Senior Accountant Salary

An accountant is a professional who works for a company and is responsible for recording all financial aspects related to all type of taxes, income and expenditures, budgets, and many other things. If you have a liking for math and calculations, becoming an accountant is the best option for you. Along with a good job, you also get a decent pay. If you work as an accountant for a while, you are generally promoted to become a senior accountant. And with an increase in the position, there is also an increase in job responsibilities to be carried out.

Job Description

One of the most important responsibilities is to manage and oversee the financial resources and budgets of the company. A senior accountant has to review the financial month end and year end reports submitted by junior accountants. After he approves it, he then has to put forth the all fiscal reports to the executive management of the organization. In the time of evaluating financial records, he has to carry out company audits. In addition to all these things, he may be handed over the responsibility to manage the accounting and finance department in the organization.

Salary Range

There are several determinants of the salary range; such as type of company, location of employment, experience level, etc. As of now, the median salary stands at around $69,000 per annum.

If you have less than a year's experience, you can get a per annum pay of around $34,000 to $55,000. With an increase in the experience say of one to four years, you can then receive a yearly remuneration of approximately $48,000 to $60,500. Professionals with five to nine years of experience can obtain a pay ranging from about $51,000 to $66,000 annually. The pay scale for those with 10 to 19 years of experience increases to around $67,000 per annum. You can earn up to $71,000 with a good 20 or more years of experience.

Coming to the state-wise classification, New York is recorded to have the highest paying state at a pay range of $63,000 to $72,000 per annum. California has a pay scale ranging from $55,000 to $72,000 per year. In New Jersey and Texas, the yearly salary is $54,000 to $68,000 and $50,500 to $65,000 respectively. In Illinois, senior accountants may get anywhere from $52,000 to $65,000 per annum. Likewise, the salary differs from state to state as well as from city to city.

Another very significant determinant of these professionals working in this kind of accounting jobs is the facility of employment. If you are providing services in a company, the salary range would be $50,000 to $66,000 per annum. The pay range for those working in a private firm also falls in this category. The highest paid are those who are hired by the federal government, drawing a per annum pay anywhere from $59,000 to $88,500 annually.

There are many other factors that affect the pay scale of senior accountants; such as city, qualification, additional, responsibilities, type of industry, etc. If you work for some years, you may get promoted to a finance or accounting manager, which may increase your salary considerably.