Accounting Graduate Jobs in New South Wales (NSW)

Australia's most prosperous state, New South Wales is home to the country's most populous city, Sydney. Sydney is the financial centre of Australia and the financial services industry contributes almost half of the city's economic output, so it is the prime place for accounting graduates to seek work.

Accounting graduate jobs in Sydney

The most popular route into accounting for graduates is through dedicated graduate programmes at some of the world's most prestigious financial firms. Competition for places on these schemes is fierce, with many requiring an average university grade of 65%. Firms in Sydney offering graduate programmes include EY, PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, Commonwealth Bank, the Australian Taxation Office and BDO Australia.

Although wages in Sydney for an accounting graduate are likely to be high, bear in mind that Sydney is currently one of the world's most expensive cities in terms of cost of living.

Accounting graduate jobs elsewhere in NSW

There are also opportunities elsewhere in New South Wales, including Newcastle and Wollongong, both of which are among Australia's ten largest cities. You may want to pursue a training role with one of Newcastle's many chartered accountants, including Sidcor Chartered Accountants, or seek a role at a firm in Wollongong, where around 3,000 people currently work in financial services.

Again, while the salary offered in New South Wales' smaller cities is likely to be lower than in Sydney, your money will go further due to the reduced cost of living.

The general outlook

Although only 5% of the NSW' working population is employed in the financial services industry, the sector helps to generate a significant percentage of the state's economic output. Accounting graduates with high grades are likely to find a number of opportunities in NSW, whether as an accountant in the private sector or in a role in the public sector. A full list of potential career paths that can be followed after graduating in accounting can be found here.