<p>how about working in a corporate setting? many accountants in the company i now work for make just as much as cpa’s at the comparable level, except they work much fewer hours compared to cpa’s. in fact, many of those working for public companies have stock options, which make the total compensation package even more lucrative. </p>
<p>another point is the broad range of opportunities a corporate guy/gal can get into. </p>
<p>big companies have many different departments like general accounting, finance, budget/planning, cost accounting, internal audit, and so on. unlike cpa firms, a lot of public companies tend to switch their employees around as they develop professionally. </p>
<p>it’s generally accurate that with cpa firms, employees stick to audit or tax for their entire career, with no mobility across different fields in the same firm. i know some that were laid off not because they are bad at what they do, but rather due to low demand for the particular service. it’s usually move up or move out.</p>