How to Become an Accountant
Examine and prepare financial records, ensure accuracy, and ensure taxes are paid properly. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $83,680 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$83,680/yr
Middle half
$67,020 to $109,810
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
124,200
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Financial Analysis
- Tax Preparation
- Auditing
- Attention to Detail
- Mathematics
Helpful certifications
- CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
- CMA (Certified Management Accountant)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
70/100
Work-life balance
68/100
Stress level
45/100
Satisfaction
65/100
Related careers
- Financial Manager$166,570 median
- Actuary$130,000 median
- Financial Risk Specialist$117,330 median
- Personal Financial Advisor$105,070 median
- Financial Analyst$102,740 median
- Management Consultant$101,860 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Accountant make?
The median pay for an Accountant is $83,680 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $67,020 and $109,810 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Accountant?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Accounting, Finance, and Business Administration.
Is Accountant a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 124,200 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Accountant use most?
Common skills for this role are Financial Analysis, Tax Preparation, Auditing, Attention to Detail, and Mathematics.
Planning to become a Accountant?
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).