How much you’ll be paid in accounting

Pay in accounting is high in most sectors, but financial services leads the way in the majority of comparable roles. Assuming you stay in an accounting role for a long time will always be comfortable, but you will never earn the sort of sums seen in other financial services roles like hedge funds or investment banking.

Internal auditors working in banking in London earn £80-120k ($125-185k) at VP level, according to figures from recruiters Robert Walters, while an equivalent position in commerce and industry pays £50-70k ($77-107k). In New York, internal auditor roles pay $95-150k at the mid-level. In Hong Kong internal auditors earn HK$324-456k ($42-60k) and in Singapore you’re likely to earn $70-127k.

If you work in financial control within financial services, pay is more modest, with mid-ranking positions offering salaries of £75-110k. A comparable role in commerce and industry at a small to medium sized organisation pays £70-90k or £150k if you make it to a senior level in a large firm.

Below is a breakdown of product control pay in major financial centres.