Life As an Auditor
Auditor Definition Examine and analyze accounting records to determine financial status of establishment and prepare financial reports concerning operating procedures.
Auditor Responsibilities
- Direct activities of personnel engaged in filing, recording, compiling, and transmitting financial records.
- Produce up-to-the-minute information, using internal computer systems, to allow management to base decisions on actual, not historical, data.
- Examine whether the organization’s objectives are reflected in its management activities, and whether employees understand the objectives.
- Prepare, analyze, and verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.
- Review taxpayer accounts, and conduct audits on-site, by correspondence, or by summoning taxpayer to office.
- Examine inventory to verify journal and ledger entries.
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Auditor Required Skills
When polled, Auditors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Related Job Titles
- Tax Specialist
- Financial Auditor
- Inventory Auditor
- City Auditor
- Compliance Auditor
Is There Going to be Demand for Auditors?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 1,397,700 jobs in the United States for Auditor. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 139,900 new jobs for Auditor by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 141,800 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Auditor are Utah, Colorado, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Auditor
The typical yearly salary for Auditors is somewhere between $43,650 and $122,840.

Auditors who work in District of Columbia, New York, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Auditors make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $70,310 |
Alaska | $82,920 |
Arizona | $69,190 |
Arkansas | $67,700 |
California | $84,430 |
Colorado | $82,320 |
Connecticut | $84,890 |
Delaware | $78,120 |
District of Columbia | $98,130 |
Florida | $71,790 |
Georgia | $75,930 |
Hawaii | $65,580 |
Idaho | $66,110 |
Illinois | $81,060 |
Indiana | $70,780 |
Iowa | $67,030 |
Kansas | $66,530 |
Kentucky | $67,080 |
Louisiana | $66,860 |
Maine | $70,810 |
Maryland | $82,610 |
Massachusetts | $81,460 |
Michigan | $74,370 |
Minnesota | $72,480 |
Mississippi | $62,850 |
Missouri | $70,240 |
Montana | $66,410 |
Nebraska | $67,920 |
Nevada | $66,600 |
New Hampshire | $72,690 |
New Jersey | $90,400 |
New Mexico | $66,370 |
New York | $96,300 |
North Carolina | $76,880 |
North Dakota | $61,870 |
Ohio | $72,370 |
Oklahoma | $73,040 |
Oregon | $71,450 |
Pennsylvania | $75,250 |
Rhode Island | $81,090 |
South Carolina | $64,750 |
South Dakota | $65,800 |
Tennessee | $69,690 |
Texas | $80,200 |
Utah | $70,980 |
Vermont | $75,360 |
Virginia | $85,640 |
Washington | $78,970 |
West Virginia | $68,160 |
Wisconsin | $68,410 |
Wyoming | $66,180 |
What Tools do Auditors Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Auditors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Visio
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Dynamics
- SAS
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Google Docs
- UNIX
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Oracle PeopleSoft
Becoming an Auditor
What kind of Auditor requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become an Auditor?

Who Employs Auditors?

Auditors work in the following industries:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Career changers with experience as an Auditor sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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