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Auditor, Certified General Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Accountant, Chartered Professional Accountant, Comptroller, Controller, Fraud Investigator, Professional Accountant, Treasurer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Accountants offer accounting services to the public and provide internal accounting services to organizations. Duties vary from one position to another. In general, accountants:
Accountants usually work in an office setting and often work in teams. Their hours vary depending on the organization and their duties. Overtime is common at budgeting time, month end, and an organization’s fiscal year end. Overtime is also common when personal income-tax time approaches.
Depending on the position and the technology, some accountants may need to travel. They may be able to perform some tasks remotely while doing others from an office. Some organizations allow flexible work hours and remote working options.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
To find out how well this occupation fits your work personality types, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Click or tap a personality type for its description.
Find other alis occupations that match this occupation’s work personalities.
To identify or change your work personalities, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Accountants
2023 OaSIS: 11100.02
The graph below shows how well your scores match the overall abilities for this occupation.
The closer your ability scores are to the center, the more they match this occupation’s. The further away they are, the less they match this occupation’s.
The lower your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the more challenging the occupation will likely be for you. The higher your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the less challenging the occupation will likely be for you.
To find out how well this occupation fits your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
The 49 abilities are grouped into 5 abilities sets: Critical Thinking, Numbers and Patterns, Physical Activity, Mind-Body Coordination, and Senses.
Some abilities are more relevant to an occupation than other abilities. Individual abilities that are not relevant to an occupation are greyed out.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Critical Thinking includes 9 abilities related to identifying and solving problems, thinking of ideas, and communication, such as speaking and writing.
This is how well your scores match the set of Critical Thinking abilities for this occupation:
Numbers and Patterns includes 10 abilities related to math, memorizing, and multitasking. It also includes how we perceive patterns, shapes, and distances.
This is how well your scores match the set of Numbers and Patterns abilities for this occupation:
Physical Activity includes 9 abilities related to strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
This is how well your scores match the set of Physical Activity abilities for this occupation:
Mind-Body Coordination includes 9 abilities related to movement control and how we react to signals. It also includes fine motor skills, such finger and hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
This is how well your scores match the set of Mind-Body Coordination abilities for this occupation:
Senses includes 12 abilities related to seeing, hearing, and speaking.
This is how well your scores match the set of Senses abilities for this occupation:
Accountants need:
They should enjoy having clear technical rules, working within highly structured processes, and solving problems creatively. They should be comfortable directing others.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 106 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Sep 04, 2024 and Oct 27, 2025.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Ensure accuracy and compliance to accounting standards, procedures and internal control | 73 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Prepare financial statements and reports | 73 |
| Construction Specialization: Accurate | 71 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 69 |
| Tasks: Analyze financial documents and reports | 67 |
| Construction Specialization: Reliability | 61 |
| Attention to detail | 60 |
| Construction Specialization: Dependability | 58 |
| Tasks: Examine accounting records | 57 |
| Construction Specialization: Ability to multitask | 55 |
Training to become an accountant involves a combination of related education and practical experience.
Accountants who provide public accounting services must be designated as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta (CPA Alberta). For more details, see the CPA Alberta website.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Chartered Professional Accountants provide financial reporting and consulting services for organizations and individuals.
On July 1, 2015, Alberta’s 3 regulated accounting designations, Chartered Accountants, Certified General Accountants, and Certified Management Accountants, merged into a single designation, Chartered Professional Accountant.
Under Alberta’s Chartered Professional Accountants Act [pdf] and Chartered Professional Accountants Regulation [pdf], you must meet the requirements of and register as a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta (CPA Alberta) if you:
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Accountant.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Accountants work for a wide variety of organizations including:
They may be salaried employees or work on a fee-for-service basis.
Experienced individuals with professional accounting designations may advance to management positions or teach at the post-secondary level. Those in public accounting firms can move through the ranks of senior staff to become managers and partners.
In industry, experienced accountants can become controllers, treasurers, chief financial officers, or senior executives.
In government, accountants may work as:
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Financial auditors and accountants
2016 NOC: 1111
78.0% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the Alberta job market condition, or short-term demand forecast, for this occupation over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2024-2026 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $15.75 | $61.97 | $33.07 | $29.81 |
| Overall | $16.60 | $79.33 | $42.21 | $37.04 |
| Top | $17.98 | $106.63 | $56.02 | $46.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $77,047 |
|---|---|
| Oil & Gas Extraction | $114,671 |
| Construction | $77,706 |
| Manufacturing | $82,191 |
| Wholesale Trade | $84,743 |
| Retail Trade | $76,941 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $62,685 |
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $63,943 |
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Leasing | $73,720 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $62,853 |
| Educational Services | $84,757 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $70,827 |
| Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related) | $73,621 |
| Public Administration | $92,993 |
Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta (CPA Alberta) website: cpaalberta.ca
Chartered Professional Accountants Western School of Business (CPAWSB) website: cpawsb.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2025. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
