What is the salary and career path for a accounting manager?
Accounting manager is reported within Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031), the closely matching BLS code that houses accounting-department leaders; the OEWS May 2025 median for the code is $166,570 a year ($80.08 an hour), though accounting managers typically sit in the lower-to-middle range of the code, above the $94,310 10th percentile, with the code reaching $323,270 at the 90th percentile for finance directors and CFOs. BLS projects 14.8% growth for financial managers over 2024–2034, much faster than average, with roughly 74,600 openings a year. The role is reached from a senior-accountant base, usually with a CPA or CMA.
- Accounting Managers earn a national median $166,570/yr ($80.08/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3031); the top 10% clear $323,270.
- Accounting manager sits within Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031), typically in the lower-middle of the code above the $94,310 10th percentile rather than at the $166,570 code median.
- BLS projects 14.8% growth for financial managers through 2034 — much faster than average — with roughly 74,600 openings a year.
- Pay runs from a senior accountant near $94,310 to a controller or CFO at the $323,270 top decile, with the CPA or CMA as the credential base.
Career Path
How do you become a accounting manager?
Senior accountant
Owning the close and reporting for an area, a senior accountant sits above the $94,310 10th percentile of the code.
Accounting Manager
Leading the close and an accounting team earns in the lower-middle of the $166,570 code median band.
Controller
Owning the whole accounting function pushes pay toward the $219,980 75th percentile.
VP finance / CFO
Leading finance for the company reaches the $323,270 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays accounting managers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3031. National median: $166,570. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does accounting manager pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles accounting managers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: accounting managers rank 1 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +14.8% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly accounting managers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3031 (accounting managers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do accounting managers need?
The standard educational base for an accounting-management role. See all state licences →
The AICPA/state-board Certified Public Accountant credential most accounting managers hold or pursue.
The IMA credential valued for corporate cost and management accounting leadership.
Proven command of GAAP and the ability to run a controlled month-end close.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do accounting managers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 11-3031
Salary Levers
How do accounting managers earn above the $166,570 BLS median?
CPA or CMA
Holding the CPA or CMA supports movement above the $94,310 base of the code into the manager band.
Team and close scope
Managing larger teams and multi-entity consolidations lifts pay toward the code median and beyond.
Advancement to controller and CFO
Moving into controller and finance-leadership roles pushes pay toward the $323,270 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an accounting manager worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3031. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Accounting Manager Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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