An Open Thread on Accountants’ Salaries at the Big 4: What Do You Make?

By Caleb Newquist

money.jpgWe received a request over the weekend to discuss everyone’s favorite topic: money.

This is a great idea on many levels since A) it’s been quite some time since we’ve dedicated a post to the subject B) there are plenty of newbies that have started since then but mostly C) knowing what everyone else is making is your God-given right.

Hopefully, this new thread will get everyone up to speed (or just completely pissed off on a Monday) and ready to run through brick walls in 2010.
In the comments, provide the following:
• Salary without bonus, bonus amount
• Level
• Practice (audit/tax/advisory), practice subgroup
• Firm, city/region
• Other notes/complaints
The reader requesting the thread, was kind enough to provide their details:
• $52k, $3k (in start year, bonus was a whopping $0 this year)
• Associate 2
• Audit
• PwC, Northern California

This is an equal opportunity post so regardless of your firm, get your numbers out there (this means you: GT, BDO, RSM/M&P, Crowe, Moss Adams, anyone else).

UPDATE, Tuesday: Thanks for all the input so far. Feel free to email us if you want to give us more details on your salary or ideas or other related thread discussions.

Other money related discussions:
Problem of the Day: Do You Quit Your High-Paying Job with the Idiot Boss?
Satisfied with Your Salary?
Problem of the Day: Your Staff Makes the Same Money As You (Maybe More)


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  • guest
    Damn it I wanna go to America. I work at EY but in the Third World, and we still get those 100 hour busy seasons(I got a weekend off on Chinese New Year/Valentine's day, so it isn't all THAT BAD)
  • anon
    Fall 2010 Tax Staff 1 New Hire
    $56,000 + no bonus + $1,000 relocation
    EY - NYC
    grad student at UT-Austin (all of us going to NYC are getting comparable pay ($1,000 variation between all 4 B4)
  • GL
    52k, no bonus
    3-yr associate
    audit
    pwc los angeles
  • Jeff Blake
    55K
    Associate (New Hire)
    GT, DC
  • .... think
    Fresh Termination lol wouldn't post with your name
  • Jeff Blake
    55K
    Associate (new hire)
    GT advisory - dc
  • guest
    59k
    Associate (almost 3 years)
    No raise last year
    The new hires that came into my group this year have their MBA's and are making 10k more and they report to me!

    NYC Tax
  • Guest
    • $63,000, $1,300 in bonuses in 2009
    • 1st year senior associate
    • Tax, International Tax Services
    • PwC, Boston
  • $55K, no bonus
    Associate
    M&P; Audit, Carolinas
  • DTphx
    $92k (no bonus since I wasn't rated a 2....)
    2nd Year Manager
    AERS
    Deloitte, Phoenix
  • guest
    @300, but isn't that fixed into the budget. What I mean is if they think an associate is going to work 500 hours on an engagement isn't that factored into the budget?
  • guest
    why do you all think you deserve more than 50k? audit work could be done by a robot/monkey. do any of you understand what fair market value is? what you get paid is what you are worth on the market, otherwise...ding ding ding! you would be getting paid more. but you're not. which means, you are worth 50k etc.
    the sense of entitlement the system somehow instilled in you momma's boys is astounding.
    you are worth 50k! hahah i read this in a previous post... i hope your job gets outsourced to india... you know, i bet someone in india would appreciate your job a lot more and not feel like they deserve the world for adding up a few columns of numbers.
    of course you're all in denial and this post will just anger you further and fuel your sense of injustice.
    i feel like i shouldn't even tell you this. the world needs auditors so there will be less competition for the real money.
    50k! sorry, 60k? or is it 70k? hahah getting worked up over 20k. hahha wtf.
    on with the show!
  • guest
    why do you all think you deserve more than 50k? audit work could be done by a robot/monkey. do any of you understand what fair market value is? what you get paid is what you are worth on the market, otherwise...ding ding ding! you would be getting paid more. but you're not. which means, you are worth 50k etc.
    the sense of entitlement the system somehow instilled in you momma's boys is astounding.
    you are worth 50k! hahah i read this in a previous post... i hope your job gets outsourced to india... you know, i bet someone in india would appreciate your job a lot more and not feel like they deserve the world for adding up a few columns of numbers.
    of course you're all in denial and this post will just anger you further and fuel your sense of injustice.
    i feel like i shouldn't even tell you this. the world needs auditors so there will be less competition for the real money.
    50k! sorry, 60k? or is it 70k? hahah getting worked up over 20k. hahha wtf.
    on with the show!
  • guest
    $168k, with $6,200 bonus and no raise, Snr Manager-Audit (9 years) at B4 National in NYC
  • guest
    @298 I wish I could get enough seniors to understand that. I have used consultants in the past to do tax work for our company and I usually pay 120/hour and can work them 30 weeks a year. Too me the math comes out better. I have asked first year seniors if they are interested and they say they would make more at B4
  • guest
    300?
    @298: they are a cost because the audit is a fix fee. And that's why you have busy season and etc. That why they pay 1 associate 50k and work him/her 75hrs/wk. They may 'show' the client how many hours they worked, but they won't get more money (unless unusual circumstances where the audit did not run smoothly and the client was at fault somehow).
  • guest
    Almost at...
  • guest
    @297 agree. Shouldn't happen but it kinda is what it is. I don't understand why you guys are saying associates don't add value & they're an expense. They pay audit associates what mid 50k a year.
    Lets say for arguements sake 52 weeks in a year lets throw out a month so 48 weeks times 40 hours in a week is 1920 let's say you bill 70% of your time during the year thats 1344 hours lets round down to 1300 if you bill at just $100 an hour that $130,000 a year you bring in & they pay mid 50k in salary so again why are associates just some expense? I'm sure all audit associates only work 40 hours a week too & bill at 100 an hr right? lol So why aren't they revenue earners now? Associates add add add to partner distributions.
  • guest
    I agree that shouldn't happen, but it's the reality, and it happens all the time and that's why people jump ship to get a bump on the salary.
  • guest
    @295: can we agree that this should not be happening? If you're getting paid more as an associate than as a senior, the roles need to be reversed. (btw: I don't hear this happening all that much....but plenty of times where the pay difference is under $500).
  • guest
    @292, no, masters isn't really that important in public accounting. A CPA is WAY more important.
    As far as you getting paid more than your senior, it's really more of a timing issue. The senior got a non-existent or anemic raise, whereas they bring in college kids at a higher rate than when your senior started.
    In any case, I wouldn't be surprised whenever you become a senior, your underlying may get paid more.
  • guest
    $120, no bonus or raise in FY2010.
    MBA, working on PhD
    2nd Year Sr. Assoc
    PwC, Advisory
    Worked in industry for 7 years prior to joining Big4
  • guest
    $55k. 4k signing bonus. (no end of year bonus)
    Undergrad degree only
    1st year Tax Staff
    Mid-Atlantic
    EY
  • guest
    Will we make 300? Anyhow... as a staff with a master's degree I make more than the senior I work for... I wonder about that sometimes. Is a masters really helpful in an audit?
  • guest
    105K no bonus or raise
    Manager - 1st yr
    KPMG Advisory
    Northeast
  • guest
    @257. PwC Columbus may be hiring (outside of the intern pool) as we have been a bit busy and I bet there will be a little voluntary turnover in the near future. I know Cleveland is hurting more in terms of managers/senior associates.
  • guest
    As auditors you are all massively overpaid for what is frankly a worthless output.
  • guest
    $53k, $7K starting bonus
    Audit Associate 1
    GT Boston
  • guest
    £32k ~ $52k, £3k bonus
    3rd year - Assistant Manager
    Deloitte London - Audit
  • guest
    £32k ~ $52k, £3k bonus
    3rd year - Assistant Manager
    Deloitte London - Audit
  • guest
    at 268, what are YOU smoking? Associates on an audit engagement are DEFINITELY an expense (refer to post at 281 which is right on). Seniors start to add a little (immaterial) value. Managers can either be an expense or a revenue item depending on apptitude. Same would go for senior manager, partner, etc.
  • guest
    at 277 - arrogant prick! Bet you have a lot more debt to pay off too. Oh and I'm so sure you're worth every penny of that $160K (note sarcasm). If you're anything like the new associates at my B4 firm you think you know everything then crap all over the budget and f*ck everything up until the reviewing associate or partner holds your little hand, shows you the ropes, and proves just how little you actually learned in law school. I've had conversations with law firm partners who have said their first year associates are the most overpaid of any profession. Suck on that.
  • guest
    at 277 - arrogant prick! Bet you have a lot more debt to pay off too. Oh and I'm so sure you're worth every penny of that $160K (note sarcasm). If you're anything like the new associates at my B4 firm you think you know everything then crap all over the budget and f*ck everything up until the reviewing associate or partner holds your little hand, shows you the ropes, and proves just how little you actually learned in law school. I've had conversations with law firm partners who have said their first year associates are the most overpaid of any profession. Suck on that.
  • guest
    wow-this is incredible-you guys are selling yourselves really short. I was making over 55K + Bonus as a LIBRARIAN for one of the big 4s...in the Southeast.
  • guest
    @266- I started this year with that- actually $4k bonus but yes $60k... kinda upset that I lost out on $1k...
  • guest
    $160k, 1st year associate, V20 law firm. Sucks to be an accountant!
  • guest
    $57K, 3rd yr senior, $500 performance bonus
    B4, Pac NW
  • guest
    I am post 273 & 274. I realized I had forgotten to mention "The firm that can't be named" KPMG.
  • guest
    More specifically on the bonuses, I mean contingent need to stay xx months or have to pay back. My point is why does it take about 1 to 3 years to ask for a debt needed to be paid back? Especially in these tough times!
  • guest
    This is sort of off-topic; about bonuses. This is more for people who have left the Big Four in the last couple years. Has anyone been getting notice of having to pay back any bonuses (1 to 3 years after they left!) that they received, but were told when they left in their exit interview that they were forgiven?! I guess what I would say to people who plan to leave is to make sure to get EVERYTHING in writing before you leave!
    I know there are many people who are having to pay back bonuses they received two years ago!!
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