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Certified public accountants can work in a variety of fields, depending on the kind of work they want to do on a day to day basis. If you are thinking about becoming a CPA in the near future, you may be surprised by just how many CPA jobs there are to choose from. The job duties and pay rates for these jobs vary considerably, so you will not know what you will do or make in this field until you explore some of the options available to you. Here is a look at some of the many CPA careers you could consider for the future.
Accounting Clerk
An accounting clerk is an entry level accounting professional who assists certified public accounting in performing their everyday activities. An accounting clerk is responsible for the clerical work in an accounting firm, and most accounting clerks are college students working through internships. Common job duties for accounting clerks include:
- Working under the supervision of other accountants
- Answering phone calls and emails for an accounting firm
- Scheduling appointments for clients to meet with CPAs
- Preparing financial reports and accounting statements
- Handling specific tasks for a project, like researching information or entering information into a computer
Possible salary levels for accounting clerks include:
- Lower 10%: below $25,271
- Middle 50%: $28,436 – $35,649
- Top 10%: above $39,050
Bookkeeper
Bookkeepers are responsible for maintaining the financial records of a business, often working with computer programs to keep track of business expenses and transactions. You do not have to have an accounting degree to work as a bookkeeper, but most employers look for workers with at least two years of experience in the field. Common job duties for bookkeepers include:
- Balancing ledgers for a business
- Reconciling accounts for a company
- Preparing financial reports for review
- Working with computer programs to assess the financial transactions of a business
- Filing tax returns
Possible salary levels for bookkeepers include:
- Lower 10%: below $29,189
- Middle 50%: $33,488 – $43,609
- Top 10%: above $48,526
Chief Financial Officer
Chief financial officers represent the highest tier of CPA jobs in the country. They are responsible for directing the overall financial transactions and policies for a business. In order to work in this field, you will need 15 to 20 years of experience in accounting and business, but that time commitment comes with a hefty financial reward. Common job duties for chief financial officers include:
- Oversee the budgeting for a business
- Monitoring the tax records for a company
- Managing upper level CPAs in an accounting firm
- Design accounting procedures for other employees to follow
- Create financial analysis programs to maximize profit margins for a business
Possible salary levels for chief financial officers include:
- Lower 10%: below $182,759
- Middle 50%: $256,107 – $433,487
- Top 10%: above $521,635
Credit and Collections Manager
Credit and collections managers work specifically with credit scores and credit histories to help individuals and businesses get the best credit possible. They are advisers that assess the risks in various financial transactions to determine the fate of a business’s funding. Common job duties for credit and collections managers include:
- Improving cash-flow for a business
- Minimizing the amount of receivables for a company
- Monitoring the collection of money owed to an organization
- Creating effective collection programs for other employees to follow
- Assessing credit risks for various transactions
Possible salary levels for credit and collections managers include:
- Lower 10%: below $53,277
- Middle 50%: $63,322 – $88,312
- Top 10%: above $101,019
Choosing between CPA Jobs
With the sheer amount of CPA jobs out there to choose from, it can be slightly difficult to find the one that is perfect for you. You will most likely start off in a lower level position, like that of an accounting clerk or financial assistant. Once you have some experience in that work, you can consider specializing in a certain field, like collections or budget management. As long as you have a good education as a foundation for your work, you should have no trouble succeeding no matter where you go in this field.
