Top 10 Cities for Accounting Jobs

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there has been a slow but steady growth in the number of jobs in this country as demonstrated by monthly net job gains of more than 200,000 for the past three consecutive months. However, some sectors of the financial markets are still lagging behind. One that isn't is the Accounting and Finance sector which has actually added 90,000 positions so far this year.

In response to that trend, the recruiting firm Accounting Principals, using internal data from its branches around the country and an analysis of economic development in each market, has identified 10 cities it says are the best places to find a job in accounting and finance. Among the top 10 are:

Houston

Coming in at number one is Houston because of the large concentration of Fortune 500 companies, across a diverse set of industries that are headquartered in the city. Houston is also home to many energy and technology companies – industries that are poised for growth and in need of back office accounting and finance talent to keep their operations running smoothly. Among the jobs most in demand in Houston are senior accountants, internal auditors and vendor auditors. According to Capgemini, Houston is also eighth in the top 10 cities for millionaires.

New York

New York, which came in third behind Richmond, Virginia, is probably no surprise since it is considered the financial capital of the world. However, what is unexpected is that the majority of opportunities for finance professionals in New York are not coming from the finance sector, but rather non-profit, media/advertising and retail. Jobs in demand in the city include staff accountants, tax accountants and external reporting (SEC) professionals.

San Francisco and Chicago

Both cities continue to offer career opportunities in the accounting and finance field and are seen as hotbeds for start-ups. Small- to medium-sized businesses create a demand for talent across the board, especially in the financial services sector. Senior accountants, corporate controllers and CPAs are among the in-demand jobs.

The full list of Top 10 Cities are:

1. Houston
2. Richmond, Va.
3. New York
4. San Francisco
5. Atlanta
6. Dallas
7. Tulsa, Okla.
8. Overland Park/Kansas City, Kan.
9. Raleigh, N.C.
10. Chicago