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What is a revenue accountant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Stephen Moehrle Ph.D.

As a revenue accountant, you will be keeping track of a company's income and any debts owed to the business. Any business that processes sales and service revenue needs revenue accountants; hence, you can work in a variety of industries. The job mainly requires you to work indoors and during standard daytime office hours.

The tasks you will perform in this capacity include tracking and reporting incoming revenue, creating invoices, and keeping accurate transaction records. Furthermore, you will work closely with various departments to reconcile payments and resolve discrepancies.

You will also be responsible for preparing all revenue related journal entries, developing new reporting and modifying existing reporting, and strengthen internal controls related to revenue by developing and implementing policies and procedures throughout the company.

Educational requirements for the position include a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. Certain certifications such as Certified Public Accountant certification may be required as well or help you gain an edge amongst other candidates.

As a revenue accountant, the average hourly salary you will make is $29.32, which amounts to $60,988 annually. The career is projected to grow further in the near future.

What general advice would you give to a revenue accountant?

Stephen Moehrle Ph.D.Stephen Moehrle Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor and Chairman of Accounting, University of Missouri - St. Louis

It was a great time to be entering the accounting industry, before the pandemic. Our students were serving in internships in huge numbers and our graduates were enjoying 100% placement, usually with multiple offers. The entry-level professionals were entering a profession marked by emerging and evolving technologies that made even the entry-level duties especially interesting. Further, our tech-comfortable young professionals were experiencing quick advancement because of their ability to employ the new technologies.

Most of the above remains true so the only open question is job availability. It would be unrealistic to say things are great. However, it seems that job prospects for accounting majors will be better than for those of virtually every other entry-level profession during difficult times. I have been speaking with firm leaders across the spectrum of firms and most do intend to be on campus in the fall recruiting season. Of course, they have a lot of time to learn more about the economy over the next few months, but we are cautiously optimistic. Again, I am confident that whatever the state of job availability for young CPAs-to-be, prospects will be better for accounting graduates than virtually any other profession.

They will be entering the profession at a fascinating moment in time. Of course, the technological advances assure this regardless of economic conditions. However, there are business disruption-related issues that will provide rich opportunities for making a difference. For example, audit staff will be working with clients to see them through these troubling times. Lamentably, I fear that these young professionals will learn more about the going concern determination than they desire to know. Tax staff will help clients to optimally use the tax loss carrybacks and carryforwards that are arising by the day. Entry level professionals in corporate accounting will get a day-to-day front row seat in business management through crisis. While lamentable times, these are times when young professionals can make a difference that saves jobs.
ScoreRevenue AccountantUS Average
Salary
5.2

Avg. Salary $66,015

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.4

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.46%

Asian 14.47%

Black or African American 8.54%

Hispanic or Latino 10.88%

Unknown 3.96%

White 61.69%

Gender

female 59.96%

male 40.04%

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

Revenue accountant career paths

Key steps to become a revenue accountant

  1. Explore revenue accountant education requirements

    Most common revenue accountant degrees

    Bachelor's

    74.7 %

    Master's

    11.7 %

    Associate

    10.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific revenue accountant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Reconciliations17.79%
    GAAP10.42%
    Pivot Tables5.05%
    Financial Statements4.99%
    SOX4.71%
  3. Complete relevant revenue accountant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New revenue accountants 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 revenue accountant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real revenue accountant resumes.
  4. Research revenue accountant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
    • Upload project statements of work and changes in scope into ERP system, ensuring accurate invoicing and revenue recognition.
    • Execute and maintain supporting documentation for SOX internal controls
    • Provide GAAP considerations for complex revenue transactions including audit documentation.
  5. Prepare your revenue accountant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your revenue accountant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a revenue accountant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable revenue accountant resume templates

    Build a professional revenue accountant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your revenue accountant resume.
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
    Revenue Accountant Resume
  6. Apply for revenue accountant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a revenue accountant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first revenue accountant job

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Average revenue accountant salary

The average revenue accountant salary in the United States is $66,015 per year or $32 per hour. Revenue accountant salaries range between $48,000 and $89,000 per year.

Average revenue accountant salary
$66,015 Yearly
$31.74 hourly

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Revenue accountant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

Reporting to a CPA Controller or CFO, always learning and not micromanaged. Treated as a professional always.

Cons

Business owners that do not know or understand compliance and GAAP, or the patience to follow the rules... generally common in small companies.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

It's an office job.

Cons

Everything else. Too much anxiety, debts, low sallary (€700/month).


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

I like when the numbers fall in to place. I enjoy helping clients reach their financial goals. I am great with client consultations. I appreciate the chance to help plan for a client's needs.

Cons

I dislike situations where no planning had been done. I am bothered when a client has an accounting problem that could have been avoided by proper planning.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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