Annual Salary
£25,000 to £60,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Public finance accountants make sure money is spent properly in public sector organisations.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings; occasionally
There will be
2.4% more Public finance accountant jobs in 2027.
As a public finance accountant you could:
You could work in an office.
You can get into this job through:
Training in public finance accountancy is open to graduates of all subjects, though some employers may prefer you to have a degree in:
Look for work experience opportunities during your studies, as these can give you an advantage when applying for jobs.
Opportunities include:
After your degree you could join a structured graduate training scheme. Many employers will help you to gain the Professional Accountancy Qualification (PAQ) with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
There may be some exemptions for the certificate level of the PAQ, depending on your degree.
You can find graduate training schemes with:local and central government; housing associations and charities; the NHS and other healthcare bodies; police authorities and the military; private sector accountancy firms that offer services to public sector organisations
You'll usually need:
You could take your first steps into an accountancy career by applying to do a Professional Accounting Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship. This can take up to 2 years.
You might then use this as entry onto the Accountancy Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship, or an accountancy degree at university.
You'll usually need:
You could study with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) to qualify.
You would complete the Professional Accountancy Qualification (PAQ).
You can apply to take the CIPFA PAQ if you're:
You could also do the CIPFA PAQ if you're in a senior public finance role but don't yet hold a professional accountancy qualification.
Further information
You can find out more about careers in public finance accountancy from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy.
With experience you could become a senior accountant, move into management or progress to a director of finance position.
You could also move into private practice or management accountancy.
You could use your skills and experience to work in higher education or teach in further education.
You can find out more about careers in public finance accountancy from The Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy.
You'll need: