Is accounting good for introverts?
It depends on the role. Of the 6 accounting roles we compared, accountants and auditors report the least contact with others and tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents the most.
Accounting has a reputation as a quiet career, and on contact with others the data mostly agrees. Phone work is where it is less quiet: accountants and auditors rate phone conversations higher than most occupations.
The ratings are averages across the year, so they won't show busy periods such as tax deadlines.
Accountants and auditors share one federal occupation code, so the data can't split them. We compared that occupation with five related roles in bookkeeping, payroll, budgets and tax. The ratings come from O*NET, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, where workers answer questions about what their job involves.
What the data shows
- Contact with others ranges from 3.7 out of 5 for accountants and auditors (closest to "contact most of the time") to 4.5 for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents (closest to "constant contact").
- After contact, the biggest difference is in dealing with customers or the public: 2.3 out of 5 for payroll and timekeeping clerks, against 4.5 for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents.
- The next biggest is working in a team: 2.9 out of 5 for tax preparers, against 4.7 for budget analysts.
- 3 of the 6 occupations with their own pay data involve more contact with others than the typical US occupation.
- 51% of tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents say they have face-to-face discussions every day, compared with 83% of payroll and timekeeping clerks.
- 4 of the 6 rate working in a team as very important or more.
- Among occupations with their own pay data, the lowest-contact one is accountants and auditors, at a median $83,680 a year. The best paid is budget analysts, at $91,640.
Social demands, side by side
Each figure is an O*NET average on a 1 to 5 scale. Lower means less of it. Hover a heading for the exact question.
| Role | Contact | Face-to-face | Phone | Speaking | Customers | Teamwork | Conflict | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 3.2 |
| Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Budget Analysts | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
| Tax Preparers | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 1.6 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 1.9 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
Pay, entry and outlook
| Role | Median pay | Typical entry education | Typical training | Growth 2025-35 | Projected openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,680 | Bachelor's degree | None | +5.0% | 115,300 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $50,670 | Some college, no degree | Moderate-term on-the-job training | -5.6% | 144,100 |
| Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks | $58,260 | High school diploma or equivalent | Moderate-term on-the-job training | -15.9% | 11,400 |
| Budget Analysts | $91,640 | Bachelor's degree | None | +1.9% | 2,900 |
| Tax Preparers | $54,920 | High school diploma or equivalent | Moderate-term on-the-job training | +4.7% | 9,400 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | Bachelor's degree | Moderate-term on-the-job training | -1.0% | 4,400 |
Each role in detail
Accountants and Auditors
Contact with others: 3.7 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 11% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 66% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $83,680 a year. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 115,300 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
- Process invoices for payment.
- Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Contact with others: 4.5 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 57% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 67% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $50,670 a year. Typical entry education: some college, no degree, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 144,100 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Operate computers programmed with accounting software to record, store, and analyze information.
- Check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes.
- Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
Contact with others: 3.8 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 16% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 83% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "fairly important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $58,260 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 11,400 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records.
- Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.
- Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers.
Budget Analysts
Contact with others: 4.4 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 53% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 64% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $91,640 a year. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 2,900 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Analyze monthly department budgeting and accounting reports to maintain expenditure controls.
- Provide advice and technical assistance with cost analysis, fiscal allocation, and budget preparation.
- Review operating budgets to analyze trends affecting budget needs.
Tax Preparers
Contact with others: 4.0 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 24% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 55% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "once a week or more". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $54,920 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 9,400 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
Contact with others: 4.5 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 61% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 51% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $62,370 a year. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 4,400 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
- Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
- Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.
What the numbers can't tell you
- O*NET ratings are averages of worker answers on a 1 to 5 scale. Some questions ask how much (contact), some how often (face-to-face, phone, public speaking, conflict, noise) and some how important (teamwork, customers). They are shown on their own scales.
- The ratings describe the job, averaged across workers and workplaces. A particular employer, team or shift can be very different.
- They don't measure personality, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.
- Pay and openings are national figures from the BLS. Local pay varies.
Common questions
Which accounting job involves the least contact with others?
Of the 6 roles compared here, accountants and auditors report the least, at 3.7 out of 5 on O*NET's contact rating, closest to "contact most of the time".
Do these accounting jobs need a degree?
2 of the 6 occupations with BLS education data typically need no more than a high school diploma: payroll and timekeeping clerks, tax preparers.
Do these ratings measure personality?
No. They are averages of what workers say their job asks of them. They describe the work, not the people doing it, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.