Top Accounting Partners in Israel Earn Up to 5 Million Shekels Annually

A Bizportal investigation reveals that senior partners at Israel's largest accounting firms earn between 1.5 and 1.8 million shekels annually, while managing partners or division heads can make between 3 and 5 million shekels per year. These partners hold equity stakes in their firms and receive profit distributions based on seniority, client portfolios, and contributions to revenue. The five biggest firms in Israel, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, BDO, and PwC, employ over 500 partners combined, including 50 to 70 managing partners and department heads who earn significantly higher salaries.

The path to partnership typically takes 14 to 18 years and involves professional training, client management, team leadership, and business development skills. Only a small fraction of junior accountants eventually become full partners, with many leaving or remaining as managers. Partners leading audits for major banks, insurance companies, real estate groups, or tech firms generally command greater profit shares.

Compared to public company executives, about 1,200 executives earn over 1.5 million shekels annually, while roughly 500 partners in accounting firms reach similar compensation levels, representing about 40% of that group. Despite the high earnings, the profession faces challenges from technological changes like AI, which may impact future compensation. Historically, lower and mid-level accountants earned modest salaries, but recent labor shortages have improved pay. Many top executives in public companies are former accountants who advanced to CFO or CEO roles, highlighting accounting as a lucrative career path with multiple routes to senior leadership.