ACCOUNTING CAREERS Sandy Peralta

Salary ■ The median annual salary for an accountant was $65,080 in 2013, or $31.29 per hour. The best-paid 10 percent earned roughly $113,740, while the lowest-paid made approximately $40,370. ■The best-compensated accountants work in the fields of securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage and for securities and commodity exchanges

Training ■Although there are some associate degrees for accounting, a bachelor’s degree generally looks better to prospective employers. Some employers may even prefer that their accountants have a master’s degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration in accounting. ■ Most states require graduates to have a total of 150 hours of coursework, which equates to five years of school, before sitting for the exam

Reviews and advice ■Accounting firms, businesses and industry groups often filter job applicants by evaluating their résumés, according to Ekimoff. ■ After selecting their favorite candidates, the first interview is usually focused on technical ability [and] what kind of ways you frame your thinking and business focus,” Ekimoff says.

Salary Outlook ■According to the BLS, the median annual salary for an accountant was $65,080 in 2013, or $31.29 per hour. ■The best-paid 10 percent earned roughly $113,740, while the lowest- paid made approximately $40,370. The best-compensated accountants work in the fields of securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage and for securities and commodity exchanges.

Best Paying Cities For Accountants ■The highest paid in the accountant profession work in the metropolitan areas of Newark, New Jersey, Bethesda, Maryland, and San Francisco. The San Jose, California area also pays well, as does the city of New York City.