22 Accounting Jobs That Pay Well

Positions in the accounting field exist to record, predict or strategize finances for an organization or individual. There is a wide range of accounting positions with various specialties and high earning potential. While there are certainly many careers available at banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, you might also decide to look for positions on an accounting team at an organization you find interesting or inspiring.

Many of the careers below require at least a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting or another related field. Many also require you to receive a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) designation. Review job descriptions to understand which credentials you need for a specific position.

Top accounting jobs

Here are 22 accountant jobs in order from least to greatest national average salary.

1. Bookkeeper

National average salary: $43,861 per year

Primary duties: Bookkeepers are responsible for maintaining the day-to-day financial occurrences of a company. They are tasked with recording and presenting financial standings and reports to management and other supervisors.

Companies with this position: Intuit, Supporting Strategies, DunlapSLP PC

2. Auditor

National average salary: $49,889 per year

Primary duties: Auditor reviews a business' or individual's financial filings to ensure calculations are correct and all finances are accounted for. Auditors are called to both randomly assess financial management and in specific cases when financial crimes are suspected.

Companies with this position:  Verizon, Interstate Premium Auditing LLC, AvantStay

3. Accounting clerk

National average salary: $51,702 per year

Primary duties: Accounting clerks are responsible for a variety of tasks that help accountants maintain finances at an organization. Some tasks might include filing paperwork, tracking income and debts, creating reports and maintaining records.

Companies with this position: PwC, Hilton, Simply Hired

4. Credit analyst

National average salary: $55,250 per year

Primary duties: Credit analysts are responsible for collecting and analyzing data from an individual’s financial background to assess their credit. They often work for banks or insurance companies to determine an applicant’s fitness for a loan.

Companies with this position: American Express, CorTrust Bank, BHG Financial

5. Compliance officer

National average salary: $59,894 per year

Primary duties: Compliance officers are responsible for ensuring all financial filings, decisions and tasks are compliant with national laws regarding company finances. Specific responsibilities include distributing information about compliance throughout their organization, implementing compliance policies and procedures and evaluating their company’s compliance performance.

Companies with this position:  Panorama Mortgage Group LLC, Ad Hoc Team, Meta

6. Tax accountant

National average salary: $66,463 per year

Primary duties: Tax accountants are responsible for completing and filing tax returns for an individual or business, depending on their position. They fill collect all necessary information, submit data accurately and calculate the proper outcome of the tax return, annually.

Companies with this position:  Intuit, H&R Block, Gelfand Rennert & Feldman 

7. Accounts payable manager

National average salary: $66,867 per year

Primary duties: Accounts payable managers handle all of the bills and invoices that a company must pay. They are tasked with managing a team, ensuring the department adheres to all policies and overseeing invoice and check processing.

Companies with this position: Plumb, Fivetran, Leeds Professional Resources

8. Financial analyst

National average salary: $72,061 per year

Primary duties: Financial analysts are responsible for tracking the state of stocks, bonds and other investments to make recommendations and predictions for organizations. They take company and individual goals into account and assess which financial decisions would be most beneficial.

Companies with this position: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Power Home Remodeling

9. Budget analyst

National average salary: $73,167 per year

Primary duties: Budget analysts are responsible for determining when, where and how much money an organization should spend. They are often tasked with managing multiple budgets throughout the company to ensure money is being spent properly.

Companies with this position: U.S. Air Force, Army Corps of Engineers, California State University

10. Certified financial planner

National average salary: $74,189 per year

Primary duties: Certified financial planners are employed by individuals, though they often work as part of a firm. They are responsible for helping a person or family reach such financial goals as education and retirement. Specific tasks include assisting clients with tax returns, offering investment advice and guiding clients through estate planning.

Companies with this position: Alera Group, Wealth Enhancement Group, Robert W. Baird

11. Personal finance adviser

National average salary: $77,552 per year

Primary duties: Personal financial advisers work with individuals to assess and develop financial plans according to the individual’s goals. They might make investment recommendations, establish accounts or suggest ways to cut spending in various areas.

Companies with this position: The Bowen Group, Captrust, CUNA Mutual

12. Forensic accountant

National average salary: $78,123 per year

Primary duties: Forensic accountants investigate the financial occurrences in a criminal case. They will likely work with financial institutions to fully understand how the parties involved spent, sent or received money during key timeframes.

Companies with this position: Friedman LLP, Guernsey Schneider LLP, New York State Office of the Attorney General

13. Risk analyst

National average salary: $78,284 per year

Primary duties: Risk analysts are responsible for assessing the financial risk that comes with important business decisions. They often work for insurance companies and use software to calculate the best and worst possible outcomes.

Companies with this position: Fidelity Investments, Meta, Baldwin Risk Partners

14. Accounting professor

National average salary: $78,862 per year

Primary duties: Accounting professors are responsible for developing a curriculum about accounting and finance for higher-education institutions. They will also create quizzes, tests, presentations and homework assignments to ensure the successful transfer of information to their students.

Companies with this position: Valencia College, California State University, Texas Tech University

15. Finance manager

National average salary: $92,073 per year

Primary duties: It takes strong analytical skills to become a finance manager. They work alongside other managers in a company. Responsibilities include tracking expenses, ensuring managers stay within their department’s budget and creating accurate and timely financial reports.

Companies with this position: VMware, Johnson & Johnson, LaFontaine Automotive Group

16. Finance director

National average salary:$96,751 per year

Primary duties: Finance directors oversee and manage the economic and financial health of an organization. They make high-level decisions to meet financial goals and strategize for long-term monetary health.

Companies with this position: County of Ventura Government, YMCA, S&P Global

17. Accounting software developer

National average salary: $96,573 per year

Primary duties: Accounting software developers are responsible for creating, maintaining and improving on software that accounting organizations use to manage finances. They often work closely with the teams or individuals that use them to ensure the software is helping them accomplish goals and is easy to work with.

Companies with this position: Comcentric, Indeed, Ad Hoc Team

18. International tax manager

National average salary: $100,486 per year

Primary duties: International tax managers are responsible for staying up to date on global tax laws to ensure an organization is following all legal rules when operating in multiple countries.

Companies with this position: Simply Hired, KerberRose S.C., DHG

19. Corporate controller

National average salary: $110,943 per year

Primary duties: Corporate controllers typically oversee the accounting department and are responsible for ensuring organizations are compliant, preparing and maintaining budgets, creating financial reports and more.

Companies with this position: Skilljar, 8020 Consulting, Car and Credit Master

20. Actuarial analyst

National average salary: $112,381 per year

Primary duties: Actuarial analysts use data to measure risk for a company or organization. Usually employed by insurance companies and financial services businesses, they are responsible for creating charts and graphs to communicate risk evaluation, interpret data analysis results and ensure all relevant reports are accurate.

Companies with this position: Munich Re, Kaiser Permanente, PwC

21. Chief financial officer

National average salary: $122,499 per year

Primary duties: A chief financial officer (CFO) oversees financial operations within an organization. They forecast, analyze and manage financial risks for an organization, make short- and long-term financial goals and projections for a company, support the company in financial decisions and oversee financial record-keeping and reporting. The CFO often works closely with a company’s chief operating officer to manage the company’s budget, create financial forecasts and secure funding for the company.

Companies with this position: Textio, BairesDev, James Moore & Co.

22. Vice president of finance

National average salary: $146,573 per year

Primary duties: Vice presidents of finance work alongside a company’s president and/or chief executive officer. Their primary responsibilities include coordinating budgets, setting realistic financial goals and overseeing lower-level employees in the finance department.

Companies with this position: Directive, Karbon, HSBC