Accountants made the list of 50 Best Careers of 2011, published by U.S. News & World Report to spotlight "high-opportunity professions." The accounting profession made the list based on its healthy prospects for job growth, above-average income and other factors such as job satisfaction.
Average Annual Wages for Accountants and Auditors
Accountants and auditors earned $67,430 on average in 2009, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Median pay was $60,340 -- meaning that half made more and half made less than that figure. The top 10 percent of accountants and auditors earned salaries of more than $104,000, while the bottom 10 percent made less than $38,000.
Accounting Majors' Average Starting Salary
The average starting salary offered to college graduates with a bachelor's degree in accounting topped $48,000 for the Class of 2010 -- slightly less than the $49,000 average for finance majors, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers' Fall 2010 Salary Survey. The $48,000 average for accounting majors is virtually unchanged from NACE's Fall 2009 Salary Survey.