Accounting Salaries
Tennessee's finance and accounting professionals are using the FREE 2008 Salary Guide from Robert Half International. This essential and unbiased booklet features:
- The latest salary ranges;
- The hiring outlook;
- In-depth regional salary analysis; and
- Top skills in demand.
To request your FREE copy of the 2008 Salary Guide, click here.
2008 Salary Guide At-A-Glance
A CPA salary is pretty hard to beat. New industries, more sophisticated technologies and expanding opportunities for the business add up to better opportunities for CPAs. High demand for CPAs means career stability, better salaries and a steady upward growth. Just take a look at the average salaries for college graduates in public and private accounting. To see what you can get with CPA certification, add around 10 to 15 percent extra to the average starting salaries.
Employer Jr. Level (0 - 3 yrs.) |
Sr. Level (4 - 6 yrs.) |
|
Public Accounting (large firm) |
$47,500-$66,250 |
$64,000-$151,500 |
Public Accounting (medium firm) |
$41,500-$59,500 |
$57,500-$129,250 |
Public Accounting (small firm) |
$40,000-$53,250 |
$52,000-$105,500 |
Corporate Accounting - General Accountant (large co.) |
$36,750-$55,000 |
$53,500-$93,250 |
Corporate Accounting - General Accountant (medium co.) |
$34,500-$50,500 |
$49,250-$76,500 |
Corporate Accounting - General Accountant (small co.) |
$32,000-$46,750 |
$45,000-$69,250 |
Serious earning potential over time gives CPAs great job security. Here are some examples of upper-level salaries for managers in corporate accounting:
Position |
Large Company |
Small to Medium Company |
Chief Financial Officer |
$177,750-$370,500 |
$91,000-$170,250 |
Corporate Controller |
$102,500-$161,500 |
$64,250-$117,000 |
Director of Finance |
$114,500-$191,500 |
$82,500-$132,500 |
| |
||
(Source: 2008 Robert Half Salary Guide. Geographic region, experience, education, CPA certification and company size each play a role in determining salary.) |
||
Not sure what the difference is between a CFO and a controller? Order a FREE copy of the Glossary of Job Descriptions for Accounting & Finance.
![]() |
Did You Know... |

