The highest wages for accountants are generally found in Auckland and Wellington. A typical salary of a financial accountant in New Zealand according to Hayes 2016 salary guide was $90,000. The typical salary for a tax accountant was $85,000 and for a corporate accountant was $95,000, according to the survey. Assistant accountants, according to the 2017 Hudson guide, can expect to earn $55,000 – $70,000. For comparison, the average ordinary time hourly wage in New Zealand for the quarter ending 31 March 2107 was $29.90 according to Statistics New Zealand. This would give an annual average salary of around $59,100, working standard full-time hours (38 hours). Accountant Salaries / Wages in 2016 – 2017