bonus: our statistical snapshot lays it out in red and green.
by beth bellor
as 2018 opens, the rate of new hiring appears to be stalling, with the rate of tax prep hiring dropping like a stone on the even of new busy season.
more on jobs: hiring and pay trends in tax & accounting | the myth of the staff shortage | what’s the profession going to do with 79,000 new accounting graduates?
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and according to the latest data from 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research, women still face rising numbers everywhere they look.
in this report, 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 analyzes:
- current hiring trends in each of the bookkeeping, payroll, tax and cpa segments of the profession,
- average hourly earnings for each segment,
- average hours worked per week by segment, and
- trends regarding women in the accounting workforce.
nationally, employment changes little in professional and business services in the latest month, adding only 19,000 positions. in 2017, the industry adds an average 44,000 jobs monthly, in line with its 2016 average. unemployment overall was 4.1 percent for the third consecutive month.
overall accounting profession employment slid back below the million mark to 993,700, the lowest since august 2016. that’s down 15,400 or 1.5 percent for the month and 6,300 or 0.6 percent for the year. those employees work an average 35.4 hours per week, down 6 minutes or 0.3 percent for the month but up 18 minutes or 0.9 percent for the year. they earn an average $32.23 an hour, a new record, up 3 cents or 0.1 percent for the month and $1.04 or 3.3 percent for the year.
in contrast, staff employment hit a new high at 776,500, up 9,100 or 1.2 percent for the month and 19,700 or 2.6 percent year over year. hours tick down slightly to 34.2, down 6 minutes or 0.3 percent for the month but up 12 minutes or 0.6 percent for the year. earnings at $25.32 down a nickel or 0.2 percent for the month but up 96 cents or 3.9 percent for the year.
cpa firms now employ 479,700, up 900 or 0.2 percent for the month and 8,500 or 1.8 percent for the year. weekly hours at 36.5 are up 6 minutes or 0.3 percent for the month and year. hourly earnings at $34.91 2 cents off the year’s august high and up 7 cents or 0.2 percent for the month, 84 cents or 2.5 percent for the year.
staff at cpa firms number 353,600, up 1,600 or 0.5 percent for the month and 11,900 or 3.5 percent for the year. their hours hit 36 for the first time since february, up 18 minutes or 0.8 percent for the month and 54 minutes or 2.6 percent for the year. earnings at $26.71 are up a scant 2 cents or 0.1 percent for the month and 49 cents or 1.9 percent for the year.
tax preparation services graciously clock in at a nice round 100,000 employees, down 2,900 or 2.8 percent for the month and 15,200 or a stunning 13.2 percent for the year. that’s the fifth straight month of declines of 7 percent or more year over year.
payroll services employ 171,300, down 300 or 0.2 percent for the month but up 800 or 0.5 percent for the year. hours dip to 35.2, down 6 minutes for the month and 1 hour 6 minutes for the year, 0.3 and 3 percent respectively. earnings drop to $29.10, their lowest point since august 2013, and are down 38 cents or 1.3 percent for the month, $1.40 or 4.6 percent for the year.
did payroll staff fare any better? meh, somewhat mixed. at 144,500, their numbers are up 400 or 0.3 percent for the month and 100 or 0.1 percent for the year. their hours are at a six-month low at 35.1, down 18 minutes or 0.8 percent for the month and 24 minutes or 1.1 percent for the year. earnings, at $25.16 per hour, are down 24 cents or 0.9 percent for the month but up 47 cents or 1.9 percent for the year.
other accounting services employ 253,700, up 600 or 0.2 percent for the month and 1,100 or 0.4 percent for the year.
women in accounting number 639,100, ringing up a fourth straight month of new highs. that’s up 7,700 or 1.2 percent for the month and 17,900 or 2.9 percent for the year. there are 294,100 women at cpa firms, up 1,400 or 0.5 percent for the month and 6,000 or 2.1 percent for the year. in payroll, women hit a high for the year – and the only 80,000+ month since january – at 82,600, around the same ground they as spring 2013. that’s up 3,700 or 4.7 percent for the month and 2,100 or 2.6 percent for the year.