If you’re an experienced tax accountant, know that your specialist skills are in high demand right now.
The tax accountant role is one of the hottest jobs in finance and accounting for 2022, according to the latest Robert Half Salary Guide, and compensation for this role can be robust. And if you’re seeking your first tax accountant job, you’ll find that entry-level positions can offer attractive salaries, too.
Let’s take a closer look at current compensation trends for this in-demand role.
What type of tax accountant salary could you earn?
Below is an overview of average starting salaries for various tax accounting roles in corporate accounting and public accounting in 2022, based on research for our latest Salary Guide. These are salaries that candidates with average experience and most of the necessary skills for the job could expect to earn. The role also may be in an industry where competition for talent is moderate.
Corporate accounting
- Entry-level tax accountant: $56,500
- Tax accountant (1-3 years of experience): $76,000
- Senior tax accountant: $93,250
- Tax manager: $119,000
Public accounting
- Entry-level tax accountant: $50,250
- Tax accountant (1-3 years of experience): $61,500
- Senior tax accountant: $75,500
- Manager of tax services: $110,000
Keep in mind that when an employer establishes a starting tax accountant salary, multiple factors come into play, including experience level, skills and expertise, and job complexity and responsibilities.
You can consult our Salary Guide to find average compensation levels for tax accountant roles that require more or less experience, as well as salaries for many other jobs in finance and accounting.
Tax accountant duties and expectations
Your responsibilities as a tax accountant depend on your experience level. In entry-level tax accountant jobs, you can expect to do these tasks:
- Assisting with tax preparation
- Researching tax laws and regulations
- Maintaining tax records
- Providing assistance during tax audits
- Administering the tax compliance calendar
- Responding to notices from tax authorities
Candidates for the tax accountant position must possess a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Employers also look for candidates who have excellent organizational, research and communication skills.
If you recently graduated and you’re aiming for an entry-level tax accountant job, know that relevant work experience earned during college will make your resume more attractive to hiring managers.
What experience do you need for a senior-level tax accountant job?
If you are seeking a more senior role as a tax accountant, employers will typically look for several years of tax accounting experience. (At least five years for a tax manager role.)
Individuals who have earned a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) or accreditation, such as the CPA or Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation, often have an advantage when pursuing more senior-level tax accountant positions, especially for management roles.
Note that many companies hiring for corporate tax accounting roles prefer to hire candidates with a public accounting background.
See this post to learn about more than 10 different finance and accounting certifications that many employers value today, and what it takes to earn them.
Also, be sure to check out this post, which is all about earning and maintaining a CPA license.
Other professional experience and skills for tax accountants
Every tax accountant should have top-notch research, organization and communication skills. A commitment to ethics and strong attention to detail are also critical to success in this role.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is usually expected. And for tax accountant positions requiring more than one year of experience, employers often seek candidates who also understand enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
Data analytics skills, and the ability to present findings effectively (such as through data visualizations), are also big pluses. Today, many businesses are using tax analytics to get more insight from their financial data to improve processes, reduce risks, and enhance business performance. And as companies become more data-driven, generally, the ability to work with an array of technology tools and applications becomes even more important for the future of work in the fields of finance and accounting.
Search for tax accountant jobs on the Robert Half website now.
