An accountant’s primary role is to maintain financial records for individuals and for-profit and non-profit organizations. Management and shareholders often make prudent business decisions based on the accountants’ financial analysis and advice.
Accounting students will develop the following skills, among others, during a bachelor’s degree program:
- Statistical analysis
- Problem-solving
- Critical reasoning
- Budgeting
- Taxation
- Business ethics
- Compliance.
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects accountants and auditors employment to grow by 4% from 2019 to 2029. This is similar to the average growth of all occupations.
The BLS predicts 125,700 job openings per year till 2029. Much of this is coming from the need to replace workers who switch jobs and retire.
Salary
The 2019 median wage for accountants was $71,550 per annum in the BLS findings. Specifically, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $44,480, whereas the highest 10 percent earned above $124,450 per year.
Interesting to note is that the Finance and Insurance sub-sector median wage was highest at $76,440, while that in the Government sub-sector stood at $70,180.
Progression
With a bachelor’s degree, you can be employed in entry-level jobs in accounting with career advancement opportunities. Most organizations require more advanced education like CPA, Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or a master’s degree to fulfill specific roles.
It is advisable to develop a career plan before committing to an online accounting degree. Do consider an online college with a curriculum that emphasizes CPA readiness.
You can read more about developing a career plan here.
What you can expect from an online accounting degree program
You can complete a bachelor’s degree in four years. It typically requires about 120 total credits for graduation, with major courses comprising 30 to 50 credits.
Your online accounting degree duration depends on your academic background and the number of courses you take per semester. Working adults and busy parents will need to create time to study to complete their degree quickly.
You will want to budget for tuition fees that will typically be about $300 to $500 per credit hour.
Securing your accounting degree online is an incredibly realistic option. Demand is increasing, and many online colleges offer it affordably.