Do public or private accountants make more money

Accounting professionals have many significant career options, making it one of the most practical applications of a business degree. In general, the accounting field is about recording and analyzing business activities. Accountants provide organizations with financial information so that executives can make informed and effective decisions. Accounting professionals also help to ensure that a business is running ethically and efficiently. There are two main career areas within the field of accounting: public and private. Public accountants provide auditing, tax, advisory and consulting services. If you work in public accounting, you will interact with a wide variety of clients and will generally be a licensed certified public accountant CPA. Private accounting is concerned with the inner workings of businesses, governments and agencies.

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Everywhere you turn, people are making leaps into incredible, satisfying careers. Your friends are announcing new jobs on social media and your favorite blogs are constantly featuring stories of people who landed the job of their dreams. A career in accounting sounds better every day, but you need to be sure you choose the path that works for you and your family. Public accounting is the branch of accounting where an accountant works with a range of clients to review and prepare financial documents that an individual or corporation is required to disclose to the public. In simple terms, public accountants work to verify important financial documents, reports and disclosures from an outside perspective. Often the work of private accounting professionals is reviewed and audited by public accounting firms—this provides a sort of independent stamp of approval verifying that their private internal accounting practices meet reporting standards. On paper, the distinction between these two sectors of accounting may sound relatively minor. But this simple difference can make a big impact on what your life as an accountant could look like. But beyond that, the two work environments can vary quite a bit. Private accountants work for a single company. They can expect to work fairly regular hours in the comfort of the office their boss assigns to them. They often own their own businesses or work for public accounting firms. They work with a wide variety of clients—from individuals to corporations, and potentially even the government. Public accountants travel to wherever their clients are located. They do their work wherever a client has space for them and they are often under the pressure of strict deadlines—which can lead to long workdays.

Most accounting professionals eventually leave public accounting. There are some especially exciting and lucrative prospects for Big 4 professionals. Here are the top 10 reasons to consider a change now:. Take the time after busy season to consider other opportunities. While it may seem that there is never maoe good time to leave public accounting, once busy season ends, take time to do research, start networking and go on interviews. As the months go on, your competition will get more intense. There are opportunities for every level. Private companies are hungry to hire public accounting professionals, with experience ranging from two to ten years. Coming out of a Big Four or Regional or even smaller accounting firm, chances are there are multiple positions for you to consider. WinterWyman is helping some do public or private accountants make more money our best clients find audit professionals publlc the areas of:. There are a wide range of industry opportunities. For example, a hot technology company with double digit growth is hiring its first ever Director of SEC Reporting.