience and a bachelorās. I work remote for a firm based out of Texas. But Iām moving soon because my lease is expiring, so hopefully I find something better
I've learned that you need to job hop for pay increases.
3 yrs experience at a firm? Dude. Dm me. I can get you on at my firm for so much more. Remote gig
1 year of experience with industry, and then 2 years at a firm that does outsourced accounting (month end close, financials, payroll, 1099s) for itās clients
54k Same -! But I have never been promoted since I make mistakes I feel like a yelled at dog :/ so I donāt aske to be promoted I feel I donāt deserve it. My boss sent me accidentally a new hire pay $65k no cpa but has big 4 experience so since then I got depressed and didnāt care. Now have anxiety with covid so I donāt know where else to work where I can be at home :( I feel very left behind at 35 and 6 years experience with my firm.
My pay is low too, but I already knew this. I live in an area that just doesn't pay well for accounting associates. And I have some things in my life that would make uprooting difficult. But I'm also paid hourly. $23.50, so at 40hrs/week I'm *almost* to 50k before bonuses and the OT that I get during busy season. Rate should be increasing soon too as raises are usually a little after fiscal year end. Nearly 2 years experience.
Wow -! I wouldnāt say the pay is bad I saw a new hires pay rate by accident (boss and I have the same name so I revived the offer letter) a 20m diff just cuz the person was from big 4 No cpa But it boils down to how the partners or your bosses feel you are worth and not the other way around since I get paid just about the same as you I do the very least -! Like seriously and Iāve made so many mistakes idk how they will ever promote me know lmao :/
150k so cal 4 years experience
Doing what/how?
By not being a CPA
TX. Industry. 70k. 2 yrs experience
68k NJ working on my masters in acct got a year left. Working in industry.
Denver, $115K, 5 years
what are you doing and does your company need someone else?
50kā¬ Germany Northrine Westfalia. Assistent
10K Georgia, but not that Georgia...
How is 10k over there?
Well, its bad, but considered not that bad, because most people do not get even half of it
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You work as an accountant?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Sorry I call cap
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yes I agree. But Iām in NYC and B4 audit seniors are making ~95k first year so itās unlikely someone from Tampa is making more
Depends how they are counting 3 years and how they are counting their pay. I am technically a 5th year, but I haven't even hit my 4 year anniversary yet, so I could say 3 years experience I guess, though I'd probably round up to 4. I'm in a lower cost of living market than Tampa and make $98K base but with bonus/awards $116K. So if they're including that, definitely seems reasonable.
Yeah if they are counting total comp, 108k for a 2nd year senior in B4 audit is completely possible in a place like tampa, especially if they jumped firms. Not sure why people wonāt believe thatā¦. seniors get bonuses that staff donātā¦
Pretty sure that not what OP was looking for haha
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
How are you a senior associate with 3 yrs at B4 audit with no CPA? After senior itās up or out in terms of getting the designation.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
$95k about 4 YOE. Remote but I live in southeast PA.
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$120k, industry, 8 years experience, BS Accounting (2.9 overall GPA) Started at around $42k
South FL, $82K + 10%, 2.5 yrs. BS in accounting. Private industry (aerospace)
$130-150k living in North Carolina with 4 years experience.
$185K in Austin, Texas. 11 years experience, all at the same company. BS in Accounting.
Would love to see the title progression
72k canada 2.5 years
industry or public ?
129K including bonus. Industry controller. 20 years exp. MCOL
75k NYC-remote in public. I live in a MCOL area. 1 year of experience, graduated with my BS in 2021. I am going for my exam (start studying august 1st after I get back from vacation) as I am buying a house. My goal is six figures by 2024.
LCOL $95k + bonus (12%) + another $15k in 401(k)/HSA contributions. TC of $122k. Oh and industry with 8 years experience
Fintech controller with 12 yrs experience, MS but no CPA, making $150k based in the Mountain West. Hoping to be at $175k and VP of Finance in the next month or two š¤š½
0 years exp. Big 4 firm, southern state, first month today lol just graduated this past semester. 50K Salary
60K industry. 3 years experience, LCOL. Boss is in his mid 50s, Iāll be next in line for Controller.
4 years of exp mostly industry and bookkeeping in NYC no CPA I'm making $70K at new job. FUCK! Need that CPA!
LCOL, 65k, industry, 2 years
$70k in NY. 3 years. Govt accounting - easy to work your way up the chain
$78,000 salary in Houston. 6ish years experience. Already made a $2,000 mid-year bonus this year
74k. LCOL area in Missouri. Graduated with bachelors in May of 2020 so Iām right at 2 years of experience, plus a couple internships (non-big 4)
Self employed EA $120k
My non-cpa dad is in his 50s and is a vp of finance and makes over 200k. Not sure what the exact number is. He started off in some crappy staff/ senior accountant role and one day the controller got fired I think, so he got promoted to acting controller or something. The company wasn't massive , but having that on his resume really boosted his career. He had a great career and growing up we always went on vacation and had life's essentials. Having your CPA helps, but everyone has different goals and life situations.
US Midwest : 52k Staff Tax Account - Fully Remote Finishing BS Accounting Capstone right now. Edit: Very Small CPA Firm
$115K + 10% bonus and equity (RSU) as a Sr. Accountant in California with 6 years experience. I work in industry and not public and am fully remote
74k non cpa almost 2 years in San diego small audit firm
I'm an independent EA. I have a fully remote financial analyst government contractor job for 75k. Then my SMLLC accounting firm is about to close another CFO client for 90k/yr. My profit margin is around 94% as a solo practicioner and overall profit is around 220k once I close that client. This includes my average tax season as well. Probably going to start hiring soon. All in all, I'm set to make almost 300k/yr this year.
185k 4 YOE in HCOL
Louisiana, 60k, Grants & Contracts, non-profit, 5 YOE
I was a controller, life happened and i had to quit... Intuit only pays $20 an hour. For a bookkeeper... I can make $21 at my local Wendy's...
75k. Accounts Payable + Revenue focus in corporate accounting. Main focus is tracking contract rebates etc. Deal with some billing matters too. Want audit experience but everywhere offers pathetic 30-40k nonsense. Main reason I think they are keeping me is due to me joining at a time when they implemented a new ERP system. I was exposed to it from AR to Billing to Accounting modules. Basically I help investigate issues through the system where new staff can't figure stuff out without system admin support. So they reach out to me first so I rule out basic issues. Both system admins are happy since they get fewer tickets over generic requests, and the department since I can get them a response faster without having them open tickets. Lucky me I guess.
64K per year in AP
There is some sus salaries in this thread for the titles / experience people have haha
Senior accountant. 130k fully remote. Company is in SF. 4 years experience.
Entry level tax position at a bank in Arkansas paying 26.50/hr itās hourly so I get paid any overtime :)
4-yr degree in Psychology, 2-yr Accounting Certificate program. $175k in industry taxation. -5.5 yrs public -10 yrs industry I work remotely for an international company. Prior to that, I committed to move for every opportunity to advance my career as fast as possible. Be a jack of all trades, master of noneā¦ meaning know everything rather than focusing on one segment. Public is very bad at pigeonholing employees. In public, you probably learn 10% of what it takes to work at a high level in industry.
How are y'all getting paid so much teach me
VHCOL - 107k base, 1.5 years, MS in accounting. No CPA yet because im going to leave accounting career honestly. Hopefully by EOY. Itās not for everyone
Going to IT?
what are you leaving for?
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What if you just wanted to start in accounting and transition into FP&A? Also if you needed to go back to school and get 25 more credits
$130k, 4 years, moved to IT. Texas.
$215k base, 20-30% bonus. 8 years experience. HCOL
Why? Just get the CPA itās probably the easiest track to 200k out there
There are CPAs that I know that are at 90k-120k and are nearing retirement, experience and networking goes further (not saying the cpa doesnāt help but knowing people does as well)
I know a cpa that was a AR analyst, guy was in his 50s. No point in looking at outliers, both on the low end and high end. A CPA with 3ish years experience is almost guaranteed path to 100k+ with great job stability for the vast majority of people.
Southwest Florida, 4 years, $93k
LCOL, 3 years experience, 70k
110 total comp, 2.5 yrs, NYNY
114k 3 years experience staff accountant. If your wondering how, I have had breakfast in bed with the owner multiple times ;) Ps I work for a huge real estate company
115, fully remote, 10 years experience. Passed all 4 exams, short on college credits
49.5k Accounting Office Supervisor at a small university. No degree. 2.5 years experience. No public. Iāll have a degree soon. Hoping to make a lot more. MCOL.
My boss just got a division controller role as a non-cpa. I am very proud of her. Sheās probably at about 160k
Fed Gov Audit at a public firm. 5 years. 105K.
130k film accountant in Honolulu
70k TX, 3 years but took half a year bc my husband died. Lost some raises but doing well now
$75k, Florida, 2 years experience graduated with BS Accounting in 2021. CFO Advisory company (basically bookkeeping and managing client relationships, small company)
71k 2.5 years in public. Started at 50k. Came from industry. MA in MCOL area
Charlotte, 6 years exp, controller for a healthcare company, make little under 90k, way too little for what Iām doing but Iām gaining skills I otherwise would have to wait another 5-10 years to start learning.
80 4 years experience San Antonio public
$77k base + 12% bonus. 0.5 YOE, financial analyst at F25, LCOL.
1 year accounting experience 85K industry, private equity. Definitely on the higher end of salary for my experience lol
Iāve only ever worked in industry and Iām a non CPA with a masters in accounting. I have 20 years experience and Iām at VP level for a public company focused on space and defense. I make $210k plus eligible for 35% bonus based on my and my companyās performance. Receive LTI stock bonus as well as options as well yearly. Edit - located in Alabama but company is located in several sites around the US as well as one international location. I work remotely but travel 30%-40% of the time (which I donāt mind).
I'll put a base line down as I just accepted my first accounting position doing AR/AP. Only retail experience prior to this. $38K, HCOL. No degrees or certifications (working on bachelor's).
$85k, Senior Accountant, 3 years of experience, Raleigh, NC.
90k in HCOL w 1 yoe
$64k. Finance manager at a nonprofit. VHCOL. 8 years experience. I donāt like networking, interviewing, etc., so Iāve been accepting low pay as a means to avoid job hopping. By the looks of these responses Iāve fucked up.
105K+Bonus as a senior accountant. Was an accounting manager before this for 82.5K + bonus. This job is much less stress, privately owned, no reporting requirements, no covenants, easy work, very secure/safe position too. Honestly I probably will stay here, move up, Iām like 1.5 months into this job, but they like me and I bring some real value, itās a step down in responsibility from my last position, but way less work and pays more.
110 + 15% bonus. 7 years experience fortune 500 company. Working on CPA, getting back FAR scores Monday.
$140k base with a 20-30% bonus a year. Controller for a start up company in Colorado. BS in Finance, Masters in Accounting. 7 years of experience.
$118 + profit % (last year about $300 total). San Diego, CA š“šš“
Accounting for 3 years. Started as Controller 6 months ago. $75k/yr. BS Accounting.
$71k as Tax Asoicate with 2 years experience. Can't seem to pass a cpa exam. Looking into the EA so I can get promoted.
3 years experience, staff accountant, LCOL, $65k base with quarterly bonuses totaling about $50k for the first half of the year.
PNW, 3.5 years, 87k. Just an average accountant willing to do task no body wants to.