Demystifying the Journey Ahead

One of the most commonly asked questions I see online in accounting forums is people asking what they can make at a given point in their careers. So we’ve decided to make it clear in a nice visual format for you all. Here’s what you can expect to earn over the first 10 years of your career in accounting, and the difference in earnings when we compare the different paths ahead.

But first, a quick ask

I love sharing out analysis like this that can help guide you through your career in accounting. But for the first time ever, we actually have more people subscribed to this newsletter than people who anonymously contributed to the database in 2025. And the data we share is only as good as what gets submitted, so I ask you to please take the 2 minutes it takes to anonymously contribute to our database here.

It may seem small, but each submission is immensely helpful to the next person who can use that data to understand how they should be valuing themselves in the accounting market. And if there’s any way I can provide more value to make it worth your while, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! It sincerely means the world to me to be able to offer this tool to the broader accounting community.

What should I be earning over the first 10 years of my career?

That’s the question we’re going to answer today. Of course as you project forward you should factor in inflation increases, and this is based on country-wide averages, so if you’re in a high or low cost of living area that will also have an impact on the data. But as a general guiding light, this should do the trick for you.

US 10 Year Salary Progression

Starting off, here are the average earnings based on 2025 data for Tax and Audit salaries (which are generally pretty similar)

And below are the average earnings in the advisory and consulting service lines in the US

Now for the Canadian readers, here are the salaries for Tax and Audit

And here they are for Canadians in Consulting and Advisory - some of these were normalized using data from 2024 as well particularly at the more senior levels where the data was a bit thinner

Current Roles we’re hiring for from the Big 4 Transparency Talent Pool

In the work I do with Big 4 Transparency I get to come across some amazing firms. Firms that show that there are different paths available for you if the flavour of firm you’re at now doesn’t suit your needs - where busy season is more of a breeze and you can learn more about the entrepreneurial journey and be closer to the action without sacrificing on resources. I’m talking about some amazing regional midsized, and remote-first small practices. If that sounds good to you, wait until you find out that Big 4 Transparency will pay you $1,000 when you make it past a 3 month probationary period at a firm we place you in. Here’s the jobs we’re hiring for right now:

• Senior Audit Associate - Lincolnshire, Chicago & Miami

• International Tax Manager or Senior Manager - Lincolnshire, Chicago & Miami

• CAS Accounting Senior Manager - Lincolnshire, Chicago & Miami

• Business Tax Senior, Manager or Senior Manager - Lincolnshire, Chicago & Miami

• Private Client Tax Senior or Manager - Lincolnshire, Chicago & Miami

• Tax Manager (Remote, USA)

• Tax Senior (Remote, USA)

To be considered for these roles, or future opportunities, please make a submission over at our Talent Pool Page. And if you’re looking to stick it out through busy-seaon but contemplating a move after, the firms currently hiring can also be flexible on timing to accomodate for that.