Online Accounting Degree Career Options

Are you considering a career in accounting or auditing? If so, have you learned about the job outlook for this career for the future? You might want to learn this information before you pursue a degree in accounting.The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics provides up-to-date information about accounting and auditing careers nationwide. You’ll learn that most jobs in this field require at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field, and that opportunities are best for those students who seek a master’s degree and who obtain certification or licensure and who have proficient knowledge of accounting and auditing computer software.

In most cases, accountants and auditors help to ensure that businesses and nonprofit organizations are run efficiently, that public records kept accurately, and that taxes are paid properly and on time. Accountants also analyze and communicate financial information for various entities such as companies, individual clients, and government. Many accountants also offer budget analysis, financial and investment planning, information technology consulting, and limited legal services.

You might find work as a public accountant for corporations, governments, nonprofit organizations or individuals. You could specialize as a management accountant, or cost, managerial, industrial, corporate, or private accountants, as you record and analyze the financial information for companies. You also can work as a government accountant and auditor, an internal auditor or as a personal advisor. Many accountants who can turn a nice phrase may offer services as a business writer for financial magazines or Web sites.

Many accountants and auditors work in office settings, but many corporations may allow some accountants to work at home or may travel to perform audits at various locations. Self-employed accountants and auditors often work longer hours, and tax specialists often work long hours during tax season.

Accountants and auditors held about 1.3 million jobs in 2006. They worked throughout private industry and government, but one fifth of wage and salary accountants worked for accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services firms. Approximately 10 percent of accountants or auditors were self-employed. The growth outlook for this occupation is strong for the period between 2006 and 2016, as stricter accounting and auditing regulations, along with an expanding economy, demand more growth in this area.

Professional certification is even more important following many accounting scandals to ensure that accountants’ credentials and sound knowledge of ethics. Regardless of specialty, accountants and auditors who have earned professional recognition through certification or licensure should have the best job prospects. Applicants who have obtained a master’s degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration in accounting also will have an advantage.

With growth expected to outperform many other professions, the chances of obtaining a job after you obtain your accounting degree are strong. However, as with any other profession, experience in the field also is vital for job success in the future. But, no matter how much experience you might obtain, the degree and your certification are your tickets to a bright future as an accountant or auditor.

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.


Liberty University, a respected leader in education, has added several online programs in response to a change in how students attend class. This includes many Accounting, including an Associates, Bachelors, Masters of Science, and Masters of Business Administration. The associates and masters degrees can be completed in under two years, making them a great way to quickly achieve your career goals.
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The University of Phoenix offers numerous degree programs in business and accounting/accountancy at nearly every degree level, including associate's, bachelor's, and master's (MBA and MS). 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.
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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.
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AIU Online developed its Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialization 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 in accounting upon graduation.
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Post University offers two accounting degrees within their business school: the AS in accounting, is an introductory two-year program; the BS in accounting is a full four-year baccalaureate program that readies students for careers as CPAs and CMAs, developing knowledge in financial accounting, information systems, and tax issues.
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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.
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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.
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The business school at Strayer University offers numerous online accounting degree programs at every degree level (associate's, bachelor's, and MBA) including master's degree specializations in controllership, taxation, and accounting information systems. Founded in 1892, Strayer stands on a firm foundation of a long history of being known as a reputable university.
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