Tax Accounting Programs in Arizona
Educational Information:
Tax auditing is an important job that saves the government and corporations millions of dollars every year. Depending on the type of company a tax auditor is employed by, they may audit tax returns for fraud or ensure that the returns are in compliance with all state and federal laws.
Licensing Information:
People who regularly prepare and audit tax returns are required to hold a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in Arizona. There is a $100 fee required to take the exam. All applicants must have either a bachelor degree or 150 hours of coursework that include:
- 36 semester hours of accounting, including at least 30 hours of upper-level coursework.
- A total of 30 semester hours to include business administration, statistics, computer science, economics, finance, management, business law, college algebra, advanced written communications, speech and ethics.
- One year of professional work experience to include at least 1,500 hours of accounting functions
Employment Information:
As of May 2020, accounting professionals earned an average salary of $74,270 in Arizona, while tax preparers here earned an average salary of $52,630. Between 2018 and 2028, the number of accountant and auditor jobs in the state is projected to increase by 14.5%, and the number of tax preparer jobs is projected to increase by 17%.
About 1,260 annual job openings for accountants and 110 annual job openings for tax preparers are expected during this ten-year period leading to 2028 due to a combination of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.
There a variety of employers in Arizona that hire tax accountants, including both the private and public sectors. Some of the top employers include:
- State of Arizona
- Alliance Residential Company
- Safeway, Inc.
- First Solar
- Regier Carr & Monroe, LLP, CPAs
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market trends for accountants and auditors and tax preparers. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2021.
Job growth projections for accountants and auditors and tax preparers sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored O*Net database and based on state-specific information (2018-2028)