How to hire a staff accountant/auditor

How to hire a staff accountant/auditor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step staff accountant/auditor hiring guide:

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

What does a staff accountant/auditor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your staff accountant/auditor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a staff accountant/auditor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a staff accountant/auditor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a staff accountant/auditor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of staff accountant/auditors.

   Type of Staff Accountant/Auditor	Description	Hourly rate
   Staff Accountant/Auditor	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	$20-36
   Auditor/Quality	A quality auditor is responsible for inspecting the company's services and products, ensuring its adherence to business requirements and internal regulations. Quality auditors analyze the efficiency of operational functions and production processes to maintain high-quality deliverables with the utmost consideration for the safety and security of the production staff... Show more	$11-24
   Revenue Auditor	A revenue auditor reads through the organization's finances and records revenue derived from the sale of goods and services. They then create reports indicating all their calculations and recommendations to ensure the organization runs effectively and makes a profit... Show more	$12-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPA
   • Audit Procedures
   • Analytical Procedures
   • Income Tax Returns
   • Journal Entries
   • Reconciliations
   • Compliance Audits
   • Payroll Tax Returns
   • Real Estate
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Audit Reports
   • Non-Profit Organization
   • Internal Control Systems
   • GAAS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accounting operations, accounting close, account reporting and reconciliations for internal corporate and bank transactions.
   • Review and compile quarterly and annual financial statements on GAAP, cash, accrual, and tax basis.
   • Generate financial statements according to GAAP regulations.
   • Audit private businesses and individuals whose activities are subject to government regulation or taxation.
   • Perform monthly sales commission analysis to identify missing accruals and communicate any necessary adjustments to the business teams.
   • Excel, word, PowerPoint.

   More staff accountant/auditor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the staff accountant/auditor job description is a good way to get more applicants. A staff accountant/auditor 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 staff accountant/auditor in New Mexico may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level staff accountant/auditor. Additionally, a staff accountant/auditor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average staff accountant/auditor salary

   $56,993yearly

   $27.40 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level staff accountant/auditor salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

   Average staff accountant/auditor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$67,282	$32
   2	District of Columbia	$66,551	$32
   3	California	$65,069	$31
   4	New Jersey	$63,640	$31
   5	Oregon	$61,897	$30
   6	Colorado	$59,779	$29
   7	Pennsylvania	$59,388	$29
   8	Nebraska	$55,955	$27
   9	Maryland	$55,893	$27
   10	Minnesota	$54,310	$26
   11	Texas	$53,704	$26
   12	Georgia	$53,253	$26
   13	Missouri	$52,815	$25
   14	Michigan	$51,090	$25
   15	Illinois	$50,869	$24
   16	Indiana	$49,973	$24
   17	Ohio	$48,232	$23
   18	Tennessee	$44,961	$22
   19	Florida	$43,328	$21

   Average staff accountant/auditor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	LBMC	$65,830	$31.65	1
   2	Armanino	$63,623	$30.59	3
   3	Carr, Riggs & Ingram	$63,584	$30.57
   4	Mohle Adams	$63,401	$30.48
   5	Strothman and	$63,338	$30.45
   6	BerganKDV	$63,058	$30.32
   7	Wipfli	$62,735	$30.16	116
   8	Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP	$62,675	$30.13	2
   9	Briggs & Veselka Co.	$61,968	$29.79
   10	Kerkering Barberio	$61,678	$29.65	6
   11	Stearns County MN	$61,016	$29.33	2
   12	Confident Care	$59,890	$28.79
   13	JI Companies	$59,427	$28.57
   14	Hayes & Firm	$59,427	$28.57
   15	Frazer Center	$59,412	$28.56
   16	SC&A	$59,057	$28.39
   17	Robert Half	$57,144	$27.47	1,137
   18	Perkins & Co	$54,924	$26.41

4. Writing a staff accountant/auditor job description

   A staff accountant/auditor 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 staff accountant/auditor job description:

   Staff accountant/auditor job description example

   Mattson Resources has a very rare and amazing opportunity. We are looking for a Staff Accountant / Auditor
   
   for a huge CPA client of ours. If hired, you will be working with their chinese clients and should be bilingual in chinese. This is a Hybrid position and will allow you to work from home 2 days a week.
   Our client is a top 200 CPA firm and is part of the Moore Network.
   
   They are looking to expand their team in their Anaheim office. If you are an experienced accounting and audit professional who is looking for something bigger with a reputable company, please apply today:
   
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   Job Responsibilities:
   Excellent written and verbal communication skills Strong interpersonal skills Highly motivated and self-driven for professional growth A strong commitment to provide excellent client service Thorough understanding of accounting debits and credits and audit risk areas Ability to work effectively independently or in a team environment Robust time management and organizational skills, and attention to detail Knowledge and proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications
   EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
   1 to 3 years experience Bachelors Degree CPA (A) license preferred
   Benefits:
   Medical Insurance Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Life Insurance Long-Term Disability 401(k) Plan Section 125 Plan Paid Time Off (PTO) Paid Holidays New Client Referral Rewards Employee Referral Rewards Time off for CPA Exam* Paid professional dues (AICPA, State Board and State CPA Society)
   *Additionally, the firm provides up to $4, 000 to reimburse employees for CPA exams and licensing fees. Any unused portion is available as a bonus upon completion, if still employed at the firm.
   
   Salary:
   
   $65k - $75k + w/ an annual profit sharing bonus

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting staff accountant/auditors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 staff accountant/auditor

   Once you've decided on a perfect staff accountant/auditor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new staff accountant/auditor 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 staff accountant/auditor?