Are accountants underpaid?

Hi, blog!

I am looking for some advice on my situation. I work for a small audit firm in Nilai. It is the branch firm. Additionally, I am thinking to continue with my ACCA in order to ease me to get the cert quickly. There goes the CA title that I am chasing for.

The firm I work for is very small (only 4 partners). However, we do have some pretty big jobs that we've taken from a few regional firms. I love working for my boss, and I feel I can learn so much from him. He has expressed that he needs me there, as I was the last good hire they were able to obtain. 

To be honest, there is just one problem: the compensation. I only make $9/hour, and the only benefits I have are health insurance (no dental or vision) and wil be reward for lunch treat, annual dinner, company trip and the list goes on.

I thought that even I have a good qualification on the firm (comparing with my colleagues that only have diploma and their salary is way too bigger than me just because they have asking for quit, but boss won't let them and there goes the high salary offered plus they have not work for almost a year), that would spark a conversation about compensation. Alas, this conversation has not happened. I am at the point where I do not know how to proceed. Besides, I am two months late entering this company before the previous employees. 

I wonder, how a company measure their employees salary? Based on qualifications or experience? But, what to expect, one of my colleague have experience than me (just because she studied until diploma) and her experience is not on current field. Just a kindergarten teacher. Can be accepted as experience? I have experience back then. Working at my uncle's audit firm for every semester break since diploma and have working right after spm. Erghhh. 

On one hand, I want to stay because we have a great relationship, and I have so much to learn from him. However, I do not even know if it is worth trying to negotiate a salary because he is so far off. Friends with the same experience in different firms are making about $36k per year. In fact, the starting salary for a staff right out of bachelor degree is minimum 2.5k per month.

So my question is: should I even try to negotiate a salary, or should I just look to move to a bigger firm?

Thanks for listening me, blog. :')