How to hire a junior accountant

How to hire a junior accountant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step junior 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 junior accountant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new junior accountant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a junior accountant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The junior 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 junior accountant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, junior 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 junior accountants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Junior Accountant	Description	Hourly rate
   Junior 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	$18-31
   Accounting Administrator	An accounting administrator is responsible for reviewing and analyzing account statements, managing deposits, and resolving bank discrepancies and financial disputes. Accounting administrators handle the efficient and accurate cash flow within an organization, including payroll release and filing of petty cash... Show more	$15-33
   Accounting Coordinator	An accounting coordinator is responsible for assisting the operations of the organization's accounting department, processing financial reports, and serving as a liaison between the accounting staff and other department personnel or external parties. Accounting coordinators maintain a record of accounts payable and receivables, issuing invoices, updating account statements, resolving account discrepancies, and managing bank reconciliations... Show more	$16-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reconciliations
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Account Reconciliations
   • Data Entry
   • QuickBooks
   • Payroll Taxes
   • Accruals
   • Expense Reports
   • Balance Sheet Accounts
   • Fixed Assets
   • GAAP
   • Purchase Orders
   • Bank Accounts
   • HR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
   • Perform and assist with month-end close procedures, including preparation of monthly balance sheet and income statement account reconciliations.
   • Identify hundreds of daily transactions from banking statements using QuickBooks and present monthly financial reports
   • Perform bank and credit card reconciliations and assist with month-end accruals in addition to inter-company reconciliations.
   • Prepare financial schedules, account reconciliations, and detail financial statements and reports for analysis, financial reporting, and decision-making.
   • Deposit checks into lockbox and post to funds to proper accounts daily.

   More junior accountant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your junior accountant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A junior accountant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a junior accountant in Missouri may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level junior accountant usually earns less than a senior-level junior accountant. Additionally, a junior accountant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average junior accountant salary

   $50,444yearly

   $24.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level junior accountant salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average junior accountant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$62,880	$30
   2	New Jersey	$60,516	$29
   3	California	$58,461	$28
   4	District of Columbia	$56,450	$27
   5	Washington	$55,973	$27
   6	Connecticut	$55,935	$27
   7	Virginia	$52,418	$25
   8	Colorado	$51,382	$25
   9	Maryland	$51,303	$25
   10	Massachusetts	$50,905	$24
   11	Texas	$50,127	$24
   12	North Carolina	$49,736	$24
   13	Georgia	$49,679	$24
   14	Illinois	$48,909	$24
   15	Ohio	$46,752	$22
   16	Arizona	$46,334	$22
   17	Wisconsin	$45,880	$22
   18	Florida	$44,446	$21
   19	Missouri	$41,764	$20

   Average junior accountant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Fuhu	$61,898	$29.76
   2	Kemp Technologies	$61,502	$29.57	1
   3	Quinnox	$60,298	$28.99
   4	W. R. Berkley	$60,132	$28.91	5
   5	Brookfield Properties	$59,380	$28.55	5
   6	REI Systems	$58,758	$28.25	1
   7	Credit Suisse	$58,218	$27.99
   8	Teledyne Technologies Incorporated	$57,745	$27.76	10
   9	Fortinet	$57,739	$27.76
   10	QSSI	$57,734	$27.76
   11	Stability Healthcare	$57,335	$27.56
   12	Sherpa	$57,100	$27.45	10
   13	VST Consulting	$56,959	$27.38
   14	Jackson Healthcare	$55,922	$26.89
   15	NCI Building Systems Inc.	$55,502	$26.68
   16	AF Paredes & Co	$55,154	$26.52
   17	Key Food	$55,143	$26.51
   18	ITW	$54,761	$26.33	15
   19	Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital	$54,543	$26.22
   20	Alere	$54,404	$26.16

4. Writing a junior accountant job description

   A junior 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a junior accountant job description:

   Junior accountant job description example

   ACORD is the leading standards body for the global insurance industry. From the original paper forms to next-generation digital solutions and services, ACORD continually works with our membersto improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of data exchange throughout the industry. ACORD's members include thousands of insurers & reinsurers, agents & brokers, solution providers, industry associations, and other organizations worldwide.
   
   At ACORD, you will work with a dynamic and diverse team of industry experts dedicated to facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and modernization throughout the global insurance industry. Together we will build on ACORD's 50-year legacy of industry service, while helping to move the industry forward.
   
   Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Finance, the Junior Accountant will handle a range of accounting tasks and financial analysis in support of the finance team.
   
   Essential Job Functions:Assist with month-end close process Processing journal entries to ensure all business transactions are recorded Record and track credit card transactions from billing system Responsible for preparing all bank reconciliations Assist with bi-weekly and monthly payroll processing Assist with reviewing of expenses Involved in general and administrative expense forecasts Oversee and maintain the Merchant IDs and credit card database Maintain weekly sales tracker Maintain weekly contractor expenses Prepare monthly actual general and administrative expenses variance analysis and explanations Update financial data in databases to ensure that information will be accurate and immediately available when needed Prepare and submit weekly/monthly reports Assist staff accountants in the preparation of monthly/yearly closings Special projects as assigned
   
   RequirementsBachelor's degree in Accounting/FinanceEntry level Knowledge of Microsoft Office products Excellent verbal and business writing skills Excellent organizational skills Ability to work independently and meet deadlines Willing to learn other roles and areas in AccountingAccounts Receivable and payroll experience a plus
   
   ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) is the global standards-setting body for the insurance industry. For 50 years, we have been an industry leader in identifying ways to help our members make improvements across the insurance value chain.
   
   ACORD facilitates fast, accurate data exchange and efficient workflows through the development of electronic standards, standardized forms, and tools to support their use. With the assets and expertise provided by ACORD, our members are equipped to address current business and technology imperatives while influencing and shaping the future.
   ACORD currently engages more than 36,000 participating organizations spanning over 100 countries, including insurance and reinsurance companies, agents and brokers, software providers, financial services organizations, and industry associations. ACORD maintains offices in New York and London. Learn more at www.acord.org.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find junior 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 junior accountant job on Zippia to find and attract quality junior 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 junior 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.

   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 junior accountant

   Once you've selected the best junior accountant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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.

   To prepare for the new junior accountant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a junior accountant?