Staff Accountant
$58,000 – $78,000Month-end close, reconciliations, journal entries and audit support. The most common entry point into public or industry accounting.
Bachelor's in accounting; CPA eligibility helpful
Find an accountant job
A plain guide to the roles that exist, what they pay, what credentials they require, and where the openings actually get posted. We do not sell placements or charge candidates.
Roles, pay and requirements
Tax Associate / Tax Preparer
$55,000 – $85,000Individual and business return preparation under a licensed reviewer. Busy-season hours are heavy from late January through April.
Accounting degree or EA credential; PTIN required to file
Bookkeeper
$45,000 – $65,000Day-to-day transaction coding, payroll, AP/AR and monthly reporting for small businesses. Often remote or fractional across several clients.
No licence required; QuickBooks or Xero proficiency expected
Senior Accountant
$78,000 – $105,000Owns the close, reviews junior work, and handles technical accounting memos and auditor requests.
3–6 years' experience; CPA strongly preferred
Auditor (External or Internal)
$65,000 – $110,000Fieldwork, testing controls and substantive procedures. External audit is the classic path into a Big Four or regional firm career.
CPA track for external; CIA common for internal
Controller
$120,000 – $180,000Runs the accounting function end to end: reporting, controls, cash, compliance and the finance team itself.
CPA plus 8+ years; team leadership required
Pay ranges are national mid-market estimates and vary widely by city, firm size and busy-season overtime.
Where the openings are
State CPA society job boards
Most state societies run a members' board with local firm openings that never reach the national aggregators.
AICPA and specialty recruiters
Accounting-specific recruiters place a large share of senior roles, particularly controller and tax manager positions.
Firm career pages
Regional and local firms often post only on their own site. Applying directly puts you ahead of the aggregator queue.
General boards
LinkedIn, Indeed and ZipRecruiter carry volume, but filter hard for licence requirements and busy-season expectations.
Getting hired, step by step
- Step 1
Decide public versus industry
Public accounting gives faster technical growth and a clearer CPA path. Industry usually gives better hours and earlier ownership of a whole function.
- Step 2
Track the 150-hour requirement
Most states require 150 semester hours to be licensed as a CPA. Plan the extra credits before graduating, not after.
- Step 3
Sit for exams while you work
Firms often reimburse CPA or EA exam fees and give study days. Passing early compounds into faster promotions and higher pay.
- Step 4
Apply in the hiring windows
Public firms recruit heavily in autumn for the following busy season, and again in May once the season ends. Industry hires year-round.
Hiring, not job hunting?
If you are a firm looking for verified professionals, or a business that needs one rather than employs one, start with the city directory.