How to hire a finance analyst/accountant

How to hire a finance analyst/accountant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step finance analyst/accountant hiring guide:

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

What does a finance analyst/accountant do?

Post a finance analyst/accountant job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The finance analyst/accountant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A finance analyst/accountant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, finance analyst/accountants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of finance analyst/accountants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Finance Analyst/Accountant	Description	Hourly rate
   Finance Analyst/Accountant	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	$22-40
   Treasury Analyst	A treasury analyst is a professional who manages and analyses the financial activities of an organization that can include cash flows, liability obligations, and assets. Treasury analysts are required to execute the daily cash management of the organization such as cash forecasting, investing of excess cash, and running a hedging program in interest rates... Show more	$25-48
   Account Analyst	Account analysts are responsible for analyzing account statements and financial transactions of an organization, resolving billing discrepancies, and managing account receivables. They assess the company's financial stability and identify opportunities to improve data analysis techniques by adhering to accounting principles and the company's operational protocols... Show more	$18-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reconciliations
   • Financial Analysis
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Payroll
   • External Auditors
   • GAAP
   • Account Reconciliations
   • Balance Sheet Accounts
   • CPA
   • Accruals
   • Financial Data
   • Process Improvement
   • Variance Analysis
   • Strong Analytical

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the full cycle finance duties including A/P, A/R, G/L and fixed-asset accounting in accordance with GAAP standards.
   • Manage all monthly accruals for outsides consultant/service providers.
   • Develop transfer prices and manage manufacturing inventory in an ERP system.
   • Utilize accounting principles to manage quarterly regulatory settlement accruals and reporting requirements.
   • Develop, maintain financial models/applications (VBA Excel/Access) to automate and streamline business processes and perform financial analysis.
   • Implement process improvement initiatives for the payroll cash account that facilitate early recognition of unrecord payroll expenses.

   More finance analyst/accountant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the finance analyst/accountant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A finance analyst/accountant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a finance analyst/accountant in South Dakota may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level finance analyst/accountant. Additionally, a finance analyst/accountant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average finance analyst/accountant salary

   $62,975yearly

   $30.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level finance analyst/accountant salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average finance analyst/accountant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$81,114	$39
   2	New Jersey	$76,431	$37
   3	California	$69,078	$33
   4	Massachusetts	$68,107	$33
   5	Pennsylvania	$65,679	$32
   6	Maryland	$63,536	$31
   7	Texas	$61,378	$30
   8	North Carolina	$60,569	$29
   9	Arizona	$59,523	$29
   10	Oklahoma	$58,821	$28
   11	South Carolina	$58,661	$28
   12	Illinois	$58,458	$28
   13	Colorado	$58,412	$28
   14	Alabama	$57,449	$28
   15	Ohio	$56,839	$27
   16	Michigan	$55,423	$27
   17	Florida	$55,016	$26
   18	Iowa	$52,489	$25
   19	Utah	$51,367	$25
   20	Wyoming	$49,369	$24

   Average finance analyst/accountant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$87,513	$42.07	13
   2	International Shipping Limited	$80,403	$38.66
   3	Nucor	$79,583	$38.26	9
   4	Teradyne	$77,371	$37.20
   5	National Grid plc	$75,561	$36.33
   6	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$74,053	$35.60	91
   7	HedgeServ	$71,609	$34.43	1
   8	Aerojet Rocketdyne	$71,467	$34.36
   9	Equity Methods	$71,095	$34.18	1
   10	General Electric	$70,694	$33.99	326
   11	Grandbridge Real Estate Capital	$69,320	$33.33	95
   12	Meritor	$68,955	$33.15
   13	Exxon Mobil	$68,625	$32.99	2
   14	Blackstone Group	$68,188	$32.78
   15	Society for Science	$68,032	$32.71
   16	Hana Financial	$66,786	$32.11
   17	Miller Grossbard Advisors	$66,625	$32.03
   18	CNO Financial Group	$66,585	$32.01
   19	The TemPositions Group of Companies	$66,171	$31.81
   20	Peoples Health	$65,875	$31.67

4. Writing a finance analyst/accountant job description

   A finance analyst/accountant 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. Below, you can find an example of a finance analyst/accountant job description:

   Finance analyst/accountant job description example

   This position coordinates the facilities data in the inventory database including updates to the data, reviews for data integrity, and audits for compliance with complex State and University regulations pertaining to facilities information. Additionally, this position provides information for financial statement processes and reporting for University departments and State Agencies. Accuracy, timeliness, and attention to detail are essential.
   This position is eligible to be considered for a hybrid remote work schedule.
   
   The University of Kentucky considers the health, safety and well-being of our entire community to be a top priority. In alignment with this priority, all new hires must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or obtain an approved medical or religious exemption as a condition of employment. For areas that fall under the federal CMS mandate, start of employment cannot occur until two weeks after receiving the full COVID-19 vaccination series or upon obtaining an approved exemption. Only vaccines approved by the World Health Organization can be accepted.
   
   Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
   
   Microsoft Office suite, database software, moderate programming, exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
   
   Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No Preferred Education/Experience
   
   Bachelor's degree plus two or more years related experience
   
   Deadline to Apply 10/26/2022 University Community of Inclusion
   
   The University of Kentucky is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce by ensuring all our students, faculty, and staff work in an environment of openness and acceptance. We strive to foster a community where people of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives can feel secure and welcome. We also value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
   
   As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we strongly encourage veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and all minorities to consider our employment opportunities.
   
   Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find finance analyst/accountants 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 finance analyst/accountant job on Zippia to find and attract quality finance analyst/accountant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit finance analyst/accountants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   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 finance analyst/accountant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the finance analyst/accountant 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new finance analyst/accountant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a finance analyst/accountant?