[Singularity77]

Just curious … if this is all worth it!

What is the highest CPA’s salary that you know of?

What does the highest-earning CPA you know of earn, per year?

I am not talking about a CPA that ends up doing something other than CPA career stuff…

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

The managing partner of the local CPA firm I work at (2 partners, 5 employees) grosses an average of $150k but back in the dot-com days he was making $500k doing consulting in Silicon Valley. Things have definitely changed but there are still plenty of job opportunities for accountants in my area and well paying job opportunities for CPAs in particular. However, my definition of well paying is $60k-$70k for a senior-level accountant with a CPA license working primarily in tax as well as doing compilations, reviews, etc. at a small CPA firm.

Unless you do go the Big 4/controller route, I think going solo and/or starting your own firm is probably one of the easier ways to set your own salary. You obviously have to be willing to put in the hours to build up a clientele that appreciates your value and is willing to pay for it but once you've done that the sky is the limit as to how much you can make. Especially if you have clients that you perform CFO/controller functions for- I have two such clients and bring in around $55k from just them.

There are also usually more opportunities to diversify at smaller firms which can increase your client base and salary. As an example, within the next few years my firm is considering offering financial planning and/or valuation services as we've frequently had requests for both from current and prospective clients.

[sumersrose]

I'd go with what jrzycpa posted – that seems more in line with what I'd expect for the Greater NYC area.

REG: 2/26/2014 Pass
BEC: 5/29/2014 Pass
FAR: 8/31/2014 Pass
AUD: 4th Attempt, 8/25/15 ... Omg, PASS w/a 93 and I'm done!!!

[Anonymous]

Well, my CFO makes around $215 and my boss (who is the Controller) makes around $160 (and I work in government). But the CFO of Coca Cola made $6.5 million in 2013 so he's definitely the highest I know of.

[Martin]

Jeff Wrote=

“I think it might be a personality thing. I think the CPA profession attracts a certain type of personality – the perfect attendance striving, validation seeking, hang-my-certificates-on-my-office-wall type, with deeply-rooted insecurities that perhaps make it difficult to realize that we're getting played, financially, in the grand scheme of things.”

I could not agree with you more. I personally know Accountants who would rather have an office and make 50K than to have a cubicle and make 75K.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[jeff]

^ For the record, I didn't write that 🙂

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Martin]

I saw it on the bottom of page 3 on this thread. Maybe someone used your avatar and name.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[OnMyWay732]

@Martin, he was quoting Singularity

AUD - July 2014 - 76
REG - August 2014 - 82
FAR - November 2014 - 78
BEC - January 2015 - 81

DONE!!!!

Used Becker online. Who needs a text when you can burn your eyes out staring at the screen for months on end?

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you're hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

[Martin]

My bad, but I still agree with the post. I dont think all Accountants think the same way,but a good number of them specially when they are young.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[joeboxington]

I registered to make a post here because I passed the CPA have five years of experience and can't find a job making more than 20 bucks an hour. It's not my interviewing skills either because I have had stellar reviews from all my previous jobs in and out of the industry….it is the fact that I don't have big four experience or have done closing entries in any computerized system that is hurting me – in my opinion.

That being said I know 3 accountants and all three are pretty rich – millionaires.

One has his own practice, one works at a big four, and the other one is a cfo at an advertising agency.

They are the reason why I chose this profession…but I didn't pass the CPA until I turned 30 and my experience is all working in small offices so I guess I am SOL.

All the CPA's I know who have good careers make more than 250,000 and make more than doctors. I live in a big city – they make even more than lawyers from ivy league schools…a cpa with big four experience from duke, for example, will probably earn 300,000k by 30 years of age…I missed the boat I guess but at least I'm a cpa.

[superstani]

A partner at the big 4 starts and makes more than most doctors/ Lawyers ect.

FAR-79
REG-79
BEC-81
AUD-82

[Anonymous]

If I wanted to make $500,000 a year, I probably would have chosen a different career path (i.e. doctor or lawyer). The reason I chose to become a CPA was for job security and the ability to make a decent salary, regardless of where I live or what I do. I don't need to make hundreds of thousands of dollars to be happy & quite frankly, I don't want the lifestyle that goes along with that. Constantly working, no family time, etc- no thanks. I'm perfectly happy making $60k a year in a very low cost of living city, being 3.5 years into my career, and having the option to work from home, working no overtime, having little to no stress, and knowing that should I want to be a stay at home mom in the future, there's plenty I can do part time or from home as CPAs are always in demand.

[Anonymous]

It was pretty apparent this guy was trolling ever since his first 2 posts. why are people falling for this? He claimed $200k is enough to just barely get by…..

[justgivemea75]

Are the people here quoting just salary or all in comp (i.e. including YE bonus, stock options, etc.). I know a controller who used to be a manager working for a big tech company and is “only” making around 120k. The thing is, most of his money comes in stock/incentive, so he's actually living quite a bit better than just his salary would suggest, especially when the company is thriving.

FAR - 84
AUD - 76 (phew)
BEC - 88
REG - 77

DONE!

[Anonymous]

I once thought that way. Then I grew up and realized you can have decent cars and a decent house with modest salaries. Me and my wife both have good cars, I have a decent house, and am happy with 60-70k in HH income that we have. Everything from here on out will be gravy.

One of the perks of being an accountant is you should be very good at managing money. I know someone who can't afford to move out of their parent's house making more than my HH alone.

And I live in IL.

[Anonymous]

“One of the perks of being an accountant is you should be very good at managing money.”

Sometimes I'm surprised at the stupid money decisions that I see some accountants making. -.- But generally speaking, yes. At my last job, my coworkers and I were all paid very similarly, but I was the only one in a single-income household (bf was out of work for most of the time I worked there) – I was also the only one who was building my savings and had the money to do what I chose to do, if I chose to do it. It was always interesting to hear them talk about their financial situation… Someone would suggest we take a lunch outing as a group, and they've like “Oh, I can't till after payday”, and it was in the “I have no money in my account” type “I can't”, not the “budget is spent so I shouldn't”. They all had a 2nd income in the house (2 of the 3 had a much better income for the 2nd income), but they were also always broke. A little money-management can go a long way!

Not saying anything against anyone in this thread specifically – I don't know everyone's spending habits. Just saying in general, I think accountants should be able to manage their money well, but some surprise me… Myself, though, I'm glad I do have the knowledge to take good care of my finances….to know the true cost of any debt I have (car salesman thought I was crazy to have figured total interest expense for various different car packages before I even went to the lot), the power of savings, etc.

[Author]

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