Tax Accounting Programs in West Virginia

Educational Information:

West Virginia residents with a strong mathematical aptitude, knowledge of tax law, research ability and professional communication skills may enjoy a career as a tax auditor. In this position, you would review federal and state tax returns to ensure they are in compliance with tax laws. You may also be required to interview taxpayers as part of your job duties.

Licensing Information:

You are required to pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam to audit tax returns in West Virginia. To become fully licensed, you need 150 semester hours of post-secondary education in an accounting discipline. However, you are not required to have all hours completed to take the exam. The West Virginia State Board of Accountancy requires 27 semester hours of accounting, 27 semester hours of business courses, six semester hours of business law and three semester hours of ethics classes.

Employment Information:

As of May 2020, accounting professionals earned an average salary of $69,480 in West Virginia, while tax preparers here earned an average salary of $31,980. Between 2018 and 2028, the number of accountant and auditor jobs in the state is projected to increase by 7.3%, which is greater than the national average growth rate of 4% during this period.

About 430 annual job openings for accountants and 460 annual job openings for tax preparers are expected during this ten-year period leading to 2028 due to a combination of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.

May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market trends for accountants and auditors and tax preparers. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2021.

Job growth projections for accountants and auditors and tax preparers sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored O*Net database and based on state-specific information (2018-2028)