Staff Accountant Starting Salary (Chicago: university, taxation, living)

[john5527]

I live in the Chicago suburbs. What is the average starting salary for a staff accountant at a small public accounting firm? I have two years of accounting/bookkeeping experience at a small private company. I have my bachelor's in accounting and master's in taxation. I was recently offered a job and was curious what an average salary would be.

Thanks

[billiken]

My best estimate would be somewhere around 55k.

(I have my MSAccy, but work in a different city. I'm somewhat familiar with what my friends were getting paid who were starting in Chicago)

[john5527]

Originally Posted by billiken

My best estimate would be somewhere around 55k.

(I have my MSAccy, but work in a different city. I'm somewhat familiar with what my friends were getting paid who were starting in Chicago)

Thanks, I really had no idea. I was guessing a staff accountant would typically start at around $30K.

[billiken]

Maybe in areas where the cost of living is a lot lower. I had a starting offer in industry for 50k in Chicago. Public accounting pays more than industry, starting, for the most part. This is assuming that this small firm pays competitively with other midsize firms.

My offer in a much lower cost of living city was for mid-40s. In other words, if it's for lower than 50, I would feel pretty low-balled.

[bas78]

My husband works for a Big 4 public accounting firm and had his bachelors degree and his CPA. I believe he started around $50k. That was 6 years ago, working in the city. With the economy the last few years, not sure if that would have gone up or stayed the same.

[billiken]

It has gone up--people I know started at 57k @ Big4 Chicago last year.

[jlawrence01]

I have heard $55-65 for graduates from the University of Illinois working for one of the Big 4 firms.