Big 4 IT Auditor here (4 years):

1) Yes. I have an undergrad in Accounting/Finance and Masters in Auditing (not even IT concentration). The thing people don't realize is that IT people know IT and accounting people know the business. The IT Auditors need to know a little of both. I can't code, but I do know a little about how security in Linux works. I can't bore you with the latest updates to revenue recognition rules, but I do know how all your revenue gets recorded in that Oracle system that's running on that Linux server and how to make sure its secure. It's a very good thing to know because you understand the whole business, not just a pigeon-holed business function. 2) Yes. A lot of companies are bolstering their Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Security groups in the last few years due to all the data breaches and new laws and requirements (i.e. Dodd-Frank, SOX, etc.). Third-Party Assurance (i.e. SSAE 16) is also growing pretty quickly as companies are outsourcing a lot of IT services to other companies. I usually get someone looking to give me a job in industry/government once/twice a week, sometimes more. 3) Not too hard. My Big 4 market team has grown from 80 people when I started to 150 in 4 years. We can't get enough good, qualified help. If you have the accounting background, take the CPA exam, pass that, then take the CISA as a second credential. The CPA gives you some credibility to the financial people (let's be honest, they're leading the company) and the CISA tells everyone "hey this guy knows a little bit about IT". 4) My busy season is 50-55 hours a week in the fall. I work on mostly mid-cap companies. My group tends to be pretty flexible. I tend to work on-site Monday thru Thursday and at home on Fridays. Later in the busy season, once we finish all the walkthroughs and get all the evidence (easier said than done sometimes), depending on the team, we might just work remotely (i.e. from home) for a week or two or three. This of course is dependent upon your team and whether your team is actually capable of working remotely and getting their shit done without the senior/manager hovering over them. 5) I like my job. It may depend on office, but my partners tend to be younger and don't really care where/when you work as long as the clients are happy and dollars are rolling through the door. That said, the turnover tends to be lower than in the Core Audit groups.