How long does the training take?

Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do accountants and auditors make?

The US median is $83,680 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train for this work?

1,498 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Accountants and auditors: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Business & finance · SOC 13-2011

$83,680US median pay, 2025

+5%Projected growth, 2025–35

115,300Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Bachelor's degree
Work in: accountants and auditors

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Accounting	CIP 52.0301	1,355
Accounting and Finance	CIP 52.0304	129
Accounting and Business/Management	CIP 52.0305	92
Taxation	CIP 52.1601	83
Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation	CIP 43.0405	35
Auditing	CIP 52.0303	20
Accounting and Computer Science	CIP 30.1601	4

See the 1,498 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do accountants and auditors make?: The US median is $83,680 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train for this work?: 1,498 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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