Australia's accounting industry employs 223400 people. Accountants face an unemployment rate of 1.8 percent. Mid sized firms account for 67 percent of total employment in the sector.
Key Takeaways
- The Australian accounting industry employed 223,400 people as of June 2023, with a 2.1% increase from 2022
- In 2023, the Australian accounting services industry had a total market size of $32.1 billion, representing 1.2% of Australia's GDP
- The Corporations Act 2001 mandates ASIC oversight for 4,200 registered auditors in Australia as of 2023
- The average salary for accountants in Australia was $92,500 in 2023
- Cloud accounting software usage reached 78% among firms in 2023, per Xero report
Australian accounting firms reported steady growth, with demand rising as businesses seek smarter tax and compliance support.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment17 stats
01
The Australian accounting industry employed 223,400 people as of June 2023, with a 2.1% increase from 2022
02
There were 198,500 qualified accountants in Australia in 2023, representing 0.78% of the total workforce
03
Accounting firms employed 45,200 full-time professionals in FY2022, with 52% female representation
04
Unemployment rate among accountants in Australia was 1.8% in 2023, below the national average of 3.7%
05
32,400 new accounting jobs were created between 2020-2023, driven by digital transformation needs
06
Mid-sized accounting firms (20-99 employees) accounted for 67% of total industry employment in 2022
07
18.5% of accountants were aged 25-34 in 2023, making it the largest age cohort in the profession
08
Regional Australia had 28,700 accounting professionals in 2023, 13% of national total
09
Self-employed accountants numbered 15,200 in FY2023, up 4.2% YoY
10
Indigenous accountants represented 1.2% of the workforce in 2023, totaling 2,680 individuals
11
Average weekly hours worked by accountants were 38.2 in 2023, higher than the national average of 32.8
12
Accounting graduates entering the workforce: 12,400 in 2023, a 5.6% increase from 2022
13
Part-time employment in accounting stood at 22% of total jobs in 2023
14
NSW hosted 42% of Australia's accounting workforce (94,000) in 2023
15
Victoria's accounting employment reached 52,300 in mid-2023
16
QLD employed 38,900 accountants in 2023, growing at 3.4% annually
17
76% of accounting roles required a bachelor's degree or higher in 2023
Interpretation
Employment Interpretation
Employment in Australia’s accounting industry is steadily expanding, with total employment reaching 223,400 in June 2023 a 2.1% rise, and 32,400 new jobs created from 2020 to 2023 as digital transformation demand continues to drive hiring.
02 · Category
Market Size10 stats
01
In 2023, the Australian accounting services industry had a total market size of $32.1 billion, representing 1.2% of Australia's GDP
02
The accounting sector contributed $15.6 billion in value added to the Australian economy in 2021-22, up 5.8% from the prior year
03
Australia's accounting industry turnover reached $29.8 billion in FY2022, driven by demand for tax and advisory services
04
Big Four firms accounted for 28% of the total Australian accounting market revenue in 2023, totaling approximately $9.2 billion
05
The small business accounting segment grew to $12.4 billion in 2022, comprising 42% of industry revenue
06
National accounting services market expanded by 6.3% CAGR from 2018-2023, reaching $31.5 billion by mid-2023
07
Forensic accounting subsector valued at $1.2 billion in Australia in 2023, with 15% YoY growth
08
Tax preparation services within accounting generated $8.7 billion in revenue in FY2023
09
Advisory services in accounting reached $10.3 billion in market value in 2022, up 7.1% from 2021
10
Public sector accounting contracts totaled $2.9 billion in Australia in 2023
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, Australia’s accounting services industry is expanding steadily and reached $32.1 billion in 2023, supported by growth such as a 6.3% CAGR from 2018 to 2023 and a rise in turnover to $29.8 billion in FY2022.
03 · Category
Regulation14 stats
01
The Corporations Act 2001 mandates ASIC oversight for 4,200 registered auditors in Australia as of 2023
02
98% compliance rate with APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants in 2023 audits
03
ATO processed 14.7 million individual tax returns via accounting firms in FY2023
04
1,250 disciplinary actions against accountants by professional bodies in 2023
05
BAS lodgements by accountants totaled 45.2 million in FY2023, with 99.2% on-time
06
IFRS adoption compliance stood at 100% for ASX-listed entities audited in 2023
07
3,800 SMSF audits required under SIS Act in 2023, with 15 penalties issued
08
Anti-money laundering (AML) training completed by 92% of accounting firms in 2023
09
ASIC registered 28,500 tax agents in 2023
10
76 new prudential standards issued by APRA for accounting in financial institutions in 2023
11
Data breach reporting under Notifiable Data Breaches scheme: 420 incidents from accounting firms in 2023
12
Fair Work Act compliance audits affected 1,200 accounting firms in 2023
13
TPB sanctioned 320 tax practitioners for misconduct in FY2023
14
65% of firms adopted ISO 27001 for data security compliance by 2023
Interpretation
Regulation Interpretation
In Australia’s regulated accounting landscape, strong oversight and compliance stand out with ASIC oversight covering 4,200 registered auditors and 99.2% of 45.2 million BAS lodgements by accountants made on time in FY2023.
More related reading
04 · Category
Revenue20 stats
01
The average salary for accountants in Australia was $92,500in 2023
02
Big Four partners earned average billings of $2.1 million per partner in FY2023
03
Total revenue for Australia's top 100 accounting firms was $18.7 billion in 2023
04
Average firm revenue per employee in accounting was $142,000in 2022
05
Tax services generated 35% of industry revenue ($11.2 billion) in FY2023
06
Audit and assurance services revenue hit $6.8 billion in 2023, up 4.9% YoY
07
Advisory revenue for mid-tier firms grew 8.2% to $4.3 billion in 2023
08
Small practice revenue averaged $1.2 million per firm in 2023
09
Profit margins in Australian accounting firms averaged 18.4% in FY2022
10
Bookkeeping services revenue totaled $3.9 billion in 2023
11
Cloud accounting adoption drove 12% revenue uplift for early adopters in 2023, averaging $250k extra per firm
12
Forensic accounting billings averaged $450/hour in 2023, generating $1.1 billion industry-wide
13
Government accounting contracts revenue was $2.4 billion in FY2023
14
Average CPA firm revenue grew 6.7% to $2.8 million in 2023
15
EY Australia's revenue from accounting services was $3.2 billion in FY2023
16
PwC Australia's audit revenue reached $1.9 billion in 2023
17
Deloitte's consulting arm in accounting generated $2.5 billion in Australia FY2023
18
KPMG's tax services revenue in Australia was $1.6 billion in 2023
19
BDO Australia's total revenue hit $1.1 billion in FY2023, up 9%
20
Grant Thornton's revenue per partner averaged $1.8 million in 2023
Interpretation
Revenue Interpretation
In the Australian accounting industry, revenue is heavily concentrated in tax services which accounted for 35% or $11.2 billion of FY2023 revenue, while audit and assurance added momentum with $6.8 billion in 2023, up 4.9% year over year.
05 · Category
Technology15 stats
01
Cloud accounting software usage reached 78% among firms in 2023, per Xero report
02
AI adoption in Australian accounting: 42% of firms using AI for reconciliation in 2023
03
Blockchain pilots in auditing completed by 15% of Big Four clients in 2023
04
92% of accountants use cloud-based tools like MYOB or Xero daily in 2023
05
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) implemented in 28% of mid-tier firms, saving 15 hours/week per staff in 2023
06
Cybersecurity investments by accounting firms averaged $450k annually in 2023
07
65% of firms transitioned to ISO 20022 for financial messaging in 2023
08
Data analytics tools used by 71% of practitioners for client insights in 2023
09
34% of accountants reported using machine learning for fraud detection in 2023
10
API integrations in accounting software grew 22% YoY to 1.2 million active in 2023
11
88% mobile app usage for on-the-go BAS lodgements in 2023
12
ESG reporting software adopted by 51% of firms preparing for mandatory disclosures in 2023
13
45% utilization of low-code platforms for custom accounting apps in 2023
14
Quantum computing trials for audit sampling initiated by 8% of large firms in 2023
15
67% of firms using predictive analytics for cash flow forecasting in 2023
Interpretation
Technology Interpretation
In Australia’s accounting industry, technology adoption is accelerating, with cloud tools used daily by 92% of accountants in 2023 and AI already being used by 42% of firms for reconciliation.
report visual · Comparison
Australia’s accounting workforce growth momentum
Employment in the Australian accounting industry continued to expand into 2023, supported by ongoing demand for accounting services.
Accounting graduates entering the workforce: 12,400 in 2023, a 5.6% increase from 20225.6%
Self-employed accountants numbered 15,200 in FY2023, up 4.2% YoY
4.2%
The Australian accounting industry employed 223,400 people as of June 2023, with a 2.1% increase from 2022
2.1%
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Australia Accounting Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australia-accounting-industry-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "Australia Accounting Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/australia-accounting-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "Australia Accounting Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australia-accounting-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level