Accountants
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Accountants provide services relating to financial reporting, taxation, auditing, insolvency, accounting information systems, budgeting, cost management, planning and decision-making by organisations and individuals; and provide advice on associated compliance and performance requirements to ensure statutory and strategic governance.
Tasks
-
assisting in formulating budgetary and accounting policies
-
preparing financial statements for presentation to boards of directors, management, shareholders, and governing and statutory bodies
-
conducting financial investigations, preparing reports, undertaking audits and advising on matters such as the purchase and sale of businesses, mergers, capital financing, suspected fraud, insolvency and taxation
-
examining operating costs and organisations' income and expenditure
-
providing assurance about the accuracy of information contained in financial reports and their compliance with statutory requirements
-
providing financial and taxation advice on business structures, plans and operations
-
preparing taxation returns for individuals and organisations
-
liaising with financial institutions and brokers to establish funds management arrangements
-
introducing and maintaining accounting systems, and advising on the selection and application of computer-based accounting systems
-
maintaining internal control systems
-
may appraise cash flow and financial risk of capital investment projects
Characteristics
-
University
-
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
-
Administrative
-
Enterprising
-
Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to grow strongly
- is likely to reach 212,800 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 157,500 |
2012 | 166,700 |
2013 | 168,600 |
2014 | 185,900 |
2015 | 187,700 |
2016 | 194,300 |
2017 | 188,900 |
2018 | 187,400 |
2019 | 192,800 |
2020 | 203,800 |
2021 | 194,900 |
2026 | 212,800 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
-
Around 80% of people employed as Accountants work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 14 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).
Median full-time earnings are $1,756 per week, this is higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):
- 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,347
- 1 in 4 earn more than $2,213
Median hourly earnings are $47, this is more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).
Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.
Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)
Earnings | Accountants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Earnings | 1,756 | 1,593 |
Total Earnings | 0 | 0 |
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Industries
Main industries
-
Accountants work in industries like:
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Financial and insurance services
- Public administration and safety
- Manufacturing.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Accountants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 38.7 | 31.6 |
VIC | 27.2 | 25.6 |
QLD | 15.2 | 20.0 |
SA | 5.4 | 7.0 |
WA | 9.9 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.2 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.5 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.9 | 1.9 |
-
Around 79% of Accountants live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
New South Wales has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
-
The median age of Accountants is 38 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 52% of the workforce. This is 4 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Accountants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.4 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 6.3 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 31.8 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 27.1 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 18.8 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 6.3 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 4.6 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 4.7 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 38 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
The minimum qualification needed to work as an Accountant is a diploma of accounting. However, the majority of Accountants have a bachelor degree in accounting or a related field majoring in accounting.
Registration with one of Australia's three peak accounting bodies is required.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Financial Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Accountants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 24.7 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 58.6 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 7.3 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 2.1 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 6.0 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.5 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 0.9 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Accountants who can connect with others, communicate clearly and are well presented.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
55%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
54%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
-
54%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
-
52%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
52%
SpeakingTalking to others.
-
50%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
50%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
-
48%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
-
48%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
48%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
46%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
46%
Operations analysisUnderstanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
-
45%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
-
43%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
43%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
-
43%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
-
41%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
41%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
39%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
37%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
79%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
-
76%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
70%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
62%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
60%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
57%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
52%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
46%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
43%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
30%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
28%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
28%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
26%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
24%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
20%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
18%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
17%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
12%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
-
12%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
8%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
-
63%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
-
61%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
-
61%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
-
57%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
-
57%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
-
57%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
-
55%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
54%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
54%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
54%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
-
52%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
50%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
45%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
-
45%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
-
39%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
-
39%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
39%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
37%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
37%
Finger dexterityPut together small parts with your fingers.
-
34%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
78%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
77%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
70%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
69%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
69%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
68%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
68%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
66%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
63%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
61%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
-
60%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
60%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
56%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
-
53%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
-
53%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
52%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
-
52%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
51%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
49%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
49%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
100%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
57%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
43%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
24%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
19%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
14%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
-
76%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
71%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
71%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
71%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
69%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
67%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
-
96%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
94%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
93%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
93%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
93%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
-
92%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
90%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
87%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
84%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
83%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
77%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
77%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
75%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
75%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
75%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
65%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
-
64%
Automation of tasksDo tasks that are mostly automated.
-
63%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
63%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
-
61%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 13-2011.01 - Accountants.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
-
Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.