Comeback Stalls as Layoffs Hit 1,500 in Accounting

CPA firms cut average staff pay.

“The Tax Season from Hell?”
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By Beth Bellor
CPA Trendlines Research

The accounting profession sector by sector generally looks slightly brighter, with most reporting headcount growth for the month – but losses for the year.

Exceptions include the profession overall, which is taking a 0.2 percent dip, tax preparation services up for the year 3.3 percent, and bookkeeping, up 1 percent.

MORE ON JOBS: Tax & Accounting Regains 3,800 Jobs | Accounting Jobs Recovery Slows | Tax & Accounting Firms Rehire Two-Thirds of Pre-COVID Workforce | Tax & Accounting Firms Rehire Two-Thirds of Pre-COVID Workforce | New Job Cuts at CPA Firms | COVID Job Toll: Tax & Accounting Cuts 17,500 Employees | Firms Recall Half of Furloughed Staffers
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In this report, CPA Trendlines highlights:

  • Current and long-term hiring trends in each of the bookkeeping, payroll, tax, and CPA segments of the industry (all data seasonally adjusted)
  • Average hourly wages for key segments
  • Typical hours worked per week
  • Trends concerning women in the accounting workforce

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Beyond Money Alone: How College Accounting Students Choose Their First Job

PAR Differentiators Students Consider in Accepting Job OffersEY and UT Austin top professors poll.

In considering job offers from competing accounting firms, the most highly sought-after students weigh three criteria equally, and it doesn’t much matter whether the offer is for big money or whether it’s from a Big Four firm anymore, according to a leading survey of several hundred college accounting professors.

Students today consider compensation and benefits, “work/life balance and a family-friendly environment” and a desirable geographic location each about equally, according to the 33rd Annual professors Survey for 2014 by Public Accounting Report.

The difference is barely discernible, PAR reports. On a scale of 0 through 10, with 10 being the most important, professors marginally differentiated between the three in order of importance. They rated compensation and benefits an average of 8.10, quality of life/family-friendly environment 8.09 and desirable geographic location 7.99. READ MORE →

Accounting Salaries to Rise 3.5%

RHPublicAccountingSalaryChart2Top trends: Flexible staffing, retention challenges.

Accounting and finance professionals can expect starting salaries to rise an average of 3.5 percent in the coming year, according to a study from a leading staffing services company.

Creative and marketing professionals are on the same pace, while information technology workers lead the work force gains at an anticipated 5.7 percent overall increase. Overall, U.S. starting salaries for professional occupations are projected to increase an average of 3.8 percent next year. READ MORE →

NEW DATA: Strong, Steady Hiring at Tax, Accounting Firms

Tax, accounting and bookkeeping employment, through August 2014
Tax, accounting and bookkeeping employment, through August 2014

The U.S. tax, accounting and bookkeeping industry remains a bright spot in the nation’s economy, according to CPA Trendlines sources.

Here CPA Trendlines reports on:

  • Current hiring trends in each of the bookkeeping, tax, payroll and CPA segments of the industry.
  • Average hourly wages for key segments.
  • Typical hours worked per week.
  • And trends concerning women in the accounting workforce.

Overall, the U.S. economy added 142,000 jobs last month, 47,000 of them in professional and business services. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate was little changed at 6.1 percent.

CPA Trendlines Careers and Hiring Outlook
Job Satisfaction and Retention Benchmarks

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Accounting Sector Tops 5% Annual Growth Rate

Firms now recovered about 9 in 10 jobs lost in financial collapse.

By CPA Trendlines

The U.S. tax, accounting and bookkeeping industries have recovered nearly 89 percent of the jobs lost in the economic crisis, according to CPA Trendlines sources.

CPA Trendlines Careers and Hiring Outlook

Job Satisfaction and Retention Benchmarks

Join the survey Get the results button 24pt

 

Here CPA Trendlines reports on:

  • Current hiring trends in each of the bookkeeping, tax, payroll and CPA segments of the industry.
  • Average hourly wages for key segments.
  • Typical hours worked per week.
  • And trends concerning women in the accounting workforce.

The U.S. economy as a whole added 209,000 jobs in July. In addition to the growth of 47,000 jobs in professional and business services, increases were seen in the manufacturing, retail trade and construction sectors. The unemployment rate remained stable at 6.2 percent, down from 7.3 percent a year earlier. READ MORE →

Why Is It Always about Partner Compensation?

Good service needs to be rewarded as much as business development.

By August Aquila

It seems like no matter what the topic is at partner meetings, it always reverts to compensation. There isn’t a partner out there who is not interested in his or her compensation, and maybe even more interested in what the other partners make. READ MORE →

New Surge in Wages, Hours, Hiring

Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 4.08.47 PM
Tax, accounting and bookkeeping employment, through February 2014

The U.S. tax, accounting and bookkeeping industries are turning out to be one of the brightest spots in the nation’s economy, adding jobs faster than all but a handful of sectors, according to CPA Trendlines sources.

Here CPA Trendlines reports on:

  • Current hiring trends in each of the bookkeeping, tax, payroll and CPA segments of the industry.
  • Average hourly wages for key segments.
  • Typical hours worked per week.
  • And trends concerning women in the accounting workforce. READ MORE →