accounting wages set new record

even as staffing growth hits the skids.

by beth bellor
卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

employment growth in the accounting profession is flattening in many segments, and downright sliding from last year among staffers and in tax prep offices.

more on jobs: accounting salaries hit new highs | tax prep services slash 10,000 jobs as busy season begins | all staffed up? new tax prep hiring stalls on eve of busy season | the myth of the staff shortage | regional cpa firms go head-to-head with big four in talent wars | global talent wars hit home for local firms
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at the same time, hourly earnings are hitting new highs in several spots.

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.

chart of overall tax and accounting profession employment
overall accounting profession employment

 

chart of overall earnings
overall earnings

the accounting profession employs 988,800 as of april – the latest month for which data are available – up 3,100 or 0.3 percent for the month and 100 for the year, statistically flat. employees are working on average 35.8 hours per week, down 6 minutes or 0.3 percent for the month but up half an hour or 1.4 percent for the year. they’re earning on average $33 per hour, a new high, up 40 cents or 1.2 percent for the month and $1.39 or 4.4 percent for the year.

chart of staff earnings
staff earnings

staff number 738,700, up 5,900 or 0.8 percent for the month but down 9,000 or 1.2 percent for the year, the fifth straight month of year-to-year decline. they work 34.1 hours weekly, down 12 minutes or 0.6 percent for the month but up 6 minutes or 0.3 percent for the year. their hourly earnings of $25.89 are up 25 cents for the month and $1.14 for the year, respective growth of 1 percent and 4.6 percent.

cpa firms

cpa firms employ 483,000, up 1,700 or 0.4 percent for the month and 10,000 or 2.1 percent for the year. employees average 36.7 hours, down 18 minutes for the month but up 18 minutes for the year, a swing of 0.8 percent either way. they make $35.35, up 36 cents or 1 percent for the month and $1.02 or 3 percent for the year.

staff at cpa firms number 352,600, down 500 or 0.1 percent for the month but up 2,900 or 0.8 percent for the year. they average 35.8 hours per week, down 18 minutes or 0.8 percent for the month but up half an hour or 1.4 percent for the year. earnings eked out a new record at $27.03, up 25 cents or 0.9 percent for the month and 54 cents or 2 percent for the year.

chart of tax preparation employment
tax preparation employment

tax preparation services

tax prep employs 86,200, up 1,700 or 2 percent for the month but down 6,500 or 7 percent for the year.

payroll services

payroll services have 168,400 employees on the rolls, up 1,600 for the month and 4,100 for the year, increases of 1 percent and 2.5 percent respectively. weekly hours average 35.7, up 12 minutes or 0.6 percent for the month and year. earnings ticked back above $30 for the first time since february 2017 to $30.28, up 85 cents or 2.9 percent for the month and 49 cents or 1.6 percent for the year.

chart of payroll staff earnings
payroll staff earnings

payroll staff number 141,100, up 1,300 or 0.9 percent for the month and 2,100 or 1.5 percent for the year. they work 35.7 hours a week, flat for the month and up 42 minutes or 2 percent for the year. they make $26.61 an hour, up 47 cents or 1.8 percent for the month and $2.15 or a heady 8.8 percent for the year.

bookkeeping

other accounting services employ 254,200, up 1,100 or 0.4 percent for the month but down 200 or 0.1 percent for the year.

chart of women in payroll services
women in payroll services

women

there are 613,500 women in the profession, up 5,200 or 0.9 percent for the month and 4,900 or 0.8 percent for the year. women in cpa firms number 295,400, down 200 or 0.1 percent for the month but up 4,800 or 1.7 percent for the year. in payroll, they number 82,000, up 1,000 or 1.2 percent for the month and 6,700 or 8.9 percent for the year.