Overview
SourcedExamine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.
O*NET definition of Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) · Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed.
Occupation figures cover every job classified under SOC 13-2011, including Accountant (government).
Titles employers use
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Requirements
Sourced- Education needed to enter
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
Education workers say the job requires
Share of surveyed workers in Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) naming each level as required to be hired, 29 respondents, O*NET survey August 2026. Each employer sets its own minimum.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to get hired
SourcedA bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is typically required to become an accountant or auditor. Completing certification in a specific field of accounting, such as becoming a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), may improve job prospects.
From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “Accountants and Auditors”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 edition (XML compilation). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Academy and training
Sourced- SOC 13-2011
- None
- Job zone
- Considerable Preparation Needed
Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Promotion ladder
EditorialCivil-service class series: civil-service class series I → II → III → senior → supervisor → manager, each with a salary range. Typical structure for a civil-service class series; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.
- Trainee / Assistant
- Level I
- Level II (journey)
- Level III / Senior
- Lead / Principal
- Supervisor
- Manager
- Director / Division Chief
Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).
Pay
SourcedMedian annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.
| Employer type | Workers | 10th pct. | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 22,370 | $81,540 | $99,590 | $120,520 | $143,210 | $166,230 |
| State | 60,520 | $51,930 | $62,030 | $76,780 | $95,580 | $114,430 |
| Local | 71,340 | $52,570 | $63,690 | $79,930 | $100,260 | $124,400 |
| All government | 154,230 | $53,710 | $64,420 | $81,390 | $104,120 | $130,090 |
| Private sector | 1,295,270 | $56,440 | $67,710 | $84,090 | $111,350 | $148,500 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
State government pay plans
Official pay ranges for the job classes that match Government Auditor in 41 state civil-service plans. They cover state employees only, not cities, counties or school districts.
| State | Job classes in the state plan | Annual range |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Auditor, Staff Auditor, Senior Auditor 3 classes · effective September 1, 2026 · Alabama State Personnel Department | $46,469 – $109,982 |
| Arizona | Auditor 1–4, Internal Auditor Senior, Internal Auditor, Chief 8 classes · effective July 9, 2022 · Arizona Department of Administration, Human Resources Division | $29,822 – $165,000 |
| Arkansas | Auditor I–III, Internal Auditor 4 classes · effective July 1, 2025 · Arkansas Department of Shared Administrative Services, Office of Personnel Management | $58,700 – $127,195 |
| California | Auditor I, Program Auditor, Calpers, Associate Program Auditor, Calpers, +6 more 9 classes · effective September 14, 2026 · California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) | $51,072 – $180,108 |
| Colorado | Auditor I–V 5 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR) | $56,628 – $170,856 |
| Delaware | Internal Auditor I–III 3 classes · effective July 12, 2026 · Delaware Department of Human Resources, Classification and Compensation | $42,493 – $81,722 |
| Florida | Internal Auditor II, Internal Auditor II - Ses 2 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), State Human Resource Management | $35,899 – $127,258 |
| Hawaii | Auditor I–VII 7 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · State of Hawaiʻi Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) | $52,416 – $129,276 |
| Illinois | Internal Auditor Trainee, Internal Auditor I–II 3 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Illinois Department of Central Management Services | $56,964 – $125,268 |
| Indiana | Field Auditor 3–1 3 classes · Indiana State Personnel Department | $47,320 – $92,690 |
| Iowa | Field Auditor, Internal Auditor 3 classes · effective June 19, 2026 · Iowa Department of Administrative Services | $53,851 – $94,037 |
| Kentucky | Auditor I–IV, Internal Auditor 5 classes · effective September 16, 2026 · Kentucky Personnel Cabinet | $36,426 – $51,715 |
| Louisiana | Auditor 1–4 4 classes · effective March 3, 2025 · Louisiana Department of State Civil Service | $40,144 – $110,531 |
| Maine | Auditor I–III, Staff Auditor I–II, Senior Auditor, Principal Auditor 7 classes · effective August 30, 2026 · Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Human Resources | $44,949 – $106,163 |
| Maryland | Internal Auditor Trainee, Internal Auditor I–II, Internal Auditor Lead 7 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM) | $59,305 – $120,814 |
| Massachusetts | Auditor I–IV, Internal Auditor I–III 7 classes · effective July 12, 2026 · Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Human Resources Division (HRD) | $57,865 – $122,919 |
| Michigan | Auditor-E, Auditor-A 2 classes · effective October 1, 2025 · Michigan Civil Service Commission | $50,835 – $95,222 |
| Minnesota | Auditor, Auditor Intermediate, Auditor Senior, Auditor Principal 4 classes · effective July 2, 2026 · Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) | $52,458 – $105,102 |
| Mississippi | Program Auditor I–III, Auditor I–III 6 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Mississippi State Personnel Board | $36,624 – $99,024 |
| Missouri | Associate Auditor, Auditor, Lead Auditor 3 classes · effective July 1, 2025 · Missouri Office of Administration, Division of Personnel | $34,992 – $102,456 |
| Nebraska | Auditor, Auditor Senior, Internal Auditor 5 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, State Personnel Division | $48,861 – $97,729 |
| Nevada | Auditor I–III 3 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Nevada Department of Administration, Division of Human Resource Management (DHRM) | $56,689 – $100,099 |
| New Jersey | Auditor 1–2 9 classes · effective July 11, 2026 · New Jersey Civil Service Commission | $60,876 – $128,719 |
| New Mexico | Auditor 1 class · effective July 4, 2026 · New Mexico State Personnel Office (SPO), Compensation and Classification | $56,931 – $85,396 |
| New York | Auditor 1–3, Internal Auditor 1–3 6 classes · effective April 1, 2026 · New York State Department of Civil Service | $69,964 – $137,590 |
| North Carolina | Auditor I–III, Internal Auditor I–III 6 classes · effective February 1, 2026 · North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) | $43,267 – $117,465 |
| Ohio | Internal Auditor 1–3, Senior Internal Auditor, Nonexempt 5 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Classification & Compensation | $59,821 – $105,373 |
| Oklahoma | Auditor I–IV 4 classes · effective August 30, 2026 · Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), Human Capital Management | $27,827 – $152,428 |
| Oregon | Internal Auditor 1–3 | $56,808 – $149,136 |
| Pennsylvania | Auditor 1–2, Senior Internal Auditor, PSERS 3 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration | $53,008 – $127,834 |
| South Carolina | Associate Auditor, Senior Auditor | $40,086 – $105,978 |
| South Dakota | Auditor I–IV, Internal Auditor, Senior Internal Auditor 7 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration (BHRA); Unified Judicial System for judicial classes | $31,054 – $80,101 |
| Tennessee | Auditor 1–4 4 classes · effective September 1, 2026 · Tennessee Department of Human Resources | $43,572 – $108,060 |
| Texas | Auditor I–V, Internal Auditor I–V 10 classes · effective September 1, 2025 · Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team | $48,244 – $142,374 |
| Utah | Auditor I–IV 7 classes · effective June 21, 2025 · Utah Department of Government Operations, Division of Human Resource Management (DHRM) | $45,053 – $113,755 |
| Vermont | Staff Auditor I–II, Senior Auditor 3 classes · effective July 12, 2026 · Vermont Department of Human Resources | $58,344 – $102,856 |
| Virginia | Auditor I–III 3 classes · effective July 25, 2026 · Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) | $45,739 – $251,443 |
| Washington | Auditor 2–6, Apprentice Auditor 1 6 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM), State Human Resources | $49,296 – $88,788 |
| West Virginia | Internal Auditor 1 class · effective August 24, 2024 · West Virginia Department of Administration, Division of Personnel | $48,098 – $84,558 |
| Wisconsin | Auditor, Auditor-Journey, Auditor-Senior, +3 more 6 classes · effective June 28, 2026 · Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Personnel Management | $45,136 – $157,893 |
| Wyoming | Auditor I–II, Senior Auditor, Principal Auditor 4 classes · effective July 1, 2026 · Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, Human Resources Division | $50,648 – $105,810 |
Lowest class minimum to highest class maximum. Hourly rates are converted at 2,080 hours a year, and other rates at the plan's pay periods; the plans publish the exact rates. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Sources: 41 official state pay plans, linked in each row.
Schedule
SourcedShare of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2026). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Day-to-day work
Sourced- Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.4.6
- Process invoices for payment.4.5
- Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.4.5
- Prepare adjusting journal entries.4.3
- Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.4.3
- Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.4.2
- Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.4.1
- Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.4.1
- Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.4.0
- Review data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income, or expenditures.3.9
The 10 most important of 30 core tasks for Accountants and Auditors, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2026.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Related jobs
DerivedBy state
SourcedMedian annual wage for Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.
| State | Workers | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 9,810 | $71,470 | $111,530 | $185,220 |
| New York | 109,830 | $63,700 | $102,640 | $171,030 |
| New Jersey | 42,250 | $65,710 | $100,830 | $167,080 |
| Massachusetts | 46,230 | $70,460 | $99,460 | $160,100 |
| Connecticut | 16,770 | $64,230 | $97,550 | $156,670 |
| California | 175,360 | $61,770 | $97,050 | $160,520 |
| Colorado | 35,410 | $60,760 | $97,030 | $162,160 |
| Washington | 34,740 | $66,330 | $96,550 | $152,310 |
| Rhode Island | 6,570 | $59,920 | $95,820 | $150,320 |
| Delaware | 6,570 | $60,500 | $95,020 | $132,550 |
| Virginia | 47,100 | $60,000 | $93,290 | $156,730 |
| Maryland | 26,170 | $59,760 | $89,370 | $156,660 |
| Oregon | 14,920 | $62,590 | $85,800 | $130,650 |
| New Hampshire | 7,000 | $59,920 | $83,470 | $131,110 |
| Alaska | 2,190 | $57,690 | $83,460 | $125,810 |
| North Carolina | 49,270 | $53,610 | $82,050 | $146,100 |
| Georgia | 44,020 | $51,830 | $81,900 | $145,960 |
| Minnesota | 30,530 | $58,280 | $81,600 | $138,960 |
| Nevada | 6,930 | $58,630 | $81,600 | $128,760 |
| Texas | 116,470 | $53,380 | $80,920 | $132,040 |
| Illinois | 54,930 | $54,510 | $80,230 | $131,990 |
| Utah | 15,490 | $48,770 | $79,990 | $131,590 |
| Arizona | 27,410 | $55,430 | $79,970 | $128,890 |
| Wisconsin | 25,100 | $58,340 | $79,400 | $127,800 |
| Oklahoma | 16,720 | $47,670 | $79,370 | $155,480 |
| Ohio | 50,440 | $52,140 | $79,320 | $131,400 |
| Florida | 91,000 | $50,280 | $79,250 | $131,930 |
| Kansas | 13,610 | $52,960 | $79,000 | $129,800 |
| Pennsylvania | 54,290 | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 |
| Vermont | 2,630 | $59,770 | $78,890 | $118,800 |
| South Dakota | 5,820 | $61,190 | $78,880 | $115,470 |
| Michigan | 41,460 | $52,620 | $78,820 | $131,080 |
| New Mexico | 6,300 | $52,390 | $78,580 | $125,420 |
| Indiana | 25,660 | $50,950 | $77,720 | $125,880 |
| Wyoming | 2,670 | $50,900 | $77,620 | $126,520 |
| Maine | 3,860 | $55,640 | $77,480 | $125,130 |
| Iowa | 13,210 | $51,420 | $77,440 | $123,700 |
| Tennessee | 27,340 | $49,920 | $76,840 | $122,160 |
| Missouri | 28,000 | $49,290 | $76,590 | $128,300 |
| South Carolina | 15,270 | $50,370 | $76,560 | $131,220 |
| Montana | 4,730 | $49,250 | $75,810 | $125,290 |
| North Dakota | 4,430 | $49,330 | $75,730 | $124,960 |
| Kentucky | 11,930 | $50,750 | $75,270 | $121,230 |
| Alabama | 24,300 | $50,240 | $74,880 | $123,170 |
| Idaho | 5,570 | $48,170 | $74,730 | $121,820 |
| Hawaii | 4,670 | $49,860 | $74,500 | $117,840 |
| Louisiana | 14,050 | $48,950 | $73,810 | $117,110 |
| West Virginia | 4,900 | $49,240 | $73,320 | $115,210 |
| Nebraska | 10,340 | $48,590 | $72,080 | $114,530 |
| Mississippi | 7,350 | $45,440 | $68,100 | $120,290 |
| Arkansas | 7,870 | $45,810 | $66,330 | $119,520 |
51 states with published estimates.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Not yet collected
These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.
- 05 ProbationNot yet collectedProbation length and what ends it
- 09 Benefits and pensionNot yet collectedPension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
- 10 Union contractsNot yet collectedBargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
- 11 Transfers and lateral entryNot yet collectedLateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves
- 14 Exam practiceNot yet collectedNamed exams → OpenExamPrep practice
- 15 Employer directoryNot yet collectedL4 directory: every employer that hires this job, each with its own facet values