Is 30K salary for accounting manager position too low?

[Pat80 12]

Hi all VJ,

I am a new immigrant from Thailand who just moved to USA for around 6 months in Boston. I got an EAD last month and started to find a job. I just got an offer today after my 3rd interview for the position of accounting & finance manager at a non-profit organization.

When I read the e-mail they offer 30K annually with 20 holidays. It's a bit surprise for me as I saw the average salary for an accountant is around 50-60K from salary.com. I had working experience of 10 years before moving here.

I would like to ask for VJ opinion here....should I accept this offer? Crossing my mind as I heard that it is very difficult to find a job in the US especially if we don't have any US work experience.

Thank you for all advice

[frankrohy 2]

id accept it without no word... So just accept it... and go for it...

Its gonna be alright if you work hard...

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

That sounds low to me, but you can always take it for now and keep looking for something better, all while gaining experience. Good luck.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

That is $15 an hour.. very low.. Take it if you need the money now but keep looking, you should eventually find something much higher paying.

Edited July 9, 2014 by OnMyWayID

[novedsac 355]

That's kinda low, especially considering it is Boston. However, it is a nonprofit.

If you want experience and want a paycheck, take the job and keep looking. If you've got 10yrs experience, try working through a recruiter who specializes in your background and a field you are interested in. If you find something you like better, for whatever reason, don't feel bad about leaving and moving on - it is very common here to change jobs and quite easy. While a higher salary is always good, don't forget about the other benefits on offer which may contribute to a more positive work-life balance.

Good Luck.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi,

Given that you have no US experience and it's a nonprofit, the salary is appropriate.

Get some US experience and you can find another job that pays for your experience.

Get a job with a for-profit business, it will pay more than a nonprofit.

[Darnell 8,478]

non-profit orgs rarely pay scale.

[Pat80 12]

Thank you for all your advice. I may consider accepting this job as I have no any better choice right now.

[JIJourney 96]

Wow that is a really good salary. I would take in a heartbeat!

[kzielu 1,149]

Hi all VJ,

I am a new immigrant from Thailand who just moved to USA for around 6 months in Boston. I got an EAD last month and started to find a job. I just got an offer today after my 3rd interview for the position of accounting & finance manager at a non-profit organization.

When I read the e-mail they offer 30K annually with 20 holidays. It's a bit surprise for me as I saw the average salary for an accountant is around 50-60K from salary.com. I had working experience of 10 years before moving here.

I would like to ask for VJ opinion here....should I accept this offer? Crossing my mind as I heard that it is very difficult to find a job in the US especially if we don't have any US work experience.

Thank you for all advice

Whether you should accept it it's up to you - it's always a job and it's an experience you will be able to add to your resume. Better than no job.

But the pay is low without a doubt - I'd even say very low. It's below what kids out of school get in my company when they get hired (engineering positions with bachelor degrees typically).

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Whether you should accept it it's up to you - it's always a job and it's an experience you will be able to add to your resume. Better than no job.

But the pay is low without a doubt - I'd even say very low. It's below what kids out of school get in my company when they get hired (engineering positions with bachelor degrees typically).

Well I would hope engineers with BSs get more than accountants... No offense to accountants, but I am not sure it requires a degree (maybe trade school degree). A manager though, should get more.

[merc0230 28]

I'm an auditor although on the IT side, so I am really close to many accountants. That salary is low. HOWEVER, there is a phrase, "it is easier to find a job when you have a job". Although, $30K is less than you want or possibly deserve it is $30K more than you are making now.

@Harper My BS is in Electrical Engineering and my Master's is in Business, I make much more as an accountant than I did as an Engineer. As a matter of fact if one was to go to work for one of the large accounting firms(PwC, Deloitte, etc) right out of college they would hit 6 figures within 5 years. I think you are thinking about a bookkeeper which is way different and usually only requires a trade school.

Just my 2 cents.

[JnRMo 16]

$30k seems pretty low for an accountant - especially in a major city. Nonprofits will generally pay lower than companies - but should generally be expected to have better benefits. 20 days vacation is pretty good in the U.S. - assuming you also get sick leave. Not sure how good your other benefits are.

You could try to negotiate, or you could work there for 6+ months and then start looking elsewhere.

[Cathi 5,771]

because it's a non-profit the salary is lower

[Sukie 1,464]

Harpa, to be a registered accountant in the US now takes 5 years of schooling and two years of work experience! Same school time as an engineer!

OP - the salary is low - especially since you are the accountant AND the finance manager - but working for a non-profit as an accountant, as well as working in fund-accounting instead of cost-accounting, is not going to get you as much pay as working in a corporate or Big-4 environment.

If you do not have your US CPA license, get that as soon as you can. Take the job and try to keep your ear to the ground about moving on in two years or so.

If you had 10 years of accounting at a Big-4 firm, you'd be a senior manager by now, and about 2-3 years away from partnership.

Sukie, former partner at a Big-4 accounting firm