← Business and finance

ANZSCO 2211Skill level 1Business and finance

Accountant

Prepare and audit financial statements, manage tax obligations and advise clients on business performance.

Registration: CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants ANZ for senior practice

HSC ATAR calculatorVCE ATAR calculatorQCE ATAR calculator

Salary

Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.

FigureAUDSource
Full-time weekly earnings$1850Job Outlook (2025-06-01)
Graduate starting salary$65,000QILT (2025-03-01)

How far does this stretch in each city?

What a accountant actually does

Most accountants split the day between client work and internal compliance. Mornings often go to reviewing journals, chasing missing receipts, and preparing or signing off on BAS, FBT and payroll tax submissions. Afternoons can be heavier on client calls, audit walkthroughs, or putting together management reports for a monthly close. Public-practice firms run busier in May-July (tax season) and October-November (audit). In-house corporate accountants hit peaks at month-end and at half-year and full-year reporting. Hours sit at 38-45 per week in normal periods and stretch to 50-60 in busy season at the larger firms. Most of the day is desk-based in an open-plan office or hybrid from home, with mid-tier and Big Four staff spending more time on client sites during audit and advisory engagements.

Typical tasks

  • Prepare financial statements for entities.
  • Conduct statutory and management reporting.
  • Advise on tax obligations and planning.

Skills you'll use

  • Double-entry bookkeeping and reconciliations
  • Australian tax law (income tax, GST, FBT, payroll)
  • Excel including pivot tables and Power Query
  • Reading and applying AASB accounting standards
  • Writing clear explanations of numbers for non-finance audiences
  • Working to deadlines without dropping accuracy
  • Using cloud ledgers like Xero, MYOB or NetSuite

How to become one

  1. 1Finish Year 12 with English plus Maths Advanced or Methods (Maths Standard is accepted by some unis but limits your options)
  2. 2Complete a 3-year accredited Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Accounting, or Bachelor of Business with an accounting major
  3. 3Join a graduate programme in public practice, industry, or government (most large firms recruit a year before graduation)
  4. 4Enrol in the CPA Program (CPA Australia) or CA Program (CA ANZ). Both run 3-4 years part-time alongside full-time work
  5. 5Pass the foundation exams (CPA has six, CA has three plus a capstone) and complete the required mentored practical experience hours
  6. 6Apply for CPA or CA membership once exams and experience are complete. This is when most accountants step up to senior pay

Where you can work

  • Big-four accounting firms
  • Mid-tier and boutique public-practice firms
  • Finance teams inside ASX-listed corporates
  • Federal and state government finance departments
  • The Australian Taxation Office
  • Not-for-profits and government-business enterprises
  • Self-employed sole practitioner serving small business

Career progression

Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.

  1. Graduate
    0-2 years
    Typical roles: Audit graduate, Tax graduate, Assurance analyst
    Salary band: $60,000 - $72,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  2. Senior
    3-5 years
    Typical roles: Senior accountant, Senior auditor, Senior tax consultant
    Salary band: $85,000 - $115,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  3. Manager
    6-9 years
    Typical roles: Audit manager, Tax manager, Financial controller
    Salary band: $130,000 - $180,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  4. Partner or CFO
    12+ years
    Typical roles: Audit partner, Tax partner, Chief Financial Officer

Is this for you?

You might love this if

  • You like getting numbers to reconcile to the cent
  • You can explain a tax or accounting rule to a non-expert without making them feel stupid
  • You're willing to study heavily for 3-4 years after your degree
  • You're patient with rules and process
  • You can hold a confidential conversation without leaking detail

This might not suit you if

  • You hate detail and want to work mostly in big-picture strategy
  • You can't stand sitting at a desk for long stretches
  • You want fully remote work with no client interaction
  • You want a job that's done at 5pm every day year-round (busy season is real)

Three ways in

Uni, TAFE and trade routes for accountant. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.

University

Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.

TAFE / VET

Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.

Apprenticeship trade

Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.

Not an apprenticeship trade.

Sources

ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.