How to hire an accountant-contractor

How to hire an accountant-contractor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accountant-contractor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an accountant-contractor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new accountant-contractor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an accountant-contractor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your accountant-contractor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an accountant-contractor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

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   Hiring the perfect accountant-contractor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of accountant-contractor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Accountant-Contractor	Description	Hourly rate
   Accountant-Contractor	Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time... Show more	$21-35
   Certified Public Accountant	A certified public accountant (CPA) acts as an advisor to small businesses and chief financial officers to Fortune 500 companies. They typically work for both small and large public accounting firms... Show more	$23-57
   Finance Analyst/Accountant	In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$22-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reconciliations
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Payroll Taxes
   • Balance Sheet Accounts
   • Account Reconciliations
   • Purchase Orders
   • Fixed Assets
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Credit Card
   • QuickBooks
   • GAAP
   • Tax Returns
   • Accounts Payables
   • Pivot Tables

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
   • Assist in preparing tax returns and financial statements and record various transactions in QuickBooks
   • Recommend processes and tasks to prepare SOX reviews and questions.
   • Assist CPA with all require tax documents, reports and follow up.
   • Assist in ACH process of setting up new vendor for direct deposit.
   • Consult with CPA on behalf of business presenting all financial materials to prepare for end-of-year taxes.

   More accountant-contractor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your accountant-contractor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An accountant-contractor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, accountant-contractors' average salary in mississippi is 45% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accountant-contractors earn 40% less than senior-level accountant-contractors.
   • Certifications. An accountant-contractor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an accountant-contractor's salary.

   Average accountant-contractor salary

   $56,906yearly

   $27.36 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accountant-contractor salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average accountant-contractor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$74,632	$36
   2	California	$67,914	$33
   3	New York	$67,852	$33
   4	Pennsylvania	$62,703	$30
   5	Massachusetts	$60,411	$29
   6	Georgia	$55,958	$27
   7	Oregon	$53,584	$26
   8	Texas	$53,391	$26
   9	Colorado	$52,901	$25
   10	Arizona	$52,296	$25
   11	Missouri	$52,224	$25
   12	South Carolina	$51,830	$25
   13	Oklahoma	$51,421	$25
   14	Florida	$51,033	$25
   15	North Carolina	$49,681	$24
   16	Minnesota	$48,538	$23
   17	Kansas	$46,262	$22
   18	Indiana	$45,619	$22

   Average accountant-contractor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Broadridge	$68,182	$32.78	2
   2	Proofpoint	$64,954	$31.23
   3	Shiseido	$64,016	$30.78
   4	University of California	$63,085	$30.33	6
   5	Kiewit	$60,197	$28.94	2
   6	Mettler-Toledo International	$58,100	$27.93
   7	Randstad North America, Inc.	$57,113	$27.46	36
   8	Kelly Services	$56,699	$27.26	16
   9	Cigna	$56,661	$27.24	7
   10	Bumble	$56,195	$27.02	1
   11	Robert Half	$56,066	$26.95	1,699
   12	Northpoint	$55,478	$26.67	105
   13	Jostens	$51,396	$24.71
   14	University of Oklahoma	$47,330	$22.75	4
   15	Portland Community College	$46,697	$22.45
   16	CAMBA	$46,077	$22.15	2
   17	Morehouse School of Medicine	$45,732	$21.99	2
   18	Texas Department of Transportation	$42,653	$20.51	5

4. Writing an accountant-contractor job description

   An accountant-contractor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an accountant-contractor job description:

   Accountant-contractor job description example

   Ocean Spray Cranberries is looking for an Accounts Payable Associate who will be responsible for leading and supporting the Accounts Payable audit and assisting in the Unclaimed Properties reporting. This position also assists the department manager as requested in potentially all aspects of AP Department activities and initiatives, and interacts with internal departments, suppliers and auditors.
   The position is located at our Corporate Office in Lakeville, MA.
   
   Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
   Lead the Accounts Payable audit with the assistance of a third-party AP audit company Assist with the reconciliation and reporting of Unclaimed PropertyPlay a pro-active role in internal and external relationship management by providing superior customer service Provide analytical support to the AP ManagerEnsure current policy and procedures are followed Develop and Maintain Unclaimed Property Training documentation
   
   Knowledge, Skill, and Ability Requirements:
   SAP experience a must Strong analytical and investigative skills IT literate; good knowledge of MS Excel and financial systems Strong understanding of Unclaimed Property rules and reporting Must be well-organized, detail oriented and capable of multi-tasking Excellent verbal and written communication skills Bachelor's Degree preferred5 years of AP experience preferred
   
   Who We Are:
   You might have our iconic cranberry juice in your fridge or have gotten into heated holiday debate about what's better - canned or fresh cranberry sauce. But did you know that the hardworking people growing the superfruit in our products are 700 family farmers that own our cooperative? They entrust us with what is most precious to them to create new and innovative products that will delight consumers and grow this beloved brand today and into the future.Team members, farmers, consumers and communities alike--we value what makes us unique and strive to connect our farms to families for a better life by living our values:
   Grower Mindset - We embrace our grower-owners innovative spirit and heritage through confidence, learning and focus on the future.Sustainable Results - Guided by purpose, we are focused on delivering results for our grower-owners.Integrity Above All - We are ethical, doing the right thing for our grower-owners, customers, consumers and each other Inclusive Teamwork - We build diverse and inclusive teams that strengthen our cooperative.
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find accountant-contractors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your accountant-contractor job on Zippia to find and attract quality accountant-contractor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit accountant-contractors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new accountant-contractor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the accountant-contractor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new accountant-contractor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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