Expand Your Career Options With A Degree In Accounting

People who enjoy working with numbers and who have a knack for organization should consider accounting for a career. There are many different professions such as being a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), corporate accounting, or financial analyst. A degree in accounting qualifies a student to start a career in any one of these accounting fields. Associate's and Bachelor's degrees are available, depending on what your personal career goals may be.

Most institutions, including community colleges and online universities, offer degrees in accounting. As with most other degrees, a core of general education courses is required. This core is combined with specialized accounting-related classes that may include courses like taxation, auditing, business economics, and payroll accounting. Most degree programs include coursework and training in the financial analysis program packages and database systems used for accounting.

For most entry-level accounting positions, a two-year degree is all that is required. Accounting clerk is an example of this type of entry-level position. Every industry that deals with money or payroll in any way employs these types professionals. In larger companies, the job duties become more specialized, but typically an accounting clerk's duties include tracking expenditures, receipts, accounts payable and receivable, and profits and losses; thereby, the professionals maintain accounting records.

Accounting clerk, bookkeeper, and auditing clerk are all examples of entry-level jobs that a two-year accounting degree will qualify you for. The growth of this industry will be on par with most other industries. About $32,000 is the median income for professionals in this field.

To be a Certified Public Accountant you will need a four-year accounting degree. Larger companies and corporations will require at least that much education to qualify for their upper-level accounting positions. In addition to the degree, many companies also require you to take and pass the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination. Most states also require you to successfully complete the CPA exam, and you must have a four-year degree with a minimum number of courses in business administration and accounting to be eligible to take this exam. Once you are a CPA, you are not limited to the corporate sector; you can also be a private accountant, either with a firm or independently.

Accounting is a very broad industry with many job opportunities available to someone with a four-year degree, even if he or she does not want to take the CPA exam. Some of these careers include payroll managers, finance managers, controllers, and budget analysts. All of these are high paying careers that do not require state certification.

People with Bachelor's degrees in accounting who work as accountants or auditors will experience job growth at a much faster rate than average. Additionally, these jobs pay $25,000 more annually than the aforementioned accounting clerk jobs that only demand a two-year degree. Higher pay and more job opportunities are very good reasons to continue on to get a Bachelor's after you complete an Associate's degree.

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