Entry-level staff accountant jobs: what the job is, skills and open roles

A staff accountant prepares journal entries, reconciles accounts and supports month-end close. Most require an accounting or related degree; some accept coursework plus bookkeeping experience. Right now 2,880 entry-level staff accountant jobs are open on employers’ own career sites.

What a staff accountant does

In the finance and accounting family of jobs. Roles that keep the books, check the numbers and pay the bills.

A typical day

  1. 1. Post journal entries
  2. 2. Reconcile balance-sheet accounts
  3. 3. Support month-end close
  4. 4. Prepare schedules for auditors
  5. 5. Answer finance team questions

Do you need experience?

53 of the 2,880 open entry-level staff accountant jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. 8 say they provide training. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.

Open entry-level staff accountant jobs

Taken from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open within the last week.

Showing the newest 15 of about 2,880 verified open jobs here. Search all jobs

Search all staff accountant jobs

Skills for staff accountant jobs

The skills this job uses, most important first. Most can be learned or shown before the first day.

Skills to build or show

  1. 1. Accounting principles (GAAP)
  2. 2. Excel
  3. 3. ERP software
  4. 4. Reconciliation
  5. 5. Attention to detail
  6. 6. Deadline discipline

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The market for staff accountant work

Every figure names its source.

Open entry-level staff accountant jobs
2,880

Source: NextChapter, checked against employer career sites, last 7 days.

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Openings that say no experience is required
53

Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.

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Openings that say they provide training
8

Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.

Median pay in listings that state it
$72,500

Source: NextChapter verified openings (704 with pay).

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Employment outlook, the closest government category
Projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035 (faster than average).

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035.

AI use at work, the closest government category
Among accountants and auditors, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks.

Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

Across 704 open entry-level staff accountant listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $62,500 to $80,000, with a median of $72,500. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.

Outlook and AI-use figures are for the government category “Accountants and auditors”, the closest match to this job.

Where entry-level staff accountant jobs are

More jobs like staff accountant

Roles that use the same skills, and where this job commonly leads.

Questions about staff accountant jobs

What does a staff accountant do?
A staff accountant prepares journal entries, reconciles accounts and supports month-end close. Most require an accounting or related degree; some accept coursework plus bookkeeping experience. A typical day includes: post journal entries; reconcile balance-sheet accounts; support month-end close; prepare schedules for auditors; answer finance team questions.
Can I get an entry-level staff accountant job with no experience?
53 of the 2,880 open entry-level staff accountant jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. 8 say they provide training. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.
What skills do you need to be a staff accountant?
The skills this job uses most are accounting principles (gaap), excel, ERP software, reconciliation, attention to detail, deadline discipline. Most can be learned before the first day through coursework, short courses, practice or a related job.
How much does an entry-level staff accountant make?
Across 704 open entry-level staff accountant listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $62,500 to $80,000, with a median of $72,500. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.
Where can a staff accountant job lead?
People in this job commonly move to financial analyst, internal auditor, tax associate. The link between jobs is the shared skills; the path is not guaranteed and depends on the employer.

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