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The differences between internal auditors and senior auditors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior auditor has an average salary of $74,382, which is higher than the $63,013 average annual salary of an internal auditor.
The top three skills for an internal auditor include CPA, risk management and SOX. The most important skills for a senior auditor are CPA, internal audit, and audit reports.
| Internal Auditor | Senior Auditor | |
| Yearly salary | $63,013 | $74,382 |
| Hourly rate | $30.29 | $35.76 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 25,571 | 23,025 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An internal auditor is an individual who takes responsibility for crucial accounting functions in an organization. Internal auditors have trusted consultants who advise upper management on how to handle corporate goals and risks. They review the business operations and processes of organizations. They have to assess the efficacy of the company's risk management procedures. They are expected to have superb communication skills, IT knowledge, and math aptitude. Also, they help protect the organization from potential theft and fraud of its assets.
Senior auditors have a vital role to play in the financial auditing process. They hold more responsibilities compared to staff auditors and report to an auditing manager directly. They have varied duties and responsibilities, including assigning tasks to staff auditors, overseeing compliant and precise auditing processes, and performing control and risk assessments. Senior auditors also are responsible for presenting audit findings, coordinating periodical audits, and submitting reports to the manager. If you are looking to apply for this role, you need to have a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance, strong analytical and mathematical skills, and proficiency in MS Office.
Internal auditors and senior auditors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Internal Auditor | Senior Auditor | |
| Average salary | $63,013 | $74,382 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $86,000 | Between $54,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between an internal auditor and a senior auditor in terms of educational background:
| Internal Auditor | Senior Auditor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between internal auditors' and senior auditors' demographics:
| Internal Auditor | Senior Auditor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% | Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 12.9% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 14.2% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |