Online Accounting Colleges

Are you planning a career in accounting or auditing? One way to gauge how far you want to go in the education for your career is to discover wage earnings for various occupations. Although students with accounting degrees can enter many different occupations, there is a way to gauge whether you need a bachelor’s degree for a higher wage or if you need to pursue a master’s degree for top salary options. This information may interest you, as your future wages may offset any funds that you spend on your college education for accounting.

The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics is very clear on salary options for accountants. They break down earnings by starting salaries, by specializations and by degree. This information is based upon several sources that focus on each earning tier, and the information shows that the longer an accountant works and the higher the rank an accountant achieves, the more that accountant will realize financial success.

For instance, a salary survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers showed that bachelor’s degree candidates in accounting usually received starting offers averaging $46,718 per year in 2006. Master’s degree candidates varied little from that starting salary, with $49,277 per year average. But, more years in service to a company can help the master’s degree candidate earn more over the long run. This is especially true for accountants who can achieve management or directorship positions.

According to a 2007 salary survey conducted by Robert Half International, a staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance, general accountants and internal auditors earned a wide range of salaries depending upon length of time with a firm, the size of the firm, location, level of education, and professional credentials:

• Those entry-level accountants with up to one year of experience earned between $31,500 and $48,250 a year
• Those with one to three years of experience earned between $36,000 and $60,000 per year
• Senior accountants and auditors earned between $43,250 and $79,250 per year
• Managers earned between $51,250 and $101,500 per year
• Directors of accounting and internal auditing earned between $68,000 and $208,000 per year

Wage and salary accountants and auditors also receive many standard benefits, including health and medical insurance, a retirement savings plan and paid annual leave time. Many high-level positions carry benefits such as a company car and an expense account. Beginning salaries and wage earnings also are higher in places where prevailing local pay level is higher as well, such as in larger cities.

The difference between low-end and high-end salaries and the benefits involved with these jobs becomes more pronounced as the years go by, so you might consider earning your master’s degree in accounting at some point during your career. Usually, this degree takes only two years to complete, and online courses can make that effort seem effortless with flexible programs designed to meet the lives of busy professionals.

Top Online Accounting Degree Programs

Learn how to help businesses track income, assets and expenses over time in a range of settings that will suit your lifestyle. If you really want to learn how businesses operate, an accounting career can provide you with that foundation.

Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree	Kaplan University — Kaplan University's online Associate of Applied Science in Accounting will teach you the theories and principles of business accounting, and provide you with the technical skills you need to succeed in an entry-level accounting position. You also can go on to earn your B.S. in accounting with specialties in auditing and managerial accountancy.
Associate's Degree Bachelors's Degree MBA in Accounting MS in Accountancy Graduate Certificate	University of Phoenix — The University of Phoenix offers numerous degree programs in business and accounting/accountancy at nearly every degree level, including associate's, bachelor's, master's, and certificate. Phoenix has been offering online courses for practically as long as anyone, making them a trusted and respected name in the world of online education. Their distance-learning delivery format has been perfected over the last 20 years.
Associate's Degree Bachelors's Degree MBA in Accounting More...	Strayer University — The business school at Strayer University offers over a dozen online accounting degree programs at every degree level, including specializations in controllership, taxation, accounting information systems, and introductory accounting. Founded in 1892, Strayer stands on a firm foundation of a long history of being known as a reputable university.
Associate's Degree Bachelors's Degree MBA in Accounting	Baker College — Whether you're looking for an associate's, bachelor's, or MBA degree in accounting, Baker College Online is certain to be able to meet your needs for level of education. All of Baker's classes, which are all online, are geared toward preparing students for high-growth careers in business, health, or technology. And its accounting classes are no exception.
Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree	Liberty University — Liberty University's Associate of Arts in Accounting degree is an introduction designed to develop students' competencies in such areas as financial, managerial, governmental, and non-profit accounting, auditing, and taxation. You also can go on to earn your B.S. in accounting through Liberty's online courses to develop proficiency in communication and computer application skills in order to evaluate and synthesize complex accounting issues.
Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree MBA in Accounting	Keiser University — At Keiser University, real-life education is just a click away. Keiser's online accounting degree programs offered at the associate's, bachelor's, and MBA degree level all focus on the accounting skills needed in today's business environment. Topics of study include finance, financial reporting, mangement, auditing, taxation, and more.
Bachelor's Degree	Ashford University — Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Accounting (BAACC) degree in the comfort of your home from Ashford University, and develop the necessary analytical, conceptual and technical knowledge and proficiency in this field. Upon graduation, you will possess a practical understanding of these ideas and other important accounting concepts and skills required to demonstrate fundamental accounting principles and procedures.
Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree	American InterContinental University — AIU Online developed its Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and Finance degree completion program to prepare students for career opportunities such as internal auditors, loan officers, personal financial advisers and more. Graduates also have a strong foundation for continued studies and can apply for AIU Online's MBA program upon graduation.
Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree	Everest University — Everest University's Associate of Science degree in Accounting offers an introduction to the principles of accounting, including payroll, tax, corporate accounting, computerized accounting, and financial statement analysis. You also can continue into their online Bachelor of Science in Accounting program, which prepares students for career positions such as accounting assistants, bookkeepers, junior accountants, and management trainees.