DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
13-2011 Accountants and Auditors
Occupational Description:
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data. Excludes “Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents” (13-2081).| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| EDR 1 - Northwest | 270 | 75 | $25.88/hr | $0.84/hr | $17.74/hr | $20.48/hr | $24.07/hr | $29.58/hr | $38.99/hr |
| Minnesota | 22,350 | 626 | $30.86/hr | $0.25/hr | $20.52/hr | $24.33/hr | $29.04/hr | $35.74/hr | $44.07/hr |
| U S | 1,085,150 | 5,426 | $34.40/hr | $0.07/hr | $19.44/hr | $23.99/hr | $30.83/hr | $40.81/hr | $53.88/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change - | |
| Financial Managers | 100 | $35.56/hr | N/A |
| Cost Estimators | 60 | $20.02/hr | N/A |
| Purchasing Managers | 20 | $43.47/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Accountants and Auditors
- Analyzes operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations incurred, to project future revenues and expenses, using computer.
- Predicts revenues and expenditures, and submits reports to management.
- Surveys establishment operations to ascertain accounting needs.
- Computes taxes owed, ensures compliance with tax payment, reporting, and other tax requirements, and represents establishment before taxing authority.
- Directs activities of workers performing accounting and bookkeeping tasks.
- Adapts accounting and record keeping functions to current technology of computerized accounting systems.
- Appraises, evaluates, and inventories real property and equipment, and records description, value, location, and other information.
- Prepares forms and manuals for workers performing accounting and bookkeeping tasks.
- Audits contracts, and prepares reports to substantiate transactions prior to settlement.
- Establishes table of accounts, and assigns entries to proper accounts.
- Develops, implements, modifies, and documents budgeting, cost, general, property, and tax accounting systems.
- Develops, maintains, and analyzes budgets, and prepares periodic reports comparing budgeted costs to actual costs.
- Analyzes records of financial transactions to determine accuracy and completeness of entries, using computer.
- Reports finances of establishment to management, and advises management about resource utilization, tax strategies, and assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
- Prepares balance sheet, profit and loss statement, amortization and depreciation schedules, and other financial reports, using calculator or computer.
- Reviews data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income, and expenditures.
- Reports to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommends changes in operations and financial activities.
- Analyzes data for deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
- Examines payroll and personnel records to determine worker's compensation coverage.
- Verifies journal and ledger entries by examining inventory.
- Examines records, tax returns, and related documents pertaining to settlement of decedent's estate
- Directs activities of personnel engaged in filing, recording, compiling and transmitting financial records.
- Supervises auditing of establishments, and determines scope of investigation required.
- Examines records and interviews workers to ensure recording of transactions and compliance with laws and regulations.
- Evaluates taxpayer finances to determine tax liability, using knowledge of interest and discount, annuities, valuation of stocks and bonds, and amortization valuation of depletable assets.
- Confers with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
- Audits records to determine unemployment insurance premiums, liabilities, and compliance with tax laws.
- Reviews taxpayer accounts, and conducts audits on-site, by correspondence, or by summoning taxpayer to office.
- Inspects cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks.
- Analyzes annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures, to determine financial condition.
- Inspects account books and system for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.