Career field
Finance & Accounting Jobs in the USA
Finance and accounting jobs keep the money side of every organization accurate and compliant. Accountants and bookkeepers record transactions and close the books each month, auditors check that financial statements are correct, and tax professionals prepare returns and plan for individuals and companies. Financial analysts build budgets and forecasts, while banks, credit unions and insurers hire tellers, loan officers, underwriters and credit analysts. Entry roles such as accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll specialist are good starting points and often lead to staff accountant positions. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license, issued by state boards, opens doors to public accounting and senior roles, and its education and experience requirements differ by state. Strong Excel skills are expected almost everywhere, and familiarity with accounting software such as QuickBooks, NetSuite or SAP helps. Busy seasons, such as tax season and year-end close, can mean longer hours, so ask about them in interviews.
Updated
Latest finance & accounting job openings
Common finance & accounting job titles
Select a title to search current openings.
Skills employers ask for
Skills that appear often in postings for this field. Check each posting for its exact requirements.
- Excel (lookups, pivot tables, modeling)
- Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)
- Month-end close and reconciliations
- QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP or Oracle
- Financial modeling and forecasting
- Tax basics
- Internal controls
- Attention to detail
- Clear reporting to non-finance managers
- Confidentiality
Finance & Accounting pay: how to check what a job pays
Pay varies with credentials such as the CPA, industry and city. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers accountants and auditors, financial analysts and bookkeeping clerks; compare those figures with the range in the posting.
We do not publish salary averages of our own. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and our salary negotiation guide.
Finance & Accounting jobs by city
Explore major US job markets, or search remote openings.
Watch out for job scams
Real employers never charge you to apply. Walk away if you see any of these:
- You are asked to pay for training, equipment, a background check or an application fee.
- They send a check and ask you to buy equipment from their vendor or send part of it back.
- The 'job' is receiving money into your account, or packages at home, and forwarding them.
- You get an offer without a real phone or video interview, often after a chat-only exchange.
Finance & Accounting jobs: frequently asked questions
Do I need a CPA to work in accounting?
No. Many accounting, bookkeeping, payroll and financial analyst jobs do not require a CPA. The license is needed to sign audit opinions and is valued for public accounting and senior roles. Requirements are set by each state board of accountancy.
What entry-level finance jobs are there?
Common starting roles include accounts payable or receivable clerk, payroll specialist, bank teller, staff accountant, junior financial analyst and tax preparer. Seasonal tax preparation work is another way in.
Are remote accounting jobs common?
Yes, many bookkeeping, accounts payable and accounting roles are remote or hybrid. Expect to use cloud accounting software and secure document portals.
What is a red flag in a finance job ad?
Be cautious of 'payment processing' or 'financial assistant' jobs that ask you to receive money into your own bank account and forward it. That is a money mule scheme and can expose you to criminal liability.
Job search guides
Plain-English guides for job seekers in the US.
- Spot job scamsLearn the warning signs of fake job offers in the US: fake check and equipment scams, pay-to-train schemes, reshipping and task scams, and how to report them to the FTC and IC3.
- US resume guideA practical guide to the American resume: one or two pages, no photo, the sections recruiters expect, how applicant tracking systems read it, and how to tailor it to each job.
- Interview preparationPrepare for phone, video and in-person interviews in the US: research the employer, answer common and behavioral questions with the STAR method, ask good questions and follow up.
- Salary negotiationHow to research fair pay in the US, answer salary expectation questions, compare total compensation and negotiate a job offer politely, with sample wording.
Free career tools
Browser-based AltFTool tools for resumes, interviews, pay and scam checks. No sign-up.
- Resume MakerBuild a clean, ATS-friendly resume in your browser and export it.
- Cover LetterDraft a cover letter that matches the job you are applying for.
- Interview Question finderPractice common interview questions for your role.
- Career Prompt BuilderBuild AI prompts for resumes, cover letters, interview prep and salary negotiation.
- Job Offer Comparison ToolCompare job offers side by side, including pay and benefits.
- Hourly to Salary CalculatorConvert an hourly wage into weekly, monthly and yearly pay.
- VisaScout: compare visa providersCompare visa service providers, prices and processing times.
- AltFTool Backlinks directoryOur directory of places to list and promote a site or portfolio.