Certified Public Accountant Jobs in Illinois
Certified Public Accountant jobs in Illinois are among the most active in the Midwest, with consistent demand across public accounting firms, corporate finance, manufacturing, and healthcare systems at every level from staff accountant through senior CPA and controller. Chicago drives the bulk of hiring, with strong secondary markets in Naperville and Schaumburg, where firms such as Grant Thornton, Deloitte, and Caterpillar maintain significant Illinois operations. Audit, tax compliance, and financial reporting are the most in-demand specialties across Illinois employers. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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FutureSight is seeking a Co-Founder & CEO to lead Crossfoot, an AI-native accounting agent platform. This is a co-founder partnership with meaningful founder equity, not a salaried executive role.
Crossfoot is agentic accounting for small-to-mid CPA firms; a segment where accountant shortages are structural, client intake is capped by production headcount, and the manual close and tax prep workflow consumes the majority of senior staff capacity. Crossfoot connects to the tools firms already use (QuickBooks Online, Xero, Drake) and delivers finished work products ready for partner review, without requiring system migration or enterprise-scale implementation.
Market Context- We didn't just build a thesis; we validated it directly with the market. We've spoken with CPA firm managing partners, CAS leads, and tax preparers. The key insights:
- The "why now" is structural, not hype: the profession lost 300,000+ professionals from 2020–2024, and the replacement pipeline has shrunk ~33% in a decade. Firms now cap new-client intake by production headcount rather than demand. They turn away winnable work they can't staff. Meanwhile, CAS (advisory) revenue is projected to reach 30% of the firm's revenue by 2026.
- Senior accountants spend 40%+ of their time on document intake and workbook compilation — $90K staff doing $20/hour data entry — while month-end close runs 10–15 business days on a pure manual process.
- Early AI adopters in accounting already earn 39% more revenue per employee. The gap between firms that move and firms that don't is compounding now.
- We are targeting a large, fragmented, structurally underserved market. The total addressable market is an estimated $1.5B+ across 87,000+ US accounting firms, with a focused beachhead SAM of $400M+ (small/mid firms).
FutureSight is a leading venture builder that co-creates world-class software companies with values-driven entrepreneurs from inception to exit. We are a team of founders, operators and designers with experience successfully bringing software to market at scale.
You’ll co-create with a proven studio team, led by John Carbrey (4x entrepreneur, $100M ARR), Krista LaRiviere (3x exited, E&Y Top Women Entrepreneur), Alan Smith (Strategyzer co-founder, $120M in products built), Prathna Ramesh (former MD of Maple Leaf Angels, $275M in follow-on capital), and Johnny Tong (0-to-1 builder, acquired by SAP and Stripe) bring a rare combination of operator exits, institutional investing, and AI product depth.
The Partnership- Founder equity with meaningful ownership from inception
- Pre-seed capital committed by FutureSight for early hires and MVP development, with potential for follow-on funding
- Venture building resources, including embedded design, engineering, growth, and fundraising support from day one
- Investor and advisor network across vertical AI and early-stage capital markets
- A true co-creation model in which you operate as CEO with FutureSight's cross-functional team as your partner
As Co-Founder & CEO, you will set the venture's direction and lead its execution.
- Strategy — Refine the ICP, size-tiered pricing model, and product positioning
- Customer Development — Lead pilots with managing partners, CAS leads, and outsourced-accounting/BPO operators at small-to-mid CPA firms, convert them to paid engagements, and build the referral-led go-to-market motion
- Product — Partner with the FutureSight product and engineering team to ship V1 and iterate on user feedback
- Capital — Lead the seed raise, supported by FutureSight's network and traction
- Team — Recruit and lead the founding team, and establish the cultural foundation of the company
- Previous founding experience at a venture-backed company
- Demonstrated success in B2B AI or B2B SaaS go-to-market, including consultative, relationship-driven sales and customer engagement
- Fundraising fluency, with the ability to develop investor narratives and close capital
- Proven ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent
- Clear-eyed understanding of the risks and demands of co-founding a venture-backed company
- Deep accounting domain expertise, with hands-on experience managing close processes, tax preparation, workpapers, and client accounting services within CPA firms.
Please submit your resume, LinkedIn profile, and a brief note on why this venture aligns with your goals as a founder. We will move quickly for the right candidate.
FutureSight is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences.
FutureSight is seeking a Co-Founder & CEO to lead Crossfoot, an AI-native accounting agent platform. This is a co-founder partnership with meaningful founder equity, not a salaried executive role.
Crossfoot is agentic accounting for small-to-mid CPA firms; a segment where accountant shortages are structural, client intake is capped by production headcount, and the manual close and tax prep workflow consumes the majority of senior staff capacity. Crossfoot connects to the tools firms already use (QuickBooks Online, Xero, Drake) and delivers finished work products ready for partner review, without requiring system migration or enterprise-scale implementation.
Market Context- We didn't just build a thesis; we validated it directly with the market. We've spoken with CPA firm managing partners, CAS leads, and tax preparers. The key insights:
- The "why now" is structural, not hype: the profession lost 300,000+ professionals from 2020–2024, and the replacement pipeline has shrunk ~33% in a decade. Firms now cap new-client intake by production headcount rather than demand. They turn away winnable work they can't staff. Meanwhile, CAS (advisory) revenue is projected to reach 30% of the firm's revenue by 2026.
- Senior accountants spend 40%+ of their time on document intake and workbook compilation — $90K staff doing $20/hour data entry — while month-end close runs 10–15 business days on a pure manual process.
- Early AI adopters in accounting already earn 39% more revenue per employee. The gap between firms that move and firms that don't is compounding now.
- We are targeting a large, fragmented, structurally underserved market. The total addressable market is an estimated $1.5B+ across 87,000+ US accounting firms, with a focused beachhead SAM of $400M+ (small/mid firms).
FutureSight is a leading venture builder that co-creates world-class software companies with values-driven entrepreneurs from inception to exit. We are a team of founders, operators and designers with experience successfully bringing software to market at scale.
You’ll co-create with a proven studio team, led by John Carbrey (4x entrepreneur, $100M ARR), Krista LaRiviere (3x exited, E&Y Top Women Entrepreneur), Alan Smith (Strategyzer co-founder, $120M in products built), Prathna Ramesh (former MD of Maple Leaf Angels, $275M in follow-on capital), and Johnny Tong (0-to-1 builder, acquired by SAP and Stripe) bring a rare combination of operator exits, institutional investing, and AI product depth.
The Partnership- Founder equity with meaningful ownership from inception
- Pre-seed capital committed by FutureSight for early hires and MVP development, with potential for follow-on funding
- Venture building resources, including embedded design, engineering, growth, and fundraising support from day one
- Investor and advisor network across vertical AI and early-stage capital markets
- A true co-creation model in which you operate as CEO with FutureSight's cross-functional team as your partner
As Co-Founder & CEO, you will set the venture's direction and lead its execution.
- Strategy — Refine the ICP, size-tiered pricing model, and product positioning
- Customer Development — Lead pilots with managing partners, CAS leads, and outsourced-accounting/BPO operators at small-to-mid CPA firms, convert them to paid engagements, and build the referral-led go-to-market motion
- Product — Partner with the FutureSight product and engineering team to ship V1 and iterate on user feedback
- Capital — Lead the seed raise, supported by FutureSight's network and traction
- Team — Recruit and lead the founding team, and establish the cultural foundation of the company
- Previous founding experience at a venture-backed company
- Demonstrated success in B2B AI or B2B SaaS go-to-market, including consultative, relationship-driven sales and customer engagement
- Fundraising fluency, with the ability to develop investor narratives and close capital
- Proven ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent
- Clear-eyed understanding of the risks and demands of co-founding a venture-backed company
- Deep accounting domain expertise, with hands-on experience managing close processes, tax preparation, workpapers, and client accounting services within CPA firms.
Please submit your resume, LinkedIn profile, and a brief note on why this venture aligns with your goals as a founder. We will move quickly for the right candidate.
FutureSight is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences.
See All 10 Certified Public Accountant Jobs in Illinois
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Find JobsCertified Public Accountant Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Certified Public Accountant Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
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What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in certified public accountant jobs across Illinois.
- Active CPA license issued or recognized by the Illinois Board of Examiners required
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field required
- Proficiency in accounting software such as QuickBooks, SAP, or Oracle expected
- Experience preparing and reviewing financial statements in accordance with GAAP
- Strong knowledge of federal and Illinois state tax codes and filing requirements
- Effective written and verbal communication skills for client and stakeholder reporting
Certified Public Accountant Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a certified public accountant in Illinois?
To become a licensed CPA in Illinois, you must pass all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination and meet the education and experience requirements set by the Illinois Board of Examiners, which administers licensure in the state. Illinois requires a bachelor's degree with coursework in accounting and business, along with verified work experience under a licensed CPA. Once licensed, Illinois CPAs must complete continuing professional education to maintain their credential.
How much do certified public accountants make in Illinois?
Certified public accountants in Illinois earn a median of about $80,230 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $54,510 for the lowest 10% to over $131,990 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire certified public accountants in Illinois?
Employers hiring certified public accountants in Illinois right now include Jobot, RÖDL USA, and FutureSight, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's concentration of corporate headquarters, Big Four accounting firms, and large healthcare and manufacturing organizations means demand for CPAs is spread across both public practice and industry roles throughout the state.
Which Illinois cities have the most certified public accountant jobs?
Chicago, Springfield, and Deer Park have the most certified public accountant openings in Illinois. Chicago anchors the market as home to major accounting firms, financial services companies, and corporate headquarters, while Naperville and Schaumburg attract significant demand from the large suburban business corridors, where manufacturers, insurers, and regional employers maintain substantial finance and accounting teams.
Are there remote certified public accountant jobs in Illinois?
Yes, and more than most fields, given that CPA work centers on analysis, reporting, and compliance tasks that translate well to remote environments. About 50% of certified public accountant openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how broadly the profession has adopted flexible arrangements. Tax advisory, financial reporting, and audit support roles tend to be the most consistently remote or hybrid across Illinois employers.
How can I get hired as a certified public accountant in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a staff accountant or accounting associate role at a public accounting firm or corporate finance department in Illinois. Chicago-area offices of national firms such as RSM, BDO, and Baker Tilly run structured new-graduate programs that hire candidates without prior professional experience. Earning or actively pursuing CPA exam eligibility strengthens any application, and candidates who transition from bookkeeping, accounts payable, or financial analyst assistant roles often move into CPA-track positions at Illinois companies within one to two years.
Where can I find and apply to certified public accountant jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to certified public accountant jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings from employers actively hiring now. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 10 Certified Public Accountant Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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