What do they do?
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.
Also known as:
Accountant, Accounting Officer, Audit Partner, Auditor, Cost Accountant, CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Financial Auditor, Financial Reporting Accountant, General Accountant, Internal Auditor
No Data Available
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1.6%
Change
Ranks #56 in job growth rate4,110Job Openings
Ranks #9 in net job growth
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- Bachelor's degree (59%)
- Master's degree (27%)
- Associate's degree (6%)
- Doctorate or Professional Degree (3%)
- Some college, no degree (3%)
- High school diploma equivalent (2%)
- Less than high school diploma (<1%)
Most Popular Majors that prepare Accountants and Auditors
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#1
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Degrees Granted
11,486
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Female Students
6,032
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Male Students
5,454
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Median Starting Salary
$46,700
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#2
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Degrees Granted
859
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Female Students
422
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Male Students
437
-
Median Starting Salary
$48,168
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#3
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Degrees Granted
599
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Female Students
327
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Male Students
272
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Median Starting Salary
$52,800
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#4
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Degrees Granted
293
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Female Students
138
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Male Students
155
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Median Starting Salary
$45,200
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#5
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Degrees Granted
78
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Female Students
38
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Male Students
40
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Median Starting Salary
$45,200
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People in this career often have these skills:
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
People in this career often do these activities:
- Examine financial records.
- Examine financial records or processes.
- Analyze business or financial data.
- Pay charges, fees, or taxes.
- Conduct financial or regulatory audits.
- Calculate tax information.
- Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
- Analyze financial information.
- Prepare financial documents.
- Verify accuracy of financial information.
- Collect evidence for legal proceedings.
- Investigate legal issues.
- Report information to managers or other personnel.
- Assess financial status of clients.
- Oversee business processes.
- Develop business or financial information systems.
- Discuss business strategies, practices, or policies with managers.
- Verify accuracy of records.
- Advise others on financial matters.
- Analyze budgetary or accounting data.
- Prepare operational budgets.
- Represent the interests of clients in legal proceedings.
- Negotiate financial arrangements.
- Provide legal advice to clients.
- Coordinate regulatory documentation activities.
- Evaluate effectiveness of personnel policies or practices.
- Advise others on human resources topics.
- Advise others on business or operational matters.
This page includes data from:
Career data:
O*NET 31.0 Database
by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Employment Statistics
Videos:
CareerOneStop
, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
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