How Much Do Accountants Make?

Explore how much accountants earn, qualifications needed, pros, cons, salary bands, and top companies to work for in finance and accounting.

How Much Do Accountants Make? Career, Salary and Qualifications Explained

Accounting is one of the most stable and respected professions in the UK. It combines financial insight with strategic thinking, and the earning potential grows with experience. Whether you're working for a global firm, managing SME accounts, or going self-employed, accountancy opens up a wide range of opportunities.

This guide covers the role, training paths, earnings, required skills, and the future of the profession.

Job Description: What Do Accountants Do?

Accountants manage, analyse and report financial information for individuals, companies, or public bodies. They ensure that organisations meet their legal financial obligations while helping them make informed financial decisions.

Core responsibilities:

  • Preparing and reviewing financial statements

  • Managing tax returns and compliance

  • Conducting audits and internal financial reviews

  • Budget forecasting and financial planning

  • Monitoring cash flow, expenses and profitability

  • Advising clients or management on tax strategy or investments

  • Ensuring records meet regulatory standards

Roles can be split into management accounting (internal financial decisions) or financial accounting (external reporting and compliance).

How Hard Is It to Become an Accountant?

It’s challenging but achievable. You’ll need to pass a series of professional exams and complete relevant work experience. Some people enter the profession straight from school, others via a university degree.

The real difficulty lies in balancing study with work if you’re training on the job. However, once qualified, the career is well-regarded, mobile, and financially rewarding.

Traits and Characteristics You Need

Strong accountants tend to be:

  • Detail-oriented, spotting mistakes before they become problems

  • Numerically sharp, with solid maths and logic

  • Ethical, since they handle sensitive and legally binding data

  • Analytical, able to explain trends and patterns

  • Organised, especially with deadlines and documentation

  • Clear communicators, both written and verbal

  • Problem-solvers, especially in budgeting or tax strategy

You don’t need to be flashy or extroverted—reliability, integrity and technical accuracy matter most.

Do You Need Qualifications?

Yes. To become a chartered or certified accountant, you need to pass exams from a professional body. The most common routes are:

  • ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

  • CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)

  • ACA (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)

  • AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) – ideal for school leavers

Study time:

  • AAT: 1–2 years

  • ACCA: 3–4 years (with work experience)

  • ACA/CIMA: 3–5 years including practical training

You don’t need a degree, but it helps. Apprenticeships are also popular routes now, allowing you to qualify while working and earning.

What Experience Do You Need?

To qualify fully, most routes require three years of practical work experience, usually alongside your studies. You’ll need:

  • Real-world accounting tasks in a supervised role

  • Mentoring from a qualified accountant

  • Signed-off records of your responsibilities and development

Many trainees start as assistants or junior accountants in firms, gradually taking on more responsibility as they progress through exams.

Benefits of Being an Accountant

  • High earning potential: Even at mid-level, salaries are strong

  • Strong job security: Finance is essential to every sector

  • Flexible career paths: Public practice, industry, non-profits, or self-employment

  • Global demand: UK qualifications are recognised internationally

  • Remote work and hybrid options: Especially post-COVID

  • Clear progression ladder: From junior to partner or CFO level

Drawbacks and Negatives

  • Exams are tough: Many fail without enough discipline

  • Repetitive or dry tasks early in your career

  • Busy periods: Expect long hours around tax deadlines or year-end

  • Constant learning: Tax law and financial standards are always changing

  • Pressure: Mistakes can have legal or financial consequences

Accountant Salary Levels in the UK

Salaries vary by qualification, sector and experience level.

  • Trainee Accountant (AAT): £18,000–£25,000

  • Part-Qualified Accountant: £25,000–£35,000

  • (ACCA/CIMA): £38,000–£50,000

  • Senior / Manager: £50,000–£70,000

  • Financial Controller: £65,000–£90,000

  • Finance Director / CFO: £90,000–£150,000+

Tax Example:

A fully qualified accountant earning £60,000/year would pay:

  • Income Tax: approx. £11,432

  • National Insurance: approx. £5,149

  • Take-home pay: around £43,400/year or £835/week

What’s the Future for This Role?

The future of accounting is increasingly digital. Cloud-based platforms like Xero and QuickBooks, AI for data entry, and Making Tax Digital (MTD) all mean that technical skills and strategic insight are becoming more valuable than manual number-crunching.

However, human accountants are still in high demand—especially for advisory, complex tax planning, audits, and forensic work.

Areas with strong growth:

  • Sustainability and ESG accounting

  • Digital finance and fintech

  • Freelance and virtual CFO roles

  • Specialist tax or forensic accountancy

Best Companies to Work for in Accounting

Top UK employers for accounting careers include:

  • The Big Four – Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC (strong training and global exposure)

  • Grant Thornton, BDO, Mazars – respected mid-tier firms

  • FTSE 100 companies – in-house finance departments

  • NHS, local councils, and charities – public sector roles

  • Startups and fintechs – growing demand for agile finance professionals

  • Self-employment – many go on to run their own practices

Accountants are needed everywhere—from global corporations to one-person startups.

Final Thought

Accountancy is a solid, well-paid career with clear progression, transferable skills, and strong demand. It’s not glamorous, but it’s respected and recession-proof. If you’re methodical, responsible, and comfortable with numbers, it offers real long-term potential—whether you want to work your way up in a firm or run your own books as a freelance expert.