Finance
Accounting
Own the accuracy of the numbers: close the books, keep controls tight, and make the financials defensible.
What you'd actually do
- Close a period and reconcile every account that feeds it.
- Document controls and pull support for audit requests.
- Review transactions for the correct accounting treatment.
- Explain a variance to someone who doesn't work in finance.
Common job titles
Entry level
- Staff Accountant
- Audit Associate
- Tax Associate
Mid-level
- Senior Accountant
- Audit Senior
- Accounting Manager
Senior
- Controller
- Director of Accounting
- CFO track
Broad U.S. compensation context
Entry level
$62K–$85K
Mid-career
$90K–$130K
Senior
$150K+
Varies by level, location, company, and date; use as directional context.
Common employers
DeloittePwCKPMGEYAppleAtlassianShopifySpotify
Core skills
US GAAP fundamentalsReconciliationMonth-end closeInternal controlsExcel depthOne ERP system
Common backgrounds
- Accounting degree programs with CPA credit hours
- Finance or business degrees adding accounting coursework
- Bookkeeping or AP/AR roles moving up
- Audit associates moving into industry accounting
What success looks like
- Their numbers hold up when someone checks them.
- They document as they go, so the close gets faster each cycle.
- They flag the issue before the auditor does.
Career path
- Staff Accountant
- Senior Accountant
- Accounting Manager
- Controller
- CFO
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