Literally the same, however, smaller firms have more strict budgets

can’t speak for higher up positions but i got a full time offer from a B4 & a 10-15 firm and the smaller firm actually had better pay/benefits, although not by much. probably evens out when you take into consideration all the other aspects, but i noticed a trend when i asked some of the other people with competing offers in my masters program

Smaller firms pay more starting out at the associate level.

Smaller firms usually pay more

Very common misconception that B4 pays better. Every firm differs a bit in comp, bonuses, benefits, etc. but they're all in competition for talent and there won't be that big of a difference from one firm to another.

At least in the US, the Big 4 accounting firms collectively handle the audits of an extremely high percentage (it’s over 95%) of publicly traded companies. So if you want to work for a large corporation after your time at the Big 4, having Big 4 experience on your resume is extremely helpful.

The big 4 are like the superpowers of the accounting world, they handle the biggest contracts and have the biggest pool of talent. They handle the audit and third-party management of Fortune 500 companies.

They are known for being really hard to work for, those 60 hour weeks for months at a time, but they look very good on your resume.

Like my wife's boss spent her first 5 years at PwC, twenty years ago, and that's the first thing people mention when talking about her background.

This is something you could Google or ask ChatGPT about.

Before you embark on the journey I want to make sure you are informed of what it takes to get there and the consequences of long hours on your health. Understand that with a turnover rate of around 20-30% in PA, it is easier said than done to make partner. Tons of students go in with the big four kool-aid as interns and as soon as they become associate, they will look to leave within 2-3 years. Reality hits in after your first busy season when you put in your first 80 hour week for McDonald’s pay. If you are one of the special few to make partner, you also won’t have much time to spend with your family and kids. Past a certain point of around 200k does it really matter to age quick from working insane hours. Basically, just take things slowly and do your best and see where this will take you. Students love to talk about how they got into the biggest firms and how much they care for them and how amazing the culture is (I’m starting at you, EY).

That range is about right. Keep in mind that as a partner, you take a percentage of profits, rather than a "salary". So if the firm does well, you do well. That's why partners and the firm push everyone to do 60-70 hour weeks--more output with same cost = greater profit.

In terms of making partner, there are a lot of factors, some of which are beyond anything you can do. For example, the economy. If things aren't growing as fast, or shrinking, there's less demand for your services. Another factor is the timing of when partners retire. Yes, there can be new partners, but you also need old partners to retire because the truth is, the old partners give you some of their book of business.

Also, consider that making partner isn't just a matter of being there X number of years. When you make senior, part of that is because you stuck around. When you make partner, it's because you made a better case than all the others who wanted to make partner that year. It's not a line, it's a funnel...there are others who want to make it through who have been senior manager longer or shorter than you.

As for lasting about 15 years to make partner...keep in mind that each busy season wears on you. As you get older, the busy season gets harder to take. It's not like you are completely fresh for the next one.

Lastly, as a new partner, you still don't have a lot of say in things. To go back to profitability...let's say you are ok with being less profitable and you want to hire more staff. You can't make that decision yourself even though you arr technically an owner of the business. You have to justify that to the regional partners, who have to make sure that's within budget for the firm as a whole.

This isn't to discourage you, but to inform you. It's a long road in terms of a career...a 30 year career can mean 30 busy seasons. It's great if you can keep up the ambition, but things change along the way.

Best of luck.

I see you're ambitious and that's good, but know that partnership is just another beginning, not a destination. Most people here don't know this, but there's another ladder to climb at Big 4 once you're partner. It's important to stay energized and like the work throughout your journey, which might not be the case for everyone.

Lol no way those small firm #s are correct.

That's senior to manager range in a HCOL area

Big4 starting partner pay is 350k and then it scales heavily

Those are some terrible small firm partner survey responders. Or Big 4 propaganda.

Big four near perfect range, smaller firm s way off….so understated it is ridiculous.

That's about around the base pay. Depends on industry too as tech pays anywhere from 90-110k for senior associates.

The term “industry” doesn’t give you a full story whatsoever with regard to pay. All firms pay different rates in industry and the differences can be drastic.

A few years ago I interviewed for a senior position in Reddit’s accounting office and it payed $119,000 plus equity. Some firms pay $70k and others pay $130k. Nobody will be able to help you with average industry salaries because they are absolutely all over the place.

Yes. Since Covid big 4 are pretty much on par with industry.

The days of 25-40% raises when you leave are pretty much gone and if you’re a senior manager (maybe) or director/partner you’re probably taking a pay cut for better work/life balance.

If it helps, I've got two offers right now i'm weighing. Here's the offers:

PwC Audit, LCOL, $52k

EY FSO Audit, HCOL (NYC), $67k

Kpmg Philadelphia 65k

BDO finally slipping into the big 4!

Got 60k in audit for Detroit in 2020 from KPMG

$55,000 for tax in Nashville - PWC

np!

UK (from B4 salary transparency):

-staff (audit & tax): 28k pounds

-staff (consulting): 36k pounds

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-senior (audit & tax): 39k pounds

-senior (consulting): 46k pounds

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-manager (audit & tax): 61k pounds

-manager (consulting): 72k pounds

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-SM (audit & tax): 94k pounds *almost no data, take it with a grain of salt.

-SM (consulting): not enough data

​

Not a lot of data for the UK! British people, let me know if that sounds about right.

Base salary. The numbers are from Big 4 salary transparency. I put the link in the description.

Looks like base to me. Most new tax associates are starting at 70 + bonus in big cities.

Yeah, it didn't show Canadian averages, I was curious to see how Canadian salaries compared to US ones. I messed around a lot with the data and found a lot more interesting insight. For example, I was shocked to see that salaries in tax & audit for both Canada and the US had increased by ~11% from 2021-2022

Yeah there’s some results on big4transparency for the UK, but not really enough yet to draw strong conclusions

None of those salaries are worth it for the number of hours they expect you to work.

I totally understand but that would have required an insane amount of effort and the post would insanely long since I'd have to do it for every major city in canada and the US.

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I think it's cool to just be able to see nationwide averages and compare us and Canadian salaries by level and service line.

Adding a cost of living factor would make this immensely useful. Since you have all the city data, you could categorize each entry into low, middle, and high cost of living groupings and average the salaries for each position by cost of living level.

People constantly talk about salaries on this subreddit and neglect considering cost of living factors, resulting in a wide array of irrelevant responses from people living in vastly different living conditions that materially impact compensation levels.

This is obviously as only good as the data. As someone who has been in public for 11 years, 6 at B4, there is not anywhere near that level of difference between B4 salary and everywhere else.

You either have bad B4 data or a lot of 5 man CPA firm staff are putting in their numbers. Most of the time national and large regional firms pay more than B4.

I worked with all 4 of them in Canada, UK, Australia. They all suck

This somehow feels like asking which cousin one should take to prom.

I worked both at the big 4 side and at (multiple) clients side. At both ends, the team you get is what ultimately decides your experience. The differences between big big four are otherwise minimal.

Let's be real. It is common for unremarkable workers to promote to senior in big4 within a few years. This is not common in F500.

It is also common to make manager in 5 or 6 years in big4 as long as you do what you're told. This is not common in F500.

If you are a bulldog and career driven you'll do fine in either place. If you just want a "job" that works 50/wk you can get that in F500, not Big4.

Switched to sales after Acct, did Big 4.

Trust me, You’re not generating revenue as a Big 4 auditor.

You’re in fucking implementation lol.

The partner that sold, closed the account is generating revenue.

lol generating revenue for the firm like it matters to you personally. lmao.

EDIT: respect and prestige in big 4 double lmao.

Lmao OP is going back to B4 to be respected and add value 😭 sweet summer child...

Yea, with 1 year of experience you’re bound to jump into a low-value role.

I’m a senior in the B4, will have 3 yoe in January. The salary’s at B4 have increased quite a bit and industry no longer is a get out with a big raise option anymore tbh. My comp this year after bonus was close to 130k with 2 and a half years of experience. So for me comp is one thing. I also acknowledge I may be lucky that I don’t work crazy hours. Usually 40/45 hour weeks and even in busy season not much more than that. I also work remote with quarterly travel. I would love to leave and make more money and work 30/35 hours a week but it just doesn’t seem to be the case atm. And on top of that you get the prestige of them on your resume.

You’re not at a “similar large company” if you’re not at the B4. What keeps people there is the exit opps and the experience gained. The client base at the B4 is objectively, well, bigger…and easier to find the right experience in order to produce more quality accountants at a higher rate than other firms. Not everyone who comes out is higher quality than non B4, and not everyone who comes out of non B4 is less quality than B4, but it’s about higher rates and setting up for success.

There’s always going to be people that disagree with that, but their disagreement is rooted in their own experience or friend’s experience, and not the actual statistical advantage.

One of my former colleague became a associate director at age 33. That is why people want to work in big4.

Significant exposure to the most complex deals and structures out there.

Lots of money now and the realistic prospect of making north of 1M a year by the time I'm 40.

My team and my bosses.

Can't really ask for much more.

Big 4

If I started working at B4 at the same time you started working at the similar large company, I can leave a year later, join your company and be paid more/in a more senior role, despite having the same YOE as you.

That is the appeal of B4, the perceived experience