[weed74]

Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering, and have found no better area to ask this question, but what sorts of benefits are people receving at their public accounting job? Please include a general location to help apply relevance to the situation for myself and others.

My qualifications:

BS – Accounting and Finance

Masters – Accounting

Passed 2 of 4 parts of CPA so far

4 years experience with one 20-30 person firm, Southern Ohio

Benefits:

2 weeks vacation

No set personal/sick time policy

No Comp Time

No reimbursement for CPA or Schooling

Interest free loans for CPA/School (up to $5k)

1% of salary max match on 401k

4-5% of salary profit sharing employer contribution

salary around $50k, bonus generally between $2500-4000

total hours around 2300-2400 each year, of which about 1400-1500 are chargeable

AUD - 84
BEC - 80
REG - 75
FAR - 80

[Anonymous]

Big 4 in Seattle.

Salary – Low $50s

Relocation – $1,000

CPA Materials – Directly billed to firm

CPA Exam Reimbursement – around $1000 (cost to take test)

CPA Bonus – $5,000 in first year, $3,000 in second or third year.

Benefits – 401k, Dental, Health, and all those other comparable benefits

Vacation – 25 days

Personal – 8 days

Holidays – 10 (I think)

Busy season – 50-60 hours per week

Regular season – 35 -45 hours per week

Overall, it is a really good package. Washington is a great state to work in.

[NDIRISH]

AllenA…

Wanted Seattle Big 4 (but No offers…From there though)

But offered today for Big 4 Phoenix

Salary: High 40's

CPA? Don't need it

Bonus? 5000 (I'll get it since i'm already done.)

Benefits the usual.

Busy Season: 60 – 70

Regular: 40.

Fair Package. Maybe lower than NYC and WA for pay, but Phoenix is beautiful weather and lower Cost of Living.

BEC 85, REG 79, FAR 77, AUD 81!!! DONE!!! PA

[Anonymous]

congrats NDIRISH

[Anonymous]

This is my 2nd post. Thank you everyone for all the info and tips about CPA's.

CPA business management firm in LA, 200+ employees in LA and NY.

Straight from school, BS Acct.

Starting 38k, 2k after 3 months.

Currently 45k, been here almost 2 yrs.

09YE bonus 500 + 2% of salary profit sharing, 401k match 25% of contributions

I mainly do tax and business mgmt, overtime maybe 25-35 hrs a year.

75% med benefits paid by firm, exam fees paid + 1k reimbursement for course, 18 days pto, no bonus for cpa,

[Iwillpasswithalife]

Wow, CA posted salaries are pretty low. I'm glad that I moved to Texas and got a payraise. 50-60 hours busy season in a major city like Seattle for Big Four? Is that right? I worked in Big 4 for 2 1/2 years and my non-busy season was 50-60 hours. Maybe your doing a number of privately held clients?

Phoenix rate sounds about right. Rate was $44K back in 2004. I'm wonder if Phoenix got bumped to a category 2 yet. They were category 1 salary tier back then.

REG - 67, 76 (Q4 2009) - Used CPAExcel first time, Used CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
BEC - 83 (Q1 2010) - CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
AUD - 89 (Q2 2010) - CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
FAR - 81 (Q4 2010) - Roger CPA + CPAReviwForFree

[NDIRISH]

What's catogory 2 or 1? just a question out there.

BEC 85, REG 79, FAR 77, AUD 81!!! DONE!!! PA

[ww86]

I work for a local CPA firm in North CA for about 3 years now. (2 partners, 1 part-time staff, 1 full-time staff and 1 secretary)

I started as a part-time staff getting paid $12 / hour (July 07 – Nov 08).

Then I took over the full-time staff position in December 2008 right after I graduated from college.

Salary – 35k

CPA Materials – No reimbursement

Bonus – none

Benefits – Dental, Health & 401k (4% employer match)

Pay time off – 10 days (office is closed during Christmas and new year holidays for about 10 days, I have to use most of my PTO here. lame!)

Holidays – 7 days

Busy season – 50-56 hours per week

Off season – 40 hours per week (sometimes being asked not to come in on Fridays and I don't get paid on these Fridays.)

I passed one section so far, hoping to get the other 3 passed by the end of this year.

How do I get in a mid-size firm or Big 4?

[financeguy]

ww86 what part of nor CA are you in?

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

[PursuitCPA]

go back to the macc and get a 3.98 then you will get into a midsized.

CPA EXAM - Passed

[wetbandits]

ww86 – to get hired you really need either to get hired through the on-campus recruiting process or through the referral process at one of the big 4. if you didn't go to a top 25 accounting program your chances are slim if you don't go through one of the aforementioned processes. if that's the case you would need some really good recommendations from a professor who could put you in touch with former students who are now executives at the big 4. going to beta alpha psi meetings could also get you some face time if the big 4 go to your school. if you aren't an oncampus hire, you need to know people to have a decent chance.

B 74, 70, 74, 69, 85!!!
A 88 (lost credit), 87
R 74, 78
F 68, 76

[sums]

I have a Bachelor's Degree from a different country .I also have a Chartered Accoutancy certificate from UK ..and 2 down 2 to go CPA tests .Since I never went to any colleges here in US ,does that mean I have least chances of getting into BIG 4s? Lets not talk about referrals coz I hardly know anyone here. If that's the case, I was better off with a small local CPA firm that I worked for.I left the job to do my tests ,hoping to find a better one 🙁

AUD84,FAR82,BEC77,Reg79

[Iwillpasswithalife]

Category 1, 2, and 3 are tier structures for salaries in Big Four. I'm not sure if all of them use it but I know that the one I worked for did. That's why some people who moved from Texas to Phoenix had to take pay cuts when they transferred offices because all the major TX cities are category 2 but Phoenix was category 3.

ww, where did you graduate from, what was your CPA, and where do you work in CA? There is a firm called PMB has need in their CA office if your interested looking for a staff at 1 year experience. I have connections there but in their Texas office. The Texas partners purchased the California practice a couple years back. They certaintly would give you a pay raise, but you have to be willing to travel because they travel a lot. I felt their rates were comparable to mid-tier firms and they pay per diem vs. direct reimbursement which you can actually pocket money off of if you eat cheap.

The HR contact is based in Texas. Her name is Diane Tancred. I haven't talked much to the Partners in ages, but I have good relations with the senior managers there.

REG - 67, 76 (Q4 2009) - Used CPAExcel first time, Used CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
BEC - 83 (Q1 2010) - CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
AUD - 89 (Q2 2010) - CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
FAR - 81 (Q4 2010) - Roger CPA + CPAReviwForFree

[sums]

Iwillpasscpa..I am in Northern CA and looking for a job .I have about 1.5 years of experience .Any chances you could refer me?..I would greatly appreciate 🙂

AUD84,FAR82,BEC77,Reg79

[Iwillpasswithalife]

I dunno if I can refer someone from out of the country. I remember trying when I was in Big Four and them telling me that it is very difficult. Do you have permanent residenticy or a U.S. citizen? The CA isn't as big deal as is your status here in the U.S.

REG - 67, 76 (Q4 2009) - Used CPAExcel first time, Used CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
BEC - 83 (Q1 2010) - CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
AUD - 89 (Q2 2010) - CPAExcel + CPAReviewForFree
FAR - 81 (Q4 2010) - Roger CPA + CPAReviwForFree

[sums]

I am a permanent resident .No restrictions on work !! My schooling was in a different country .I have already worked for a CPA firm here ..So any chances?

AUD84,FAR82,BEC77,Reg79

[Author]

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