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Accountant salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an accountant is $104,200 per annum, before tax, up $21,700 since 2018.
Pay varies widely for accountants. Specialisation moves the number most, tax, audit and business advisory roles typically pay above bookkeeping-adjacent work, and firm size, seniority and location matter too: capital-city and resources-sector roles tend to sit above the median, while senior and partner-level accountants earn well beyond it.
Roles that pay more than accountant
The largest typical pay rise is $46,800 a year, moving into Financial Controller.
- Financial Controller+$46,800/yr
- External Auditor+$5,200/yr
- Treasurer+$5,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher accountant salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time accountant salary is $104,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Financial reporting and Tax compliance and planning tend to command a premium over general accountant experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Financial Controller pays a typical $46,800 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Accountant salary questions
How much do accountants earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an accountant is $104,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is accountant pay rising or falling?
The median accountant salary is up $21,700 since 2018. Figures from 2026 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than accountant?
Financial Controller pays a typical $46,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to accountant.