What is the salary and career path for a internal auditor?
Internal auditor is reported within Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011), the close-matching BLS code that houses the auditing side; the OEWS May 2025 median is $83,680 a year ($40.23 an hour), from $56,020 at the 10th percentile to $144,090 at the 90th for audit managers and directors. BLS projects 4.6% growth for the code over 2024–2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 124,200 openings a year. The role needs an accounting or finance degree, and the IIA's CIA credential — plus the CISA for IT audit — defines the internal-audit track.
- Internal Auditors earn a national median $83,680/yr ($40.23/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-2011); the top 10% clear $144,090.
- Internal auditor is the auditing specialty within Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011); the IIA's CIA is the defining credential, with the CISA for IT audit.
- BLS projects 4.6% growth for the code through 2034 — about average — with roughly 124,200 openings a year.
- Pay runs from a staff auditor near $56,020 to an audit manager or director at the $144,090 top decile, with the CIA and CISA as the key levers.
Career Path
How do you become an internal auditor?
Staff internal auditor
Testing controls and documenting workpapers, a staff auditor starts near the $56,020 10th percentile.
Internal Auditor
Owning audits and control testing for an area earns around the $83,680 code median.
Senior internal auditor
Leading complex, risk-based audits pushes pay toward the $109,810 75th percentile.
Audit manager / director
Managing the internal-audit function and audit plan reaches the $144,090 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays internal auditors the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-2011. National median: $83,680. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does internal auditor pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles internal auditors most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: internal auditors rank 3 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +4.6% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly internal auditors 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 13-2011 (internal auditors) 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 internal auditors need?
The standard educational base for an internal-audit role. See all state licences →
The Institute of Internal Auditors' credential that is the defining certification for internal audit.
The ISACA credential for IT and information-systems auditing.
The AICPA/state-board CPA, valued where internal audit intersects financial reporting.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do internal auditors use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-2011
Salary Levers
How do internal auditors earn above the $83,680 BLS median?
CIA and CISA credentials
The CIA and CISA move pay off the $56,020 staff band toward and above the $83,680 median.
IT audit and specialization
IT, cyber and data-audit expertise commands premiums toward the upper percentiles.
Advancement to audit manager
Managing the internal-audit function pushes pay toward the $144,090 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an internal auditor 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 13-2011. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Internal Auditor Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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