Accountant

O*NET: Accountants and Auditors·13-2011.00

The Verdict:AI automates routine data entry, reconciliations, tax computations, invoice processing, and standard financial reports at professional levels. Humans focus on complex regulatory interpretation, strategic projections, client advising, and supervision. Entry-level roles shrink, but demand for experienced judgment endures as regulations evolve and businesses seek trusted guidance.

Resilience Score

/100

High Risk

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$82k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+4.6%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 14 of 29 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

48%

Moderate exposure

Task Analysis

This role has a mixed AI profile.
14 tasks are automatable, 31% reward AI fluency, and 6 remain human-essential.

Read the action plan for high-risk roles

14exposed

9AI leverage

6human-essential

View all 29 tasks

AI Can Handle This14 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.

Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.

Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.

Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.

Prepare adjusting journal entries.

Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.

Establish tables of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.

Examine inventory to verify journal and ledger entries.

Evaluate taxpayer finances to determine tax liability, using knowledge of interest and discount rates, annuities, valuation of stocks and bonds, and amortization valuation of depletable assets.

Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.

Develop, maintain, or analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs.

Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.

Process invoices for payment.

Review data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income, or expenditures.

AI Leverage9 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.

Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.

Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.

Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.

Report to management regarding the finances of establishment.

Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting systems, making use of current computer technology.

Examine whether the organization's objectives are reflected in its management activities, and whether employees understand the objectives.

Advise clients in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting or data processing systems, or long-range tax or estate plans.

Conduct pre-implementation audits to determine if systems and programs under development will work as planned.

Human Advantage6 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.

Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.

Examine records and interview workers to ensure recording of transactions and compliance with laws and regulations.

Audit payroll and personnel records to determine unemployment insurance premiums, workers' compensation coverage, liabilities, and compliance with tax laws.

Review taxpayer accounts, and conduct audits on-site, by correspondence, or by summoning taxpayer to office.

Direct activities of personnel engaged in filing, recording, compiling, and transmitting financial records.

Resilience Landscape

Accountant lands in Well-Paid, High Risk

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