The best Accounting jobs can pay up to $370,000 per year.
Accounting jobs constitute any role in which you prepare taxes, financial statements, and other official documentation related to financial reporting. As an accountant, you are responsible for ensuring that all records contain accurate information and that you make all tax and other payments in a timely fashion. While many accountants specialize in personal finance, you may be asked to audit a company’s financial records to ensure that the business is running smoothly and efficiently. If you find issues, you report your findings and make recommendations for how to improve company or organizational efficiency. You can also work in financial forensics and search for financial malfeasances, such as tax fraud or embezzlement.
The qualifications needed for an accounting job can vary depending on your specialization. In any role, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field. With the right experience, this degree can transfer to any specialization. However, there are degree programs specifically in forensic accounting. Try to complete an internship in your chosen specialty while still in school. This experience could allow you to gain tax preparation skills or give you insight into the duties of a fraud examiner. After college, you should become a certified public accountant (CPA), which allows you to get many accounting and auditing jobs. Some states or industries make CPA licensing mandatory for particular jobs. There are also more specific certificate programs, like Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
High Paying Accounting Jobs
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Audit Partner
Salary range: $115,000-$370,000 per year
An audit partner is a full partner at an accounting firm with financial stake in the company. As an audit partner, you must have a long proven career building strong client relationships. You must also have years of experience amassing skills and qualifications to lead a team of actuaries before you become part of the partnership. The job duties include significant financial investment in the firm and ensuring the company’s public audits and financial statements are in working order.
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Paymaster
Salary range: $350,000-$350,000 per year
A paymaster handles funds on behalf of a group of investors or government agency. They control when and how a person or entity receives money, usually through an escrow account. The job duties of a paymaster include keeping track of payments received and owed as well as organizing tax forms and transaction paperwork completed by lawyers. This position is typically held by a licensed attorney or accountant.
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Chief Accounting Officer
Salary range: $138,500-$228,500 per year
The responsibilities of a chief accounting officer (CAO) include leading the accounting department of a business and managing its day-to-day operations. In this career, you prepare the budget and regulatory reporting and monitor and analyze finances relative to the budget or other metrics. Other duties include leading the accounting staff, putting together monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting, including audited financial statements, studying historical financial reporting, and managing general accounting, such as accounts receivable and payable and fixed assets. You are also expected to oversee accounting for payroll, workers’ comp, healthcare, bonuses, bank reconciliations, and more. You prepare presentations and provide information for cost reports to analyze the financial position of the business while providing recommendations to improve performance.
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CFO
Salary range: $120,000-$199,000 per year
A CFO, or Chief Financial Officer, is one of the senior corporate officers accountable for overseeing and managing the financial risks of a corporation. They are usually in charge of financial planning and record-keeping. A CFO may also be called a finance director (FD). The CFO reports directly to the CEO. CFOs oversee cash flow, performance, liability, partner and shareholder relations, and budgets/expenses. They also monitor the Accounting, IT, Finance, and HR departments. On a given day, a CFO may spend time checking on the accounting staff, monitoring cash flow and management, and meeting with the CEO and other leaders. CFOs typically have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance and several years of relevant leadership experience in the finance sector.
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Vice President of Finance
Salary range: $130,000-$194,500 per year
A vice president of finance is in charge of overseeing company financial records and projecting future financial investments and plans. VP of finance is a similar role to the chief financial officer (CFO), and in smaller companies, the roles are combined into one position. In a larger business, the vice president of finance serves under the CFO, and both are responsible for the accounting department or team. This is an executive level job and requires extensive financial and business qualifications.
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Finance Manager
Salary range: $90,000-$168,000 per year
Finance managers work in a variety of industries and are responsible for the financial health of a company, group, or organization. They utilize research, analytics, and reporting tools to direct investment activities and cultivate strategies to promote long-term financial success. Upper management relies on the recommendations of their finance managers to navigate decisions that steer the company toward its financial goals.
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Chief Accountant
Salary range: $125,500-$168,000 per year
A chief accountant is responsible for a company’s financial management plans. Your job duties as chief accountant include overseeing the accounting department, developing financial strategies, making investment decisions, helping company leadership with strategic planning, and making sure the company complies with state and federal financial regulations. To pursue a career as a chief accountant, you need the following qualifications: a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field, significant experience in financial management, licensure as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and excellent leadership and communication skills.
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Fund Controller
Salary range: $124,000-$166,000 per year
The job duties of a fund controller include overseeing accounting, financial statements, and reporting for an investment fund. In this career, you may work for a private equity fund, a hedge fund, a mutual fund, or a general investment fund. Your responsibilities may include working to prepare reports and schedule audits with internal or external auditors to assess the financial health and transparency of the fund. In addition to asset valuation, statements preparation, and reporting, you may need to investigate when financial irregularities become evident.
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Internal Audit Director
Salary range: $103,500-$156,500 per year
An internal audit director oversees and performs auditing duties to ensure that a company is in compliance with regulations and policies. In this career, you operate in an independent and impartial capacity and present your findings to the relevant executives and managers. Your job responsibilities as an internal audit director involve assessing your company’s risk management policies and procedures for meeting industry and government regulation requirements. You may also use your skills to analyze internal governance and evaluate current financial control practices.
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Interim Controller
Salary range: $100,000-$154,000 per year
An interim controller is a financial leader who works on a temporary, contract basis when a controller goes on leave, or an organization is in the process of finding a permanent replacement. As an interim controller, your responsibilities are to oversee the institution’s finances and review financial data. Your other duties include creating reports based on your analysis and research, which you present to executives or other top-level managers. You typically report to the company’s CFO and work with compliance specialists to ensure that the business is adhering to all state and federal laws.
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Regional Controller
Salary range: $115,500-$154,000 per year
A regional controller coordinates and monitors a company’s financial and accounting activities for a geographic area. As a regional controller, your job duties include accounting and bookkeeping, financial reporting, tax planning, and investment analysis. You also evaluate operating information, identify business trends, and ensure compliance with industry practices, regulatory standards, and accounting strategies. The career typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance and relevant work experience. Additional qualifications include excellent analytical, organizational, and computer skills.
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Senior Finance Manager
Salary range: $104,000-$146,000 per year
A senior finance manager oversees business investment decisions and helps develop strategic financial goals for their company. As a senior finance manager, you supervise financial managers and analysts who study the economic data of the organization. You prepare reports and collaborate with top executives to devise strategies to reduce costs, increase profits, and optimize cash flow. To become a senior finance manager for a company, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, economics, or finance and several years of experience in the finance industry.
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Chartered Accountant
Salary range: $47,500-$145,500 per year
As a chartered accountant, you are responsible for providing advice on business transactions and tax planning, auditing accounts, and presenting honest information regarding financial records to your clients. Your responsibilities require you to be an expert on both taxation and corporate finance. As part of your duties, you also need to manage financial systems and budgets, review systems and risks for your company and client, and maintain accounting records. You may need to provide regular reporting on company accounts and supervise junior staff members.
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Financial Project Manager
Salary range: $97,000-$145,000 per year
A financial project manager plans and administers finance-related projects. Your duties include building teams for projects through hiring or internal promotion, consulting with managers and stakeholders to determine the scheduling, budget, and scope of the projects, and preparing the team to begin. During projects, your responsibilities include tracking progress, preparing reports for other members of the company, and ensuring the project remains within the budget.
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Payroll Director
Salary range: $90,000-$140,000 per year
A payroll director oversees the payroll department, ensures that accounting is accurate, and pays all payroll taxes for their organization. As a payroll director, your daily duties involve reconciling payroll ledgers, confirming tax laws and regulations are met, and managing employee compensation and benefits. A payroll director may also be responsible for hiring and training new employees.
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Business Unit Controller
Salary range: $100,000-$140,000 per year
A business unit controller is an executive position that oversees the management of a company’s financial operations. As a business unit controller, your primary job duties include supervising the accounting department, including payroll, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. You also lead financial planning and analysis, ensure compliance with financial controls and audits, and report cash flow and other company information to external financial institutions. The career typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or a related field and relevant work experience. You may also need certification as a public accountant. Additional qualifications include excellent interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills, as well as strong analytical and mathematical abilities.
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Controller
Salary range: $96,000-$136,500 per year
A controller is high-level accounting position in a firm or company. They often report directly to the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and are responsible for budgets, audits, and financial reports, as well as ensuring the company complies with all tax codes and regulations.
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Property Controller
Salary range: $98,500-$136,000 per year
A property controller oversees the accounting department for a real estate company to ensure financial data is reported accurately and in compliance with all government regulations. As a property controller, you review accounting data on a regular basis and produce reports to upper management on the current financial status of assets and investments. These reports are used to develop ways to make the company more productive and profitable. To become a property controller, you need to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and have several years of experience in property accounting and management.
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Audit Manager
Salary range: $102,500-$136,000 per year
Audit managers supervise an audit team and inspect the financial records of companies. As an audit manager, you may work as a general business auditor or specialize in a particular industry. For example, premium audit managers work exclusively in the insurance field. Regardless of industry, your job duties as an audit manager include traveling to business offices to conduct audits, auditing companies’ accounting and financial records, overseeing your audit team, and writing reports of your findings.
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Senior Accounting Manager
Salary range: $93,000-$135,000 per year
A senior accounting manager oversees the financial operations of an organization. Responsibilities include the preparation and examination of statements and reports for accuracy. Some individuals work in a single department whereas others handle all accounts, depending on the size of the business. You also provide guidance and support for executives in financial decisions and long-range planning. You ensure that the company follows all regulations and laws. Some specialize in one aspect such as payable information, insurance, or risk management. Others focus on reporting, budgeting, or cost reduction. Most positions are full-time with some overtime usually in an office environment.
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Internal Audit Consultant
Salary range: $82,000-$134,000 per year
Internal audits are used to identify risks and improve a company’s operations. An internal audit consultant assesses a company’s risk factors and determines areas that can be enhanced. In this career, your responsibilities include reviewing procedures, running compliance audits, defining the scope of your review, writing up a formal report, and presenting your findings to upper management while offering recommendations for improvement. You then establish audit programs to mitigate possible risks in areas including asset theft and fraud.
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Internal Audit Manager
Salary range: $99,000-$133,000 per year
An internal audit manager oversees audits conducted within a company for compliance. As an internal audit manager, you support the auditing team on a variety of internal audits, including financial, operational, and management review. You follow standard auditing procedure and ensure practices align with financial risk management best practices. Your duties include completing individual audit projects, conducting fieldwork, and reporting results. You analyze data through a variety of methods, including financial research and interviews. You ensure your company complies with the regulation of requirements and policies. Other responsibilities include assessing the legality of company practices.
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Financial Analysis Manager
Salary range: $107,500-$133,000 per year
A financial analysis manager oversees planning and implementation of analysis strategies and activities for a company. In this career, your duties include interpreting raw data and information in a way that helps the company make critical financial and business decisions. This job may require you to make reports to upper management about your analysis. Qualifications for this job include a bachelor’s degree in finance or economics, and experience with financial analysis and economic projections. Management and communication skills are also vital to your success.
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Cost Controller
Salary range: $69,500-$130,500 per year
Cost controllers track and control the costs associated with a project. They work in many different industries, including business, construction, and health care. As a cost controller, your job duties include verifying costs with vendors and suppliers, estimating expenditures, and recommending cost-saving measures to upper management. To become a cost controller, you need a bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or a related field and several years of industry experience.
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Financial Controller
Salary range: $92,500-$129,000 per year
A financial controller is a mid-level manager who works under a company’s chief financial officer (CFO). As a financial controller, your responsibilities and duties include utilizing financial analytics software to generate and assess financial records and reports that will help your company make investment decisions and maximize profits. You may oversee financial operations, like payroll and billing, or evaluate your company’s supply chain. You may also assess current investment strategies and recommend or advise against future ones after conducting risk analytics.
