Becoming an Accountant Starts with the Right School

When one first starts the process of looking into an accounting career it really does start with the type of school you are enrolling in. As you might expect not all schools are created equal, in fact each school you look into will probably have a completely different curriculum than the next. The goal of any program is to get you properly trained so you can pass the CPA. If you want to become an accountant but not earn your CPA there are plenty of accounting schools available to help you reach your goals.

The first step is to find out what type of accountant you would like to become. Bookkeepers for instance don’t require you to have your CPA and most schools offer a 1 year or less accounting program that will earn you a certificate in bookkeeping. Other jobs you can apply for that only require an Associate’s program include Account Receivables/Payables and Billing Assistant. When you earn your Associate’s degree or higher you then can apply for positions as an Accounting Auditor, Accounting Manager and even a Corporate Controller.

Salary
The median salary range for an accountant or auditor is $67,190 per year for those who have earned at least a Bachelor’s degree. The highest 10% of the industry earned $118,930 per year. The average accountant works 40 hour work weeks however that amount can increase the closer to tax season as well as the end of the year.

Why Become an Accountant
One of the most common reasons why people choose an accounting career is the flexibility the career has within almost any industry. As an accountant you aren’t tied to one specific industry. Another reason is many end up opening up their own practices after they have gained enough experience. Accountants are still in demand at most companies and the industry is expected to grow by 11% over the next 9 years. Currently the accounting sector employs 1.3 million workers.

 

 

 

 

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Sources:
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm
http://www.college-universities.com/bachelor-business-accounting-search-accredited-online-accounting-schools.php