[OnmywaytoCPA]

I’m currently looking for another job, and I was wondering what a good offer would be at this stage of my career. I have my undergrad degree with a major in accounting and an MBA. I have about nine years of experience, but none as a manager or supervisor. I do have one offer on the table and the starting salary is in the mid fifties with a yearly bonus. I would be starting off at the bottom, but there is a ton of room for growth, and advancement and I’ll get a raise if I get my CPA license. Just wondering if I should take it, or keep looking around. This is my first offer in the past eight months. I have been applying for jobs and going on interview like it’s going out of style. To be honest, I’m exhausted and tired. I’m not sure if I should accept it or not. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks!

REG - 74, Retook 6/10/16, scored a 72 (Hate this exam)
BEC - 69, 79, 8/1/15
AUD - 83, 4/4/15
FAR - 77, 2/27/16

[acamp]

Location?

Entry Big4 with MBA and no experience is like $57K in San Francisco

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[acamp]

Location?

Entry Big4 with MBA and no experience is like $57K in San Francisco

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[tough_kitty]

If it's your first job with public accounting, the starting salary sounds about right.

Just as a comparison – a few of my friends got an MBA in Finance and with very limited work experience were able to find jobs as financial analyst with starting salary around $70K.

I have MS Accy & MBA General Business and I'm more interested in accounting/tax/audit than business/cost acct/finance so unfortunately for me it means less $ but I gotta stick with what my passion is, I guess…

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

If it's your first job with public accounting, the starting salary sounds about right.

Just as a comparison – a few of my friends got an MBA in Finance and with very limited work experience were able to find jobs as financial analyst with starting salary around $70K.

I have MS Accy & MBA General Business and I'm more interested in accounting/tax/audit than business/cost acct/finance so unfortunately for me it means less $ but I gotta stick with what my passion is, I guess…

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Anonymous]

I've tried to figure out the same thing for my area…I used this: https://www.roberthalf.com/finance/accountant-salary and then adjusted the national averages by comparing my county's figures to the national figures here: https://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html (Select state; find line “Per capita money income in the past 12 months” under USA column; select city or county, same number, get a ratio, and multiply it by the numbers in Robert half). Where I am, the local wages are about 59% of national ones, so the adjustment is very necessary! I could rent a 2-bedroom place here for about $300/mo, so got to expect to get paid a bit less than you do in the big city. 😉

…and now I've gotten a job that pays about 7% above the top end of those estimates, when adjusted, so that made me feel good. 🙂 Before that, I was working a job that paid 68% of the low end of the adjusted wages, so it's great to actually feel good looking at adjusted averages, instead of feeling bad! lol.

[Anonymous]

I've tried to figure out the same thing for my area…I used this: https://www.roberthalf.com/finance/accountant-salary and then adjusted the national averages by comparing my county's figures to the national figures here: https://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html (Select state; find line “Per capita money income in the past 12 months” under USA column; select city or county, same number, get a ratio, and multiply it by the numbers in Robert half). Where I am, the local wages are about 59% of national ones, so the adjustment is very necessary! I could rent a 2-bedroom place here for about $300/mo, so got to expect to get paid a bit less than you do in the big city. 😉

…and now I've gotten a job that pays about 7% above the top end of those estimates, when adjusted, so that made me feel good. 🙂 Before that, I was working a job that paid 68% of the low end of the adjusted wages, so it's great to actually feel good looking at adjusted averages, instead of feeling bad! lol.

[tough_kitty]

Also, for salary/job interview tips glassdoor.com is a good website.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Also, for salary/job interview tips glassdoor.com is a good website.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat. Thank you for posting this question and thank you for the replies. Does help 🙂

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat. Thank you for posting this question and thank you for the replies. Does help 🙂

[Anonymous]

You will make 50-60 in public audit depending on where you start. Accounting isn't exactly a lucrative profession until you put in 15 years.

[Anonymous]

You will make 50-60 in public audit depending on where you start. Accounting isn't exactly a lucrative profession until you put in 15 years.

[Anonymous]

I believe reasonable is mostly in the mind of the beholder. I was hired in the high 40's with experience in my industry, a CPA license, and a ton of life experience. Others applying for the job had more CPA experience, no experience in the industry and were willing to settle for somewhere in the 70s (apparently transferring from a job in the 90s). My cars are paid for, I don't have any student loans, I have one small credit card bill, and my house will be paid off in 61 days – so I don't NEED the money. I am more interested in the experience than I was in the immediate gratification of money and benefits. I might have been able to get more money..but maybe not…but no one will ever be able to take away the experience I'm getting which should open up doors for great future opportunities. So my two cents would be to take the job.

[Anonymous]

I believe reasonable is mostly in the mind of the beholder. I was hired in the high 40's with experience in my industry, a CPA license, and a ton of life experience. Others applying for the job had more CPA experience, no experience in the industry and were willing to settle for somewhere in the 70s (apparently transferring from a job in the 90s). My cars are paid for, I don't have any student loans, I have one small credit card bill, and my house will be paid off in 61 days – so I don't NEED the money. I am more interested in the experience than I was in the immediate gratification of money and benefits. I might have been able to get more money..but maybe not…but no one will ever be able to take away the experience I'm getting which should open up doors for great future opportunities. So my two cents would be to take the job.

[mla1169]

Pursuing CPA has no effect on salary. Its great but doesn't mean anything until you've got a license. The more relevant questions to ask are what is the average salary for *this* position in *this* location. Check out the link that Lilla posted.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Author]

Replies