What is the job outlook for accountants?

BLS projects employment of accountants and auditors to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, from 1,595,200 to 1,674,600 jobs. It expects about 115,300 openings a year.

Are accountants in demand?

By BLS's projections, yes: about 115,300 openings a year for accountants and auditors over 2025 to 2035, with employment growing faster than average. BLS says growth is closely tied to the health of the overall economy.

How many accountants are there in the US?

BLS counted 1,595,200 accountant and auditor jobs in 2025. Its separate wage survey counted 1,449,500 wage and salary jobs in May 2025, which excludes the self-employed.

How much do accountants make?

The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,020 and the highest 10 percent more than $144,090.

Which accounting jobs are declining?

Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks (−6 percent, about 85,600 jobs) and payroll and timekeeping clerks (−15.9 percent) are projected to decline from 2025 to 2035. Tax examiners and revenue agents are projected to decline 1 percent.

Will AI reduce accounting jobs?

BLS's projections point to a split: growth for accountants, auditors and analysts, and declines for clerical roles. For bookkeeping clerks, BLS says software has automated many of the tasks. The Handbook says AI is not expected to reduce overall demand for accountants and auditors.

Accounting job outlook, 2025 to 2035: federal projections by role

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2025 to 2035 employment projections on August 27, 2026. For accounting and finance they show growth for accountants, auditors, analysts and financial managers, and a decline for bookkeeping clerks. The figures below are from BLS, with sources listed at the end.

Data. Updated October 15, 2026. By AI Accounting Vendors. 4-minute read.

Key points

Accountants and auditors: Projected to grow 5 percent, faster than average, with about 115,300 openings a year and a May 2025 median wage of $83,680.
Bookkeeping clerks: Projected to decline 6 percent, though BLS still expects about 144,100 openings a year.
Fastest growth: Financial managers (+10 percent) and financial analysts (+7 percent).
The wider picture: Total employment is projected to grow 3.5 percent; business and financial operations occupations 5.5 percent; office and administrative support to fall 4.0 percent.

Accounting and finance jobs: BLS projections by role

BLS employment projections, 2025 to 2035, with May 2025 median pay
Occupation	Jobs, 2025	Projected, 2035	Change	Openings a year	Median pay	Typical entry
Financial managers (opens in a new tab)	879,700	964,600	+84,900 (+10%)	65,600	$166,570	Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of related experience
Financial and investment analysts	377,200	404,300	+27,100 (+7%)	24,700	$102,740	Bachelor's degree
Accountants and auditors	1,595,200	1,674,600	+79,400 (+5%)	115,300	$83,680	Bachelor's degree
Tax preparers	95,800	100,300	+4,500 (+5%)	9,400	$54,920	High school diploma or equivalent
Budget analysts (opens in a new tab)	50,400	51,300	+1,000 (+2%)	2,900	$91,640	Bachelor's degree
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents (opens in a new tab)	60,100	59,500	−600 (−1%)	4,400	$62,370	Bachelor's degree
Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks	1,532,400	1,446,800	−85,600 (−6%)	144,100	$50,670	Some college, no degree

Payroll and timekeeping clerks, a smaller occupation, are projected to fall from 159,600 to 134,300 jobs (−15.9 percent), making them one of BLS's fastest-declining occupations for the decade.

How accounting compares with the whole economy

BLS projections by major occupational group, 2025 to 2035
Group	Change, 2025 to 2035
All occupations	+3.5% (170.3 million to 176.2 million jobs)
Management occupations	+6.2%
Business and financial operations occupations (includes accountants, analysts and tax preparers)	+5.5%
Office and administrative support occupations (includes bookkeeping and payroll clerks)	−4.0% (−752,100 jobs)

BLS says total employment growth of 3.5 percent is slower than the 10.9 percent recorded from 2015 to 2025. Office and administrative support is projected to decline at the fastest pace of any major group and to lose the most jobs.

What BLS says about AI and accounting jobs

The 2025 to 2035 release (opens in a new tab) addresses AI in general terms: "Although the growing adoption of AI is expected to support demand for some occupations, associated productivity gains may dampen employment demand for others." It adds that automation tools, including those powered by AI, are likely to reduce demand for several office and administrative support occupations.

Accountants and auditors: The Handbook says some routine tasks may be automated as AI and other platforms spread, but "this change is not expected to reduce overall demand," and advisory and analytical duties will become more prominent (BLS (opens in a new tab)).
Bookkeeping clerks: The Handbook says "Technological change is expected to reduce demand for these workers" and that software has automated many of their tasks (BLS (opens in a new tab)).
Financial analysts: The outlook text doesn't mention AI; it cites economic activity and growing volumes of data (BLS (opens in a new tab)).
Tax preparers: BLS publishes no written outlook for the occupation and lists no technology adjustment for it.

With these projections, BLS also introduced AI exposure categories (opens in a new tab) (low, moderate, high and very high) that compare occupations by their theoretical and observed exposure to AI. BLS cautions: "Exposure does not imply job loss, productivity gains, automation probability, or wage effects." Its AI factsheet (opens in a new tab) adds that "the uncertainty about potential impacts remains very high" and that BLS generally applies AI-related adjustments conservatively.

How to read these projections

Openings include replacements. BLS counts openings from people who retire or change occupations, not just new jobs, so even a shrinking occupation hires.
Projections cover all causes. They reflect the economy, outsourcing and technology together, not AI alone.
Pay is the May 2025 median for wage and salary workers, from BLS's wage survey.
Occupations are broad. BLS doesn't separate CPAs, internal auditors, controllers or FP&A analysts; they fall within the occupations above.

For AI tools by area of work, see the directory.

Accounting job outlook: questions

What is the job outlook for accountants?: BLS projects employment of accountants and auditors to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, from 1,595,200 to 1,674,600 jobs. It expects about 115,300 openings a year.
Are accountants in demand?: By BLS's projections, yes: about 115,300 openings a year for accountants and auditors over 2025 to 2035, with employment growing faster than average. BLS says growth is closely tied to the health of the overall economy.
How many accountants are there in the US?: BLS counted 1,595,200 accountant and auditor jobs in 2025. Its separate wage survey counted 1,449,500 wage and salary jobs in May 2025, which excludes the self-employed.
How much do accountants make?: The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,020 and the highest 10 percent more than $144,090.
Which accounting jobs are declining?: Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks (−6 percent, about 85,600 jobs) and payroll and timekeeping clerks (−15.9 percent) are projected to decline from 2025 to 2035. Tax examiners and revenue agents are projected to decline 1 percent.
Will AI reduce accounting jobs?: BLS's projections point to a split: growth for accountants, auditors and analysts, and declines for clerical roles. For bookkeeping clerks, BLS says software has automated many of the tasks. The Handbook says AI is not expected to reduce overall demand for accountants and auditors.

Sources

Official documents read on October 15, 2026. Vendor facts are sourced on each listing.