When looking for a sustainable career, accounting should be at the top of your list. There are many different options like which type of accountant to be and how far you want to go in school. From associate to bachelor degrees, and graduate programs as well, it is important to see the difference that furthering your education can bring to the accounting world. So then, what exactly does accounting have to offer? Besides a good salary, consumer demand, and the ability to work for yourself, it also has variety. In the next section we will highlight several different accounting fields in order to see what a career in accounting looks like.
Counting the Accountants
There are many different roles that fall under having an accounting degree. Staff accountants work in a clerical setting. Working on tasks such as company tax preparation, payroll, and bookkeeping. Basically, staff accountants manage the flow of money at any given corporation. Another internal accounting role is that of an auditor. Auditors verify income and expenditures for the company that they work for. Let’s not overlook financial managers, cost estimators, and budget analysts. Accounting has the variety needed to make it a worthwhile career choice.
Let’s Talk Salaries
So what is the point of becoming an accountant if it doesn’t make any cents (get it, sense?). Salaries are important, and one of the indicators of how much an accountant makes, is what degree(s) do they hold. There is a stark difference between the average salary of an accountant with an associate’s degree versus a bachelor’s degree. On average, an accountant with only an associate’s degree can expect to make a salary around $53,000 annually. While this is still a good salary, accountants with a bachelor’s degree can expect an average salary of around $70,000-$80,000 (per BLS.gov). This jump in salary should be noted, as well as the higher pay raise for even more unique accounting roles (such as financial managers with an average salary of $127,990, in 2018). After looking at the numbers (that’s what accountants do), maybe it is time to consider joining this reprible career path.
The Final Countdown
At the end of the day, what matters most is choosing a career that not only fits your needs but also has some security as well. The good news is that the need for accountants is not disappearing anytime soon. In accounting fields such as staff accounting and auditors, there is a steady growth that is projected to continue over time; more than 90,000 positions are expected to be created over the next 8 years. When it comes to the field of financial management, there is a 16% job growth projected over the next 8 years. During which an estimated 104,700 positions will become available. There is no simpler way to say it: growing in your accounting education, with a bachelor’s degree, is a safe and profitable career choice.
