What is an Accountant?
Job Description: Analyze financial information and prepare financial reports to determine or maintain record of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability, or other financial activities within an organization.
What Do Accountants Do On a Daily Basis?
- Maintain or examine the records of government agencies.
- Advise clients in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting or data processing systems, or long-range tax or estate plans.
- Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.
- Develop, maintain, and analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs.
- Prepare adjusting journal entries.
- Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
What Every Accountant Should Know
When polled, Accountants say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Other Accountant Job Titles
- Accounting Consultant
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Bursar
- Railroad Accountant
- Reporting Analyst
Accountant Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 1,397,700 jobs for Accountant in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 139,900 new jobs for Accountant by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 141,800 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Accountant are Utah, Colorado, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Accountants Make A Lot Of Money?
Accountants make between $43,650 and $122,840 a year.
Accountants who work in District of Columbia, New York, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Accountants make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $70,310 |
| Alaska | $82,920 |
| Arizona | $69,190 |
| Arkansas | $67,700 |
| California | $84,430 |
| Colorado | $82,320 |
| Connecticut | $84,890 |
| Delaware | $78,120 |
| District of Columbia | $98,130 |
| Florida | $71,790 |
| Georgia | $75,930 |
| Hawaii | $65,580 |
| Idaho | $66,110 |
| Illinois | $81,060 |
| Indiana | $70,780 |
| Iowa | $67,030 |
| Kansas | $66,530 |
| Kentucky | $67,080 |
| Louisiana | $66,860 |
| Maine | $70,810 |
| Maryland | $82,610 |
| Massachusetts | $81,460 |
| Michigan | $74,370 |
| Minnesota | $72,480 |
| Mississippi | $62,850 |
| Missouri | $70,240 |
| Montana | $66,410 |
| Nebraska | $67,920 |
| Nevada | $66,600 |
| New Hampshire | $72,690 |
| New Jersey | $90,400 |
| New Mexico | $66,370 |
| New York | $96,300 |
| North Carolina | $76,880 |
| North Dakota | $61,870 |
| Ohio | $72,370 |
| Oklahoma | $73,040 |
| Oregon | $71,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,250 |
| Rhode Island | $81,090 |
| South Carolina | $64,750 |
| South Dakota | $65,800 |
| Tennessee | $69,690 |
| Texas | $80,200 |
| Utah | $70,980 |
| Vermont | $75,360 |
| Virginia | $85,640 |
| Washington | $78,970 |
| West Virginia | $68,160 |
| Wisconsin | $68,410 |
| Wyoming | $66,180 |
What Tools do Accountants Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Accountants may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Microsoft Publisher
- Google Docs
- FileMaker Pro
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Intuit QuickBooks
How do I Become an Accountant?
What education or degrees do I need to become an Accountant?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Accountant?
Accountants Sector
Accountants work in the following industries:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as an Accountant sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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