<p>I majored in accounting, graduated with a masters and have five years of experience. My salary has now reached what an entry level engineer is making. With doctors making twice as most engineers and accountants making half the salary of most engineers, the pay curve for accountants is now bordering HS graduate salary. Whatever happened to the prestige of accounting? With the tax reforms in the horizon both IFRS and changes in the corporate tax code and possibly change to VAT tax, my question is has accounting become extinct and is it a dying career?</p>
<p>You Big 4 buddy?</p>
<p>for a year</p>
<p>For a year? LOL. So engineers make X2 Big 4 Salary? Ignorance.</p>
<p>A quick search on careerbuilders reveals numerous accounting jobs that requires BBA plus experience and pays half of what starting engineers make (in most cases HS graduates earn more).</p>
<p>[Find</a> Jobs - Staff Accountant Jobs in Miami, Florida - The Mergis Group](<a href=“http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?IPath=QATM&ff=21&APath=2.21.0.0.0&job_did=J8A1MH6M5XZ839XXLTT]Find”>http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?IPath=QATM&ff=21&APath=2.21.0.0.0&job_did=J8A1MH6M5XZ839XXLTT)</p>
<p>*Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
*3+ years of previous Staff Accounting experience
Base Pay: $18,000 - $27,000 /Year</p>
<p>[Find</a> Jobs - Senior Accountant Jobs in Lincoln, Massachusetts - Ajilon Professional Staffing](<a href=“http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?IPath=QATM&ff=21&APath=2.21.0.0.0&job_did=J3H41Z64NYZ051W5H0V]Find”>http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?IPath=QATM&ff=21&APath=2.21.0.0.0&job_did=J3H41Z64NYZ051W5H0V)</p>
<h1>Bachelor’s in Accounting a must</h1>
<h1>5+ years of relevant experience</h1>
<h1>Strong Microsoft Word and Excel Skills</h1>
<h1>Strong knowledge of U.S.GAAP</h1>
<p>Job type: Full-Time | Pay: $20k - $28k/year </p>
<p>[Segue</a> Search (company under GT Systems Inc account)](<a href=“http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?IPath=QATM&ff=21&APath=2.21.0.0.0&job_did=J8A53H6SFSZJ8Q4NL9S]Segue”>http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?IPath=QATM&ff=21&APath=2.21.0.0.0&job_did=J8A53H6SFSZJ8Q4NL9S)</p>
<p>SAP Accounting Associate
Req’d Education: 4 Year Degree
Req’d Experience: At least 2 year(s)
Base Pay: $25,000 - $30,000 /Year</p>
<p>some accountants once they get out of the big 4 make 30-40k a year. its not uncommon to see big4 accountants being offered <50k starting. some engineers make 70k starting, some make 45k. either way half of 70k is 35k. half of 45k is 22.5k.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to start a thread keeping track of low accounting salary (bachelors required)</p>
<p>Having fun ■■■■■■■■?</p>
<p>This thread is stupid. I received over 7 accounting offers for entry level positions and all of them range from 48k-55k depending on the market. Most fell in the 50k range. Yet, you then quote a bunch of data trying to say an average accountant makes ~20-25k. I call BS. Those positions are, at most, book keeping positions if they are only paying that salary.</p>
<p>5 years in the Big 4 and you reach manager. Typical manager will make anywhere from 85-115k depending on what sector of the Big 4 a person is working in and in which city. That is above what Engineers “entry” level is in all cases. Engineering salaries max out quickly unless the person moves into management. They won’t get much higher than 100k. Doctors average pay is around 160k a year…but if you are halfway decent at business you can understand the time value of money and the cost-benefit of the time spent in school. While you work for 6-8 years in accounting making (50k first 2 years, 65k next few, and maybe 90k your last couple), the doctor is paying 40k+ a year in tuition for the first four years and then is making a maximum of 40k for the next few while in residency. They have to make up a difference of around 500k+ within the next 20 years, just to break even with an accountant.</p>
<p>…Not to mention, the accountants salary keeps rising with each additional year (and this is the Big Four which is NOTORIOUS for underpaying its seniors, until they reach partner. So at Senior manager an accountant is making about 130-150k just as a doctor is STARTING to make his/her average salary for the future.</p>
<p>Accountants only have to attend a MACC to specialize, which is one year. And some dont even need a Masters to sit for the CPA exam. The costs of specializing in the field is nowhere near that of medicine, so the initial returns are far greater than medicine in the short term and depending on a career path, can far outweigh medicine long term.</p>
<p>My mother is a bookkeeper with no college education makes 32k a year base plus overtime. Her boss clears more than 200k a year. We live in Mid Missouri with some of the lowest cost of living expenses in the country.</p>
<p>Further, data that is used is flawed. Accountants are often grouped with bookkeepers and tax preparerers in data of this kind. Those that are seasoned in accounting often move into management positions are not included. </p>
<p>Not saying you are in any way wrong, just that from the sample I have experienced, this has not been the case.</p>
<p>He’s ■■■■■■■■, don’t feed him.</p>
<p>work towards your CPA</p>
<p>■■■■■■■■? None of you have addressed my question. I came here for constructive discussion but apparently no one is interested in disscussing the issues that many accountants face or will face in the future.</p>
<p>I’m a senior at Big 4, I make way more than your figures. Stop ■■■■■■■■ kid.</p>
<p>I just “discussed the ‘issues’” in my post. Read it and let it soak in.</p>
<p>goose7856, If you had better reading skills, you’d understand that the original thread posed the question whether accounting was a dying field. </p>
<p>No need to write an essay, because just by reading the first paragraph, I see that you didn’t take the time to even explore the links I posted.</p>
<p>Accounting is not going anywhere. The profession is as strong now as ever–it has just evolved. Accounting is not a purely debits and credits, rather it is about understanding the flow of monies through an entity. This skill set is applicable to all business and will never be outsourced or ‘die’. </p>
<p>Accounting as a major is a fantastic degree, arguably the strongest of all business specialities. With the ever evolving market, I do think that creating a ‘niche’ or speciality can be a very useful tool. Having a minor in Information Systems or Finance can be an excellent skill to add to your toolbox. Moreover, the more speciality certifications you have to your name, the better chance you have to market yourself. CFE, CMA, CPA, CIA, etc all add value and differentiate yourself from the competition.</p>
<p>Better?</p>
<p>Oh, and you definitely made the argument that accounting salaries are crap compared to engineers/doctors, hence my initial response. Forgive me for not fully answering your question to your complete liking.</p>
<p>Haven’t posted here in a long time. But anyway, I’m glad to see goose disproving all the people who tell me I’m “too smart for accounting” and should be a doctor lmao. I should show them this.</p>
<p>Well put, Goose.</p>