Accounting Degree

Public and private businesses need people with mathematical acumen and accounting degrees to help them keep track of money moving in, out, and around the company. They rely on accountants to keep track of invoices, payroll, and other receipts and to tally them, making sure that the company's accounts are balanced. In addition, they use accountants to audit money flows within the company to discover fraud or theft. Finally, businesses rely on accountants' reports to predict future trends and financial needs. Accountants have an average wage significantly above the median salary of all employed persons.

There are several types of accountancy performed by those with accounting degrees. Management accountants monitor the finances of their own companies while public accountants work for accounting firms that counsel other businesses. Auditors and government accountants look at the accounts of both clients and non-clients to discover problems, fraud, or tax evasion. All types of accountancy require substantial study and some kind of accounting degree. Mathematical aptitude is an obvious prerequisite.

Two-year accounting associate's degree programs are available for those wishing to become accountants in private companies. In any degree program, candidates study business, economics, finance, and a core curriculum of targeted accounting classes, covering laws, ethics, and reporting duties. Bachelor's degrees and special 150-credit degrees are available to become licensed by the government. In the United States, accountants are licensed by a state agency, that state's board of accountancy. Each state (and Washington, D.C.) has its own requirements for being registered as a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). CPAs must complete required coursework and pass a test in their state before working as fully licensed accountants.

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