Pay hits new high.
Employment dipped again last month in the accounting and bookkeeping sector, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The news came as the U.S. unemployment rate was reported for the second month in a row at 9.6%, despite eight months of minor, but measurable, national job growth.
The BLS counted 888,900 employees in accounting and bookkeeping services, down 7,600 from August’s 896,000 level. The figures are seasonally adjusted and subject to revision, but the downward trend since the February 2007 peak remains stark.
On the other hand, the average hourly earnings for accountants and bookkeepers has been stutter-stepping upward, reaching $27.41 in the latest month, a new high since the government started releasing the data.
For CPA firms, specifically, job numbers continued a sawtooth pattern, ending down again for the latest month, at 390,600 employees.
Meanwhile, pay rates at CPA firms hit a new high of $32.20 per hour on average.
