Also called: Public Accountant
Works at an accounting firm checking whether companies' financial statements are accurate.
During busy season you're on-site at a manufacturer, counting inventory in the warehouse, testing a sample of 60 invoices and writing up what you found.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 5 years after high school. Bachelor's in accounting; CPA license expected.
Ways in: 4-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Accounting.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). Tracks accountants and auditors.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI can test every transaction and draft workpapers, the work first-year auditors did; firms are already hiring fewer entry-level staff.
Classes: Accounting, AP Statistics, Computer applications, English composition.
Official data: O*NET occupation 13-2011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.