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What jobs are there with a degree in accounting besides an accountant?
Hello, I am a senior in high school. After college I plan on becoming a public accountant but I will still like to learn about other options because just because you have a degree in accounting doesn't mean you have to be a public/private accountant, auditor, tax person, etc. I will either major in accounting and minor in computer information technology or major in accounting with a finance concentration. Thank you!
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15 answers
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Michael’s Answer
As a Disability Resource Coordinator working for the New York State Department of Labor, I can offer a unique perspective on potential career paths for individuals who have a degree in accounting. While becoming a public accountant is a popular choice, there are many other options available.
One potential avenue to explore is civil service jobs in federal, state, or local government. These jobs can provide a sense of civic duty and an opportunity to make a difference in your community. Some possible fields to consider include public safety, environmental protection, social services, and infrastructure.
When it comes to pursuing these opportunities, I strongly recommend seeking guidance from an employment counselor at the State Department of Labor. They can help you identify specific civil service positions that match your skills and interests, as well as provide assistance with the application process. Additionally, they may be able to provide information on any special programs or accommodations available for individuals with disabilities who are interested in pursuing civil service careers.
In terms of your degree path, pursuing a minor in computer information technology or a finance concentration can open up even more possibilities for your future career. With your accounting degree and additional skills, you may be able to pursue opportunities in areas such as financial analysis, budget analysis, or forensic accounting.
Remember, there are many paths you can take with an accounting degree, so keep an open mind and explore all of your options. And don't hesitate to reach out to a State Department of Labor employment counselor for guidance and support along the way.
One potential avenue to explore is civil service jobs in federal, state, or local government. These jobs can provide a sense of civic duty and an opportunity to make a difference in your community. Some possible fields to consider include public safety, environmental protection, social services, and infrastructure.
When it comes to pursuing these opportunities, I strongly recommend seeking guidance from an employment counselor at the State Department of Labor. They can help you identify specific civil service positions that match your skills and interests, as well as provide assistance with the application process. Additionally, they may be able to provide information on any special programs or accommodations available for individuals with disabilities who are interested in pursuing civil service careers.
In terms of your degree path, pursuing a minor in computer information technology or a finance concentration can open up even more possibilities for your future career. With your accounting degree and additional skills, you may be able to pursue opportunities in areas such as financial analysis, budget analysis, or forensic accounting.
Remember, there are many paths you can take with an accounting degree, so keep an open mind and explore all of your options. And don't hesitate to reach out to a State Department of Labor employment counselor for guidance and support along the way.
This was super helpful, thank you!
Ivana
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your questions.
There are plenty of career choices if having accounting major and computer science or finance as minor. Apart from being an accountant, you can consider below :
1. Accounting with Finance minor
Would you like to be Banker, Financial Analyst, Auditor, Tax Consultant, etc.?
2. Accounting with Computer Science minor
Would you like to be MIS consultant, Information System Auditor, Accounting System Developer, etc.
You can explore more on these careers. Also, You can seek more advice from the college professor, alumni, college career counsellor, etc.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
There are plenty of career choices if having accounting major and computer science or finance as minor. Apart from being an accountant, you can consider below :
1. Accounting with Finance minor
Would you like to be Banker, Financial Analyst, Auditor, Tax Consultant, etc.?
2. Accounting with Computer Science minor
Would you like to be MIS consultant, Information System Auditor, Accounting System Developer, etc.
You can explore more on these careers. Also, You can seek more advice from the college professor, alumni, college career counsellor, etc.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
I appreciate your support, Rebecca
Ivana
Updated
Vamshee’s Answer
With Accounting Major with Minor in Computers, You can think of doing jobs like Financial Advisor, Financial Analyst, Business Analyst, Financial Modeler, Investment Adviser etc. If you can learn automation or programming, you can work on automating some accounting tasks or running reports etc.You can grab some jobs in companies who develop or provide accounting software/tools etc.
Pursuing CPA is a good option as they are always demand for CPAs and one can work for company or start your own practice.
Hope this helps!
Pursuing CPA is a good option as they are always demand for CPAs and one can work for company or start your own practice.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much, Vamshee!
Ivana
Updated
Rita’s Answer
Hi Michael, great question! My career path is location-specific, since I live in Las Vegas. I currently work as a Casino Tax Manager, which basically handles tax filings related to gaming revenue. With this type of position, I'm able work in my chosen field, but also interact with a lot of upper management from various casinos. This is pretty fun as I'm able to use a bit of customer service and interpersonal skills, which has definitely helped me become a more well-rounded manager. Hope that helped! And good luck on your future career path.
Thanks for your encouragement!
Ivana
Updated
samantha’s Answer
There are so many different fields you can go into with an Accounting Degree. You can go the traditional tax/audit route, or you can go into finance, consulting, economics, etc.
Thank you for the advice, samantha.
Ivana
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hello Ivana, that's a great inquiry! I've been with Citigroup for over three decades, and my Accounting degree played a key role in securing an entry-level role. Initially, I was involved in basic accounting tasks, but eventually, I expanded my expertise to more sophisticated areas like Product Accounting, Counterparty Credit Risk, and Risk Governance. Possessing an accounting degree equips you with a solid base, which can be further enriched by adding an Information Technology minor. IT is crucial in the banking sector, paving the way for diverse career opportunities. Being part of a prominent bank offers you such possibilities.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Ivana
Updated
Sherry’s Answer
With an accounting degree, you have so many exciting opportunities! You could keep studying and become a university professor, or start in public accounting and explore roles like controller, finance, HR, or even operations. Don't worry, your first job won't be your only one – there are tons of career paths that begin with accounting. Some folks work in the field for a bit, earn their MBA, and then dive into consulting or become a product manager. Plus, within public accounting firms, your role can change every few years so don't let the word "accounting" mislead you about the world of opportunities.
I am really grateful you took the time to answer this question.
Ivana
Candice Robinson, BS, NCPT-4
Psych Assistant/Practice Administrator
39
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Candice’s Answer
I started out with minimal experience and an undergraduate certificate in accounting and found immediate opportunities in healthcare.
Many healthcare facilities keep an accountant or someone with accounting experience on staff for bookkeeping, managing cash flow, and creating financial statements.
There is often more on the job training provided into specific areas such as processing insurance claims. Medical billing is simply keeping account of the medical bills and claims submitted on behalf of patients.
This is commonly referred to as revenue cycle management. It includes tracking the financials of a patient from the time they are registered through each appointment and finally their ending or discharge balance.
Accounting in healthcare also ties in directly with experiences in information technology and finance. You will use computerized systems to track and record the patient transactions. You may be asked to generate patient account reports, look for errors, or find ways to streamline processes.
In a more advanced role, finance includes not just the accounting for individual patients, but the organization as a whole. Responsibilities are usually related to managing financial reporting to include balance sheets and cash flow analyses, also performing internal audits.
Definitely an area worth looking into.
Many healthcare facilities keep an accountant or someone with accounting experience on staff for bookkeeping, managing cash flow, and creating financial statements.
There is often more on the job training provided into specific areas such as processing insurance claims. Medical billing is simply keeping account of the medical bills and claims submitted on behalf of patients.
This is commonly referred to as revenue cycle management. It includes tracking the financials of a patient from the time they are registered through each appointment and finally their ending or discharge balance.
Accounting in healthcare also ties in directly with experiences in information technology and finance. You will use computerized systems to track and record the patient transactions. You may be asked to generate patient account reports, look for errors, or find ways to streamline processes.
In a more advanced role, finance includes not just the accounting for individual patients, but the organization as a whole. Responsibilities are usually related to managing financial reporting to include balance sheets and cash flow analyses, also performing internal audits.
Definitely an area worth looking into.
Thank you, Candice!
Ivana
Updated
Morgan’s Answer
Accounting is a great degree to obtain that will open many doors. I stared my career in public accounting after getting a bachelor's degree in accounting. I focused on auditing while obtaining my CPA license and really enjoyed working with my nonprofit clients. From there, I thought it would be great to actually work at a nonprofit. I joined a great foundation that hosted professional golf tournaments and donated all of the proceeds to charity. I led their financial transformation - implementing new software, annual business plan process, and renewed focus on operational efficiencies. I was promoted to Executive Director and learned about running all facets of a nonprofit. To bring it all back together, after a wonderful seven years I felt the pull to help more nonprofits, so I got a consulting role at a top 20 firm. Currently, I serve as a Chief Financial Officer Consultant/Chief Development Officer consultant helping nonprofits focus on propelling their mission forward with world class development and finance functions. In summary, you never know where that accounting degree might take you...
Morgan, thank you!
Ivana
Updated
Samantha’s Answer
Another career path for you to consider is forensic accounting. I’m a forensic accountant and I find the job extremely interesting because it’s a great mix of both qualitative and quantitative work. Forensic accountants often conduct fraud, bribery and corruption, or money laundering investigations and have to use both quantitative sources (such as financial documents) and qualitative sources (such as emails, text messages, policies and procedures, etc.) to draw conclusions and write reports about what happened. Forensic accountants sometimes get to interact with government agencies while working through these cases. I find the the work extremely interesting and engaging and highly encourage anyone who studies business or accounting to look into it. You could work directly for the government or you could work for a consulting firm or other company that also works on forensic accounting investigations. I would definitely recommend reading more about forensic accounting to see if it could be a good fit for you!
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this.
Ivana
Updated
Kathryn’s Answer
Hello Ivana, indeed, the scope for someone holding an accounting degree is quite vast. You can delve into numerous possibilities in the fields of finance and general business.
Updated
Kristen’s Answer
Another option is an IT Auditor. This would fit with your schooling so well. I had a similar schooling. I didn't even know this was a job until I started to look for internships and public accounting firms. An IT Audit position would use both your accounting classes and computer skills.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Ivana
Updated
Frank’s Answer
One career path is internal auditor. This is not only a great accounting career path, but it also can set you up for your next opportunity. Internal Audit by itself is more than just accounting. It is evaluating the business processes of the company, which can be very diverse. I have seen numerous people start in internal audit and then find their next job as a result. For example, after performing audits of different processes in the company, auditors have moved into Finance, Marketing, Internal Controls, Revenue Management, IT, and Vendor Risk Management to name a few. The skills you learn as an internal auditor are very transferable to many other disciplines.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Ivana
Updated
Lauren’s Answer
Another possibility to consider is consulting services. These services can include things like system setup, enhancing control environments, initial public offerings, and more. This provides an opportunity for you to gain diverse experiences and grow in your field.
Thank you so much for the advice.
Ivana
Updated
Zachary’s Answer
Personally, I believe that accounting is one of the best foundational degrees to have to offer you a wide range of career options, especially in the business world. In my professional experience, having an understanding of accounting can be extremely helpful in all levels of an organization especially if you aspire to have higher level management positions. Since accounting can be a very difficult subject for some people to grasp, having an understanding of accounting can help differentiate you from others while moving through your career. A lot of the suggestions from other posters are great suggestions. There are many facets to accounting roles. Some others are technical accounting, consulting, and accounting for TV/movie productions (throwing that one in because it is always fun to see the accountants listed in the credits).
Thank you, Zachary!
Ivana