Overview for Public Accountant Careers
Public accountants perform a broad range of accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting activities for their clients, which may be corporations, governments, nonprofit organizations, or individuals. Some public accountants concentrate on tax matters, such as advising companies about the tax advantages and disadvantages of certain business decisions and preparing individual income tax returns. Others offer advice on compensation or employee health care benefits, the design of accounting and data-processing systems, and the selection of controls to safeguard assets. Some audit clients' financial statements and inform investors and authorities that the statements have been correctly prepared and reported.

Public accountants may specialize in forensic accounting and investigate white-collar crimes like securities fraud and embezzlement, bankruptcies and contract disputes, and other complex and possibly criminal financial transactions, including money laundering by organized criminals. Public accountants are also referred to as external auditors. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) generally have their own businesses or work for public accounting firms. Find all advertised public accounting jobs here.

Employment Situation
Accountants and auditors held about 1.3 million jobs in 2006, with 21 percent of them working for accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services firms. Approximately ten percent of accountants were self-employed. Employment of accountants is expected to grow by 18 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Almost 226,000 accounting jobs are projected to arise between 2006 and 2016, due to an increase in new businesses, changing financial laws, corporate governance regulations, and increased accountability for protecting an organization's stakeholders.

Education Outlook
Most accountant positions require at least a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. Beginning accounting and auditing positions in the federal government usually require four years of college or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Some employers prefer applicants with a master's degree in accounting or with a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. Some universities and colleges offer programs that prepare students to work in specialty professions such as internal auditing. Many professional associations offer continuing professional education courses, conferences, and seminars. Any accountant filing a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is required by law to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Find an online accounting degrees or business degree.

Salary Expectations for Public Accountants
Median annual earnings of accountants totaled $54,630 in May 2006 and ranged from more than $94,050 to less than $34,470.

Related Information

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