THE highest paid chartered accountant in industry was paid £250,000 in the past year and had a company car, according to a survey.

He was employed as the managing director of a financial services firm. The lowest was a newly qualified accountant in practice who earned £17,200 per annum, while an average accountant's salary was around £47,000.

Those working as accountants had a salary increase of 2 per cent in the year to January 31st 1996. Accountants working as managing directors did better with an increase of 8 per cent.

Accountants working in financial services continue to be paid more than their counterparts in industry and commerce.

Their holidays and fringe benefits are also much better but the difference has narrowed in the latest survey.

This is partly attributed to the changing profile of financial service companies with the proportion of small companies in the sector increasing.

The survey of 709 accountants was carried out by the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants.