Breaking Into Tax Accounting in Atlanta When Most of the Openings Want a Manager

Of the 135 tax accounting postings we're tracking in Greater Atlanta right now, 53 are for tax managers and only 22 are for tax associates, so the market is hiring people who already know the work far more eagerly than it's taking on someone who doesn't. If you're trying to break into tax in Atlanta that's pretty damn annoying, and there's still a clear way through once you see where the doors are.

I want to walk through what the Atlanta tax market looks like in our data, what Georgia requires before you can call yourself a CPA, and how I'd sequence the first couple of years starting from zero. A couple of the pay figures come from small samples, and I'll flag those as we go.

What does the Atlanta tax job market look like right now?

Across roughly 67,500 live accounting and finance postings in our database, 135 tax-family roles sit in the Greater Atlanta metro, spread over 73 employers. The mix is top-heavy: 53 tax managers, 22 associates, 21 interns, 15 seniors, 15 directors, 5 senior managers and one partner posting. None of the 135 is remote, which stands out when about 1 in 13 tax postings nationally is remote, so in Atlanta you're showing up in person or hybrid (roughly 23% of the local tax postings are hybrid).

Cherry Bekaert has the most openings with 13, followed by a cluster of regional and national firms at around four each, including Wipfli, Frazier & Deeter, Aprio, BDO and Moore Colson. That's a public accounting town for tax, and if you want to compare those firms our accounting firms directory is a good place to start.

How much does a tax accountant make in Atlanta?

Only 48 of the 135 postings list any pay, so read these as a rough guide. Among the 13 associate postings that show pay, the median midpoint is about $71,000, and the 18 manager postings with pay come in around $122,500. Tax seniors rest on just two postings with a midpoint near $95,000, which is too thin to lean on but fits between the other two, and the few director postings that disclose pay sit close to $297,000.

That jump from associate to manager, about $50,000, is the whole pay story, and it explains why getting through the junior years matters. The same math in other cities is in our posts on tax pay in Los Angeles and the Washington DC tax market.

What do you need to become a CPA in Georgia?

Georgia loosened things this year, which helps you. According to NASBA's Georgia licensure summary, effective January 1, 2026 there are three education routes: a bachelor's degree with 150 semester hours, a master's in accounting or tax, or a newer route that stays at a bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in accounting and 18 in business. The first two need one year of qualifying experience (2,000 hours inside 12 months) and the bachelor's-only route needs two years (4,000 hours inside 24 months).

The 150-hour requirement has stalled plenty of people who only found out after they started working, so the new route is a big deal, and I covered the national version in the 150-hour rule piece. You don't need the CPA to start in tax, though it carries weight in Atlanta: 35 of the 53 manager postings mention a CPA credential in some form, against 9 of 22 associate postings, so it matters right where the pay jumps.

How do you get your first tax job in Atlanta?

Start with internships, because there are 21 tax intern postings in Atlanta right now, nearly as many as associate roles, and an internship is the most natural bridge into an associate seat. Smaller regional firms are worth a real look too, since they post fewer roles and plausibly let you touch more of the work early, while the big names collect the flood of applications.

Go in clear-eyed about busy season. Tax is where postings name it most, about 3% of tax roles against a fraction of a percent elsewhere, so January through April will eat your life, and it's worth asking what a firm does to lighten that load before you say yes, because the "we're like a family" bullshit on a careers page doesn't count as an answer.

What I'd do

If I were starting over I'd knock out the 30 accounting and 18 business hours first, since every Georgia route needs them and you can't shortcut them, then chase a tax internship or associate role at a regional firm and start the exam sections in year one while the material is fresh. I'd log experience hours from day one so nothing gets lost when you apply, because reconstructing two years of hours from memory is pure hell. And I'd get good at using AI for research memos and first-pass checks, since a junior who can do that well stands out to a manager who's drowning in returns and doesn't give a shit about your pedigree. The live tax listings on our job board show real requirements, which beats guessing.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a CPA to work in tax in Atlanta?

No, most associate and intern roles don't require one, though a meaningful share mention it. In our data 9 of 22 Atlanta associate postings reference a CPA credential, compared with 35 of 53 manager postings.

How long does it take to become a CPA in Georgia?

It depends on your route. Per NASBA, Georgia requires one year of qualifying experience for the 150-hour and master's routes and two years for the bachelor's-only route, on top of the education hours and the exam.

Are there remote tax accountant jobs in Atlanta?

Almost none. All 135 Atlanta tax postings in our data are on-site or hybrid. For remote work, browse remote tax jobs nationally and read our remote tax accountant guide.

What is the average tax accountant salary in Atlanta?

Among postings that list pay, tax associates come in around $71,000 and tax managers around $122,500. Only 48 of 135 postings show pay, so the real range is wider.

Which Atlanta employers hire the most tax accountants?

Public accounting firms dominate. Cherry Bekaert leads our current data with 13 postings, and Wipfli, Frazier & Deeter, Aprio, BDO and Moore Colson each have around four.

Whatever route you pick, get the hours logged early and get in front of a real return as soon as someone will let you.

Posting counts and pay figures come from our own database of live accounting and finance postings in the Greater Atlanta metro as of September 2026. Pay medians use the midpoint of posted ranges. Georgia licensure details are from NASBA and worth confirming with the Georgia State Board of Accountancy before you plan around them.