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Recent Accounting Graduate Jobs in Mount Prospect, IL

Accountant

Hines, IL · On-site

$68K/yr

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate ... Accounting; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public ...

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate ... Accounting; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public ...

Staff I Fund Accountant

Chicago, IL

$56K - $74K/yr

This role is ideal for a recent graduate or accounting professional with up to one year of experience who is looking to build a strong foundation in real estate, fund, and joint venture accounting.

Staff I Fund Accountant

Chicago, IL · On-site

$68K - $78K/yr

This role is ideal for a recent graduate or accounting professional with up to one year of experience who is looking to build a strong foundation in real estate, fund, and joint venture accounting.

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Recent Accounting Graduate information

See Mount Prospect, IL salary details

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How much do recent accounting graduate jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for recent accounting graduate in Mount Prospect, IL is $21.94, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.61 and $24.38 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a recent accounting graduate?

Recent accounting graduates are individuals who have recently completed a degree in accounting, such as a Bachelor’s or Master’s, and are entering the job market. They typically possess foundational knowledge in financial reporting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting. These graduates are often seeking entry-level positions such as staff accountant, audit associate, or tax associate, where they can apply their academic training and gain practical experience. Many also pursue professional certifications like the CPA to advance their careers.

What types of tasks and projects can a recent accounting graduate expect to handle in their first year on the job?

As a recent accounting graduate, you'll typically start by supporting more senior accountants with tasks like preparing journal entries, reconciling accounts, and assisting with month-end or year-end financial closings. You may also help with accounts payable and receivable, invoice processing, and basic financial analysis. Early on, you'll likely work under close supervision, but as you gain experience, you might be given responsibility for small projects or parts of larger audits. This foundational work helps you build essential skills and prepares you for more complex assignments and advancement opportunities within the organization.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a recent accounting graduate, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Recent Accounting Graduate, you need a solid understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting, and analytical skills, typically supported by a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance. Familiarity with accounting software such as QuickBooks, Excel, and possibly ERP systems like SAP is highly valuable. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and strong communication skills help you stand out when collaborating with teams and handling complex financial data. These competencies ensure accuracy, compliance, and effective contribution to organizational financial goals as you start your accounting career.

What is the difference between Recent Accounting Graduate vs Accounting Assistant?

AspectRecent Accounting GraduateAccounting Assistant
Required CredentialsDegree in Accounting or related fieldTypically an entry-level position, may require a degree or some coursework
Work EnvironmentInternships, entry-level roles, training programsOffice setting, supporting accounting team
Employer & Industry UsageUsed by companies hiring recent grads for training rolesCommonly employed in accounting departments for clerical support

The Recent Accounting Graduate is an entry-level candidate often seeking internships or training roles, while an Accounting Assistant is a support role within an accounting team. Both positions typically require a degree in accounting or related fields, but the graduate is usually just starting their career, whereas the assistant may have some work experience. Understanding these differences helps job seekers target the right roles for their experience level.

What are popular job titles related to Recent Accounting Graduate jobs in Mount Prospect, IL?

For Recent Accounting Graduate jobs in Mount Prospect, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Recent Accounting Graduate jobs in Mount Prospect, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Recent Accounting Graduate jobs in Mount Prospect, IL are:

What cities near Mount Prospect, IL are hiring for Recent Accounting Graduate jobs?

Cities near Mount Prospect, IL with the most Recent Accounting Graduate job openings:

Infographic showing various Recent Accounting Graduate job openings in Mount Prospect, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $45,628 per year, or $21.9 per hour.

Recent Graduate - Auditor

Department of Labor

Chicago, IL • On-site

$53K/yr

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

For more information, click Pathways Programs, State Apprenticeship Programs, Other Apprenticeship Programs or Career One Stop.

This is an appointment under the DOL Recent Graduates program. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.
One vacancy to be filled at an OIG office (see duties section below); final duty station will be determined upon selection.

Qualifications:

Applicants must have graduated, within the past two years, (with an associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, diploma, vocational, technical degree, or certificate, etc.) from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical educational program including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps). Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree or certificate due to military service obligation have up to six years after degree or certificate completion.

To qualify for the Recent Graduate - Auditor, you must meet the Basic Requirements AND one of the Minimum Qualifications options as described below.
Basic Requirements
A. Degree: auditing; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, public administration or accounting.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of experience in Performance Auditing, or an equivalent combination of performance auditing experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional auditing knowledge. In addition, you must also possess one of the following:
1. A certificate as a Certified Internal Auditor or a Certified Public Accountant, obtained through written examination; or
2. Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in auditing or accounting, e.g., 15 semester hours.
Minimum Qualifications

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-05, in the Federal Service.

Qualifying specialized experience includes at least three (3) of the following:

  • Providing assistance to higher level staff in researching and applying audit regulations and policies;
  • Identifying and retrieving data or information and organizing records;
  • Working with spreadsheets, word processors, and simple databases; and/or
  • Drafting and/or preparing portions of reports;

OR
Education: Possess one (1) full year of graduate education in auditing; or a in a related field such as business administration, finance, public administration or accounting;
OR
Combination of experience and education: Possess a combination of specialized experience as described above AND graduate education as described above, which when combined would equate to at least 100%;
OR
Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.): S.A.A. recognizes college or university students who have successfully completed all of the requirements for a bachelor's degree and achieved superior academic standing as evidenced by one of the three methods described below.
S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of a. 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or b. 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below:
Alpha Beta Gamma, Alpha Chi, Alpha Epsilon, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Alpha Epsilon Rho, Alpha Eta Mu Beta, Alpha Iota Delta, Alpha Kappa Delta, Alpha Kappa Mu, Alpha Lambda Delta, Alpha Phi Sigma, Alpha Pi Mu, Alpha Sigma Lambda, Alpha Sigma Mu, Alpha Sigma Nu, Beta Gamma Sigma, Beta Kappa Chi, Beta Phi Mu, Chi Epsilon, Chi Sigma Iota, Delta Epsilon Sigma, Delta Mu Delta, Delta Tau Alpha, Epsilon Pi Tau, Gamma Theta Upsilon, Kappa Mu Epsilon, Kappa Omicron Nu, Kappa Tau Alpha, Lambda Iota Tau, Lambda Pi Eta, Lambda Sigma, Mortar Board, Mu Kappa Tau, National Society of Scabbard and Blade, NSCS (The National Society of Collegiate Scholars), Omega Chi Epsilon, Omega Rho, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Phi Beta Delta, Phi Sigma, Phi Sigma Iota, Phi Sigma Tau, Phi Upsilon Omicron, Pi Alpha Alpha, Pi, Delta Phi, Pi Gamma Mu, Pi Kappa Lambda, Pi Omega Pi, Pi Sigma Alpha, Pi Tau Sigma, Pi Theta Epsilon, Psi Beta, Psi Chi, Rho Chi, Sigma Beta Delta, Sigma Delta Pi, Sigma Lambda Alpha, Sigma Lambda Chi, Sigma Pi Sigma, Sigma Tau Delta, Sigma Theta Tau, Tau Alpha Pi, Tau Beta Pi, Tau Sigma Delta, Theta Alpha Kappa, Upsilon Pi Epsilon.

Education:

To be eligible for an appointment, you must meet requirement A or B.

A. Completed all requirements for a diploma, associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program (including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps) within the previous two years; OR

B. Was released or discharged from active duty within the previous two years, where the applicant is a veteran who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying for a recent graduate position during any portion of the two-year eligibility period following completion of his/her degree or certificate requirements, provided that not more than six years have transpired since the applicant completed the requirements for a degree or certification. You must submit an academic transcript from your academic institution showing the date that you most recently completed the academic requirements described above.
*For Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions, click Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
*For Registered State Apprenticeship Programs Information, click State Apprenticeship Programs
*For Other Apprenticeship Programs, click Apprenticeship Programs
*For Industry-Endorsed Certificate Programs, click Career One Stop Certificate Finder

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Employment Type: OTHER