A B.S. in Accounting Can Open Many Doors
Are you interested in pursuing an accounting degree? It could open a variety of career paths for you. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is a private, nonprofit Lasallian Catholic University offering an accelerated, online degree completion program in accounting for adult learners. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota provides outstanding education to people of all ages. Here, we share more information about the B.S. in Accounting program and what you can do with an accounting degree.
Accounting Career Paths
A bachelor’s degree in accounting is a great foundation for working in many different jobs and career paths in the business industry. Many people think accounting degrees can only get you a job sitting in a stuffy office crunching numbers, but that’s not the case. An accounting degree teaches many important aspects of the industry, including how to analyze and interpret financial data, audit methods, and more skills that are helpful for a variety of career paths. Career choices for people with accounting degrees include:
Public Accountant
Public accounting is one of the main jobs people imagine when thinking of an accounting career. Public accountants provide a range of accounting services for either businesses or individuals, and their job duties will vary depending on the needs of their clients. Some typical job duties for public accountants include preparing financial statements, tax advising and filing, performing audits, consulting on finances, and more. For public accounts to become licensed, they’ll need to take and pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.
Forensic Accountant
A forensic accountant investigates individuals and organizations to determine whether they’ve committed financial crimes. Their job duties include analyzing financial data and uncovering financial crimes such as embezzlement, tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering. If you’re interested in both accounting and stopping crime, a career as a forensic accountant might be perfect for you.
Auditor
An auditor is someone who reviews, or audits, financial records and documents to make sure they’re accurate and in compliance with regulations. Auditors help protect businesses from fraud, catch discrepancies, and make sure financial statements follow the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Auditors can be internal or external, working within an organization or in conjunction with a government agency.
Financial Analyst
Being a financial analyst is a career that can have many different focuses, but the main one is to help businesses or individuals increase their funds through calculated investment. Using strategic analyzing methods, financial analysts also assess how stocks, bonds, and other investments are performing and offer recommendations.
Financial Advisor
Personal financial advisors, or financial planners, are just what they sound like – professionals who advise people on their finances. They work with each client’s circumstances to develop ways for them to meet their short- and long-term financial goals, including retirement planning, funding college expenses, managing taxes, and more.
These are just some of the many career paths people with accounting degrees can pursue. The online degree completion program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is designed to prepare students for the CMA and CPA exams, two exams often necessary for these accounting careers.
Accounting Job Outlook and Demand
Accounting is a great degree to pursue as it opens many different career doors for you, but it also offers a strong job outlook and demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of accountants and auditors is estimated to grow four percent from 2022 to 2032, which is about the average for all jobs. Over the decade, about 126,500 openings for accountants and auditors are projected each year, on average. As individuals and companies continue to need accountants to keep their businesses running and growing, the demand for accountants will remain steady.
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $78,000 in May 2022, but it can vary depending on whether they’re licensed, what type of setting they work in, and other factors.
Request More Information Today
If you think an accounting degree is the right choice for you to pursue, don’t hesitate to apply and get started on your career. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is proud to offer an outstanding online degree completion program in accounting that will provide a solid foundation for your career. In addition to the online program, students can complete the bachelor’s degree program at our undergraduate campus in Winona, MN. All our programs are enriched and inspired by Lasallian Catholic values, something that other universities can’t say. To get started, browse our admissions requirements or request more information today.
