How To Become A Cost Accounting Supervisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cost accounting supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Thomas King

The average cost accounting supervisor salary is $103,066. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an accounting major. It usually takes 2-4 years of experience to become a cost accounting supervisor. Cost accounting supervisors with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 81,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a cost accounting supervisor?

Thomas King

Department Chair, Director, Master of Accountancy Program, Professor, Accountancy, Case Western Reserve University

Be dependable. Reputations form quickly after people join organizations. A newly hired professional who demonstrates the ability to get things done rapidly and accurately will soon become a "go-to" person when new opportunities arise. Such exposure early in a career is invaluable.

ScoreCost Accounting SupervisorUS Average

Salary

7.7

Avg. Salary $103,066

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.4

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.46%

Asian 12.23%

Black or African American 8.47%

Hispanic or Latino 10.80%

Unknown 3.95%

White 64.09%

Gender

female 29.05%

male 70.95%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a cost accounting supervisor

Explore cost accounting supervisor education requirements

Most common cost accounting supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

80.5 %

Master's

12.6 %

Associate

4.8 %

Start to develop specific cost accounting supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Reconciliations	8.90%
Financial Reports	5.54%
General Ledger	5.07%
ERP	4.80%
External Auditors	4.30%

Complete relevant cost accounting supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cost accounting supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cost accounting supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cost accounting supervisor resumes.

Research cost accounting supervisor duties and responsibilities

Lead the development of annual standard costs and update the system for BOM changes.
Manage quarterly inventory reserves in accordance with company policy which follows GAAP guidance.
Perform all duties in accordance with GAAP, SOX, and corporate accounting policies and procedures.
Administer employee memberships to gyms, stock purchases and other company benefits through payroll deduction.

Prepare your cost accounting supervisor resume

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