Accountants and Auditors Career, Salary and Skills
Accountants and Auditors have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $83,680 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 1,449,500. Wage data is published for 447 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
13-2011.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$83,680
Hourly median
$40.23
Employment
1,449,500
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Writing | 3.50 | 3.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Speaking | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Mathematics | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Monitoring | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Active Learning | 3.25 | 3.25 |
Typical tasks
- Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
- Process invoices for payment.
- Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.
- Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.
- Prepare adjusting journal entries.
- Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.
- Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
Technology
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Works
- MRO Audit Tracker
- Multiview Accounts Receivable
- NetSuite ERP
- New Millennium Communications Genesis Accounting
- NewPortWave Year End Solutions
- NortonLifeLock cybersecurity software
- OmniRIM Records Management Suite
- 1099 ProsSoftware
- Abacus Tax
- Accountants Templates JAZZ-It!
- Accounting compliance software
- Accounting fraud detection software
Accountants and Auditors salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in CAMedian $97,050 · Employment 175,360
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in TXMedian $80,920 · Employment 116,470
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in New York, NYMedian $105,650 · Employment 111,930
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in NYMedian $102,640 · Employment 109,830
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in FLMedian $79,250 · Employment 91,000
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $94,360 · Employment 70,640
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in ILMedian $80,230 · Employment 54,930
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in PAMedian $79,000 · Employment 54,290
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in OHMedian $79,320 · Employment 50,440
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in NCMedian $82,050 · Employment 49,270
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in VAMedian $93,290 · Employment 47,100
- Accountants and Auditors Salary in MAMedian $99,460 · Employment 46,230
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- Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and ClerksNational median $50,080
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.