Oil boosts accountants pay rates

SCOTTISH accountants earn more than their peers in any other part of the UK outside London and the south-east of England, according to data from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Qualified CIMA members in Scotland earn on average £55,088 in basic salary plus £5,636 in bonuses, while part-qualified students earn on average £30,569 in basic salary, plus £1,558, in bonus payments.

Jim Callander, chairman of CIMA Scotland, said: “Part-qualified students could expect to earn up to 30 per cent more than some parts of the country and fully qualified CIMA members could earn up to 60 per cent more. This is largely due to the oil, gas and alternative energy sectors as well as a strong banking sector presence accounting for higher salaries in Scotland.”