[steve777]

.

[Mayo]

California is the best state by far. However, it is very expensive to live here. But jobs are plentiful here.

Even better if you have a public accounting background; It's great if you have a Big 4 background.

My long term plan is to get really good experience here, and leave back to my home state. The hope being that my great experienced here will translate to a better job over there with a good payday.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[steve777]

What about florida?

[MaLoTu]

I would have to say that the SF bay area has a plenitude of both private and public accounting job options. However, I have nothing to compare it to as it is the only market I am familiar with.

With that being said, it is still very competitive here and while there are a lot of jobs there are also a lot of job seekers. And as Mayo said, it is really expensive to live here.

I haven't heard about Texas in a while, but within the last year I have heard people on here say that the accounting industry is booming there, also.

[Mayo]

“I haven't heard about Texas in a while, but within the last year I have heard people on here say that the accounting industry is booming there, also”

I'm originally from there, and while you're right that it is growing quickly, it's not as quick as the SF bay area. Each state has its own pros/cons:

SF Bay is more expensive (SF surpassed NYC as the most expensive real estate in a large city or something like that) with housing reaching ridiculous levels compared to Texas. However, if you have the right background it's almost too easy to get a job out here. At least that's my perception, but I'm ex-big 4 and we're in high demand out here.

There might be some consolidation in the future, so the sheer number of jobs might drop a bit, but for now the job market is red hot if you have the right resume. Again, I stress that resume matters.

Texas has some pockets of soft job growth such as Houston, where the entire Oil & Gas industry is suffering. Same thing with some of the Oil & Gas in San Antonio and Dallas. But overall Dallas and Austin are leading the pack with growth with San Antonio not too far behind.

Plus, it's cheap to live there. Biggest downside is the heat. It is god awful.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[acamp]

I'm in SF and as mentioned, jobs are everywhere (especially with a public background), but housing is so damn expensive. I've kicked around the idea of moving out of state at some point because I'm tired of building wealth for landlords haha.

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California CPA

[MaLoTu]

@Mayo, thanks for the clarification. I am just going to be starting in public and that is kind of the perspective I was sharing. There is tons of competition for entry-level public jobs. I am not as familiar with the private side, but with the sheer amount of big name companies in the area I can't imagine it being too hard, with the right resume attributes, as you point out 😉

[Anonymous]

You wont get a job in private without a history of public..

and pretty much any large metro area has public openings..you have to know how to interview well though..

[Nessie]

Steve,
Im in south western Florida right now and the pay is pretty bad for CPA’s…at least that’s what I have researched. It might be different on the east coast. Im heading back east to work, but would love to come back to FL to work one day. Seems there are some decent corporate offerings though.

It is pretty easy to get job in NYC, but cost of living is very high. I’m not sure the pay should be the same as it is for less expensive locations.

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[msgolds]

Here in DC, it's relatively easy to.get employed in the government contracting community. The accounting and reporting rules for contractors are exceedingly complex, so if you can learn this environment you will always be employed. Plus DC is generally a fun city for your average 20-something.

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[PNS2CLT]

Most reports have the demand for ALL college graduates being the strongest in over 10 years; demand for accounting majors is even stronger. The Journal of Accountancy reports that employers are having problems filling high-paying, entry-level positions in even places like Detroit; demand for experienced CPAs is even higher. The Big 4 has had problems meeting its recruiting requirements for several years now, and has hiked starting salaries into to the high-50s in places like St. Louis, Detroit & Cleveland. Keep in mind that these firms are seeking highly qualified candidates. If your GPA was under 3.0, you're going to struggle to find high paying jobs out of school. Internships will get your foot into the door, there should be NO excuses why you can't do one.

To respond to some of the comments above: yes, wages in Florida are lower than that of the rest of the country, but most of the state enjoys a low cost of living including no state income tax. As for Houston, for the past decade, it was the “easiest” place to land FT employment — offers of $60K AND a signing bonus were pretty much assured if you had a 3.0 (a level many firms wouldn't touch elsewhere in the nation). That's the highest offer for those of us who didn't go to Ivy Leage-type schools could get. The BLS still ranks Houston at #1, but the drop in oil has raised heck on its economy and I'd be surprised if demand hadn't softened.

[WaivingMyHands_ALOT]

@steve777 – I'm in South Florida (Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami area). Public accounting entry level is 50-55/year. I'd say 8-12% raise/year. Private has higher starting salary, with lower raises and less room for promotion. Cost of living isn't too bad (Miami can get expensive). Not sure if you are fresh out of college or looking to be experienced hire.

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[Credit Revenue]

Man I love Palm Beach. My mom has a condo on S. Ocean Blvd. Are you close to that area? I thought about moving somewhere close to that area at some point in life, but always wondered about the job market for accounting. You think the market is pretty good?

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[Anonymous]

Charlotte, North Carolina has a lot of accounting careers..lots of banks (wells fargo, bank of america) and many accounting firms. Also, relatively low cost of living.

[WaivingMyHands_ALOT]

@Credit Revenue – I live south of Palm Beach. That area is nice though. The further south you get/closer to Miami the more congested it feels. I'm thinking of heading North a little ways to get away from the crowds. The job market seems pretty good. There's a lot of public firms (Big four, National, regional, and Mom & Pop, so you have your choice). Industry is available also. Depends on what you're looking for and how far you're willing to commute. There's more jobs south of Palm Beach (Ft. Lauderdale and Miami).

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[monikernc]

this thread lives even though the OP deleted his/her post

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[Author]

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