Does accounting salary get better?

Question

I graduated last year with a BSB in Accounting. I started my first job at 32k. After all the hard work and stress of taking a hard major, I feel I've been screwed over. I know of other students in my area too that started at similar or slightly better 35k. Whats going on? Where's the promise of college paying off? Do accounting salaries increase substantially? All I read about is how great the field is, so wheres the money!

Answer 1

Salaries vary from employer to employer.  I'd assume you'd get a raise every year as long as you perform your job satisfactorily, or you can always look to go work for another company after you get a few years of experience.  I wouldn't stress over making $32K...my first job I made $24K and that was with a master's degree!

Answer 2

I'm going to vent as an employer for a minute:

New graduates come out of college with little to contribute, but with unreasonable compensation expectations.  If you're going to judge the rest of your career by the number you get when your employer knows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about you as an employee, you're welcome to find another one.  If you're worth more, then prove it!  Your career is just beginning, and $3k is nothing in the long-term picture.

Okay, I'll tone it down now...

You will do well in accounting, and in your first five years, you can see some very nice increases.  When I was in college, a professor suggested it was common to double your salary in five years.  Given today's more unrealistic starting salary demands, that may be a stretch for your first five years, but you'll be doing much more than $32k by 2013.

And, you weren't screwed over.  Just remember there's more than 1 year to a career.