Range spans staff to senior accountant. Live postings: GHJ Senior Accountant $80,000-$100,000 (LA); Kikoff Senior GL Accountant $125,000-$135,000 (SF). 'Senior or manager' figure is Robert Half's Assistant Controller midpoint.
Experience to get here
Entry level0-2 years
Typical title3-6 years
Bachelor's in accounting or finance is required in nearly every posting; CPA or CPA-eligibility is the common differentiator. Public-accounting experience is highly valued for controller track.
review course cost not published by the vendor; self-study possible
Renewal
state license renewal and CPE; amounts vary by state
Typical total
$1,200-1,500 in exam/application fees before a review course (Virginia fees; vary by state)
Time: 12-18 months for four sections (common; not published by the vendor) Prerequisites: State-specific education and experience rules; bachelor's degree at minimum
Senior accountant postings say 'CPA or CPA-eligible is a plus' or 'CPA preferred'; it is close to required for controller and above.
self-study or review course (Gleim, etc.); review prices not published by the vendor
Renewal
30 CPE hours/yr incl. 2 ethics; IMA membership $295/yr
Typical total
$1,400-1,700 incl. $300 entrance fee and membership
Time: two parts; study time not stated by IMA Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree (or related professional cert) plus 2 continuous years of management accounting/financial management experience
Robert Half: many organizations prefer controllers with 'CPA, CGMA or CMA'; a cheaper alternative for industry accountants who skip public accounting.
Forensic Accounting and Fraud ExaminationFREEWest Virginia University (Coursera) · course · free to enroll; certificate paid · 7 hoursControls and fraud-risk thinking that auditors will expect from a senior accountant.
Introduction to Corporate FinanceFREEWharton / University of Pennsylvania (Coursera) · course · free to enroll; certificate paid · 9 hoursBridges accounting to the finance questions FP&A and the CFO will ask you.
Accounting FundamentalsCorporate Finance Institute (CFI) · course · CFI membership (pricing on vendor's pricing page); free preview lessons · 5 hoursQuick, practical statement-building refresher used by many corporate finance teams.
CMA exam cost and review guideGleim · course · pricing on request (review course prices not published by the vendor) · variesLeading CMA review provider; the page lays out every IMA fee before you commit.
BLS OES median taken from the OOH page (OES pages redirected). CPA exam fee is state-specific ($268.59/section in Virginia and four other NASBA states; application $96-$120); review-course prices and the 150-hour rule are not confirmed on a vendor page and are omitted. CMA fees are from Gleim's summary (IMA pages need JavaScript). Glassdoor accountant page not used.
Figures are US, from the sources listed, and change often; verify before deciding.