Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards

No matter your situation, here's what you need to know about working as a senior accountant.

Salary expectations are up

According to the, a senior accountant in a midsize company ($25 million to $250 million in annual revenue) can expect a starting salary of between $64, 000 and $84, 000 in 2016.

The starting salary for a senior accountant at a smaller company, with revenues up to $25 million, is projected to be between $60, 750 and $73, 250. At larger corporations ($250 million or more in annual revenue), a senior accountant can expect a starting salary between $72, 000 to $92, 250.

These salaries represent a 5 percent increase over the 2015 salary ranges for a senior accountant, which indicates just how keen employers are to recruit experienced specialists.

Accountants with specialized skills can command even higher salaries. Senior tax accountants at large companies can expect a starting salary of $79, 250 to $101, 000, while the starting salary for senior cost accountants at large companies can range from $73, 000 and $95, 750.

Senior accountant roles are in demand

Job seekers with accounting and finance experience in roles that are in demand rarely stay unemployed for long, something that's particularly true for senior accountants. The Robert Half report, notes that the unemployment rate for accountants and auditors in the second quarter of 2015 was 2.9 percent.

Solid skills are a requirement

A senior accountant is responsible for the integrity of all accounting information. That means everything from supervising the accounting staff to preparing financial statements to assisting with risk assessments and budget preparations.

The key qualifications and attributes hiring managers look for in senior accountants include:

• At least three years’ experience in accounting and corporate finance
• Solid communications skills
• Technology skills, especially experience with financial software such as QuickBooks and Microsoft Dynamics GP for smaller firms, or experience with enterprise resource planning systems or cloud-computing solutions for larger firms
• Organizational and analytical skills
• Thoroughness and attention to detail

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Take a look at our available jobs for senior accountants.