Certified Public Accountant Salary

Becoming a Certified Public Accountant is a great way to increase your salary and expand your job prospects.

Defining Accountants and Auditors

Here is a brief description of these jobs cited from the BLS:
“Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time. Accountants and auditors assess financial operations and work to help ensure that organizations run efficiently.”

Becoming a CPA

As mentioned in my “What Is a CPA?” post—becoming a Certified Public Accountant has many advantages—including increased salary, increased job security, professional reputation and travel opportunities.

CPA Salary

I have cited Certified Public Accountant salary information from multiple sources—to give the greatest insight;

Bureau of Labor Statistics

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for “Accountants and Auditors” was $US69,350.
This is the latest data available from the BLS—released in May 2017.

Payscale

Entry Level CPA Salary: According to payscale.com—the median salary for a CPA with 0-5 years' experience is $64,377.

With the bottom 10% of CPA's earning less than $46,000 a year.
And the top 10% earning over $104,000 annually.

Experienced CPA Salary: The median salary for experienced CPA's (over twenty years' experience) is $91,000.

The bottom 10% earn less than $58,000 a year.
While the top 10% of CPA's are earning over $159,000 annually.

Indeed

While a yearly income of $64,377 may sound underwhelming—given the experienced required to become a CPA—you should know that indeed.com posted an average salary of $85,642 for Certified Public Accountants within the United States.

Should I Pursue a CPA License?

Pursing a CPA license is a prudent decision assuming you're climbing the corporate ladder and would like to secure a senior position. Employers need CPA's for many high-level roles including CFO's, Senior Auditor's, Senior Tax Accountant's and more.

To learn more about the CPA license, visit my post here where I explore the CPA license in greater detail.