- Accounting Schools Popular With Job Demand - ED, Photobucket
Most progressive accounting jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a closely related field. For these university graduates, the job entry possibilities and career trajectory is sharp and positive.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, people who have earned a university degree in accounting and a professional recognition through certification or licensure, such as a Certified Professional Accountant designation, have the hottest chance at the best jobs in the market.
Accounting Schools Popular Owing to Higher Accounting Standards
The continuing demand for accountants is based on an increased regulatory environment, greater corporate governance requirements and higher accountability demanded by stockholders and investors in publicly traded firms.
For accountants and auditors, for example, job growth is expected to be much higher than average, at 22%, in the 10 years from 2008 to 2018. In the United States alone, almost 280,000 new accounting related jobs are expected to be created in that decade.
As with most fields, those with who have attained higher educational levels can expect to be the most competitive in the job market. Applicants with a master’s degree in accounting or a master’s degree in business administration concentrating on accounting, are among the most highly sought as employees both by the public and private sectors.
Accounting Graduate Wages Increase Above Average
In the U.S., median annual wages for accountants and auditors were $59,430 in May 2008. The middle half of the occupation earned between $45,900 and $78,210. The bottom 10% earned less than $36,720, and the top 10% earned more than $102,380.
The Chartered Accountants of Canada, in a 2009 report on professional compensation, note that the chartered accounting profession is financially rewarding. Average compensation is listed as $186,543 with the median compensation at $126,857.
However, students who earn a Bachelor of Commerce or related degree with a focus on accounting can also work in other jobs including management consulting, finance, marketing, human resources and entrepreneurship.
Educational options for those interested in earning a degree in accounting are wide and common in most universities. The Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) degree and the Bachelor of Commerce degree are industry standards for education in the field of accounting. Areas of study often include:
- Accounting Principles
- Ethics
- Business Policy
- Marketing
- Business Communications
- Research in Accounting
- Taxation
- Microeconomics and macroeconomics
Some undergraduate accounting degree programs are offered with a twist. Students can complete all business and accounting courses needed to enter three professional programs: Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified General Accountant (CGA), and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
Universities that train accountants of the future are setting graduates up for a world of career possibilities. Both compensation levels, the variety of jobs and number of jobs shows no signs of slowing down.
Shelley Aylesworth-Spink - Shelley Aylesworth-Spink has worked in support of communications, marketing and advertising for nearly 25 years in the private and public ...
