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Posted: 3/31/2006 9:57:58 AM EDT
[#1]
Hell yeah, it's viable.
I ditched my accounting agree when I switched to Poly Sci after I joined The Army. I was doing well, but I didn't like to think of my future as crunching numbers. What I didn't know was that accounting is a baseline degree for business and business management. It will easily lead into an MBA and other positions. Accounting is the engineering degree of the business world. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:00:35 AM EDT
[#2]
My 2nd son graduated from Trinity in San Antone with a major in Accounting and got his Masters the next year.
He's knocking down pretty good money at E&Y in SA right now. I'd say absolutely yes. HH |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:05:00 AM EDT
[#3]
Doesn't reallt matter that much what your degree is in, most places don't care as long as you have one.
That has been my lifelong experience. I guess that's why my boss has an english major which has nothing to do with info-sec. ymmv but probably not |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:06:02 AM EDT
[#4]
unfortunatley, i have pretty much decided that i wont get to do anything fun with my job. i just hopw to make enough money at said job, so i can have fun in my free time  |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:19:21 AM EDT
[#5]
I shared an office with a CPA for about 10 years. Personally I'd rather hit myself over the head with a meat tenderizer.
It appears to be a reasonably well paying job with a large firm or business. However it seemed tough to be out on your own. Most people are too stupid to know the difference btw a real accountant and H&R Block. It is amazing the business people that tell me things that even I know are completely incorrect regarding tax issues, only to find out that their "tax guy" is the wife of one of the backhoe operators-"Hey she used to work at H&R Block!" Beats chicken farming though. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:21:08 AM EDT
[#6]
Accountants ARE in high demand, and can even make some serious cash. But you have to be able to put up with the nature of the work. It can be a good springboard into MBAs and the like. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:24:30 AM EDT
[#7]
An MBA from the right school is a pretty good option. The pay can be pretty good for a two year degree, and to my eye it would be more interesting than CPA work. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:28:41 AM EDT
[#8]
I know a girl that recently got her Master's in accounting. She's unemployed for whatever it's worth.
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:30:57 AM EDT
[#9]
There are all sorts of reasons why a specific individual with a certain degree may not have work. Nevertheless, there is a pretty steady demand for accountants nationwide, and it is a field that pays pretty well if you approach it right. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:33:03 AM EDT
[#10]
Unfortunately, yes.
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:34:11 AM EDT
[#11]
Yes, they are making good money. Do a joint bachelor's/master's if you can.
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:39:51 AM EDT
[#12]
Got my Accounting degree 10 years ago. Worked for EY for three years, now I'm a financial planner. Unlike other fields in accounting/ finance the type of degree and the grades are very important. The big firms won't even talk to you unless you've got a 3.5 or higher. Even if you don't stay with a big firm (most don't) you'll learn a ton and nothing looks better on a resume. Good luck.
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:50:11 AM EDT
[#13]
Higher demand for Economists and Finance degrees right now, but yea, you should be able to get a job.
I found Accounting classes to be interesting, but not something I would want to do everyday. I'd tend to agree with the above poster about GPA. The firm that my F/A works for will not even consider you if your GPA is below a 3.5 and most everyone there had a 3.8 of better. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:53:41 AM EDT
[#14]
peronally, i think someone interested in african hunting and custom gunsmithing may find accounting to be rather painful.
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:53:42 AM EDT
[#15]
This is only partly correct. For your first and posibly second job your major is very important. Accounting is a very good major. Poly Sci, Psyc, Marketing, Art History all suck. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 10:54:40 AM EDT
[#16]
Michigan State University had a degree like this. Professional Public Accountants (PPA), IIRC. They took a lot of the same classes as the rest of the MBA students. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 11:04:03 AM EDT
[#17]
Didn't I hear that the new Sabenes-Oxley (?) regulations are so intensive that they've spawned a whole new cottage industry for accountants?
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Posted: 3/31/2006 11:05:00 AM EDT
[#18]
Yes it's viable - especially if (1) you graduate with a good GPA and (2) if your college or university has a good business school with a good reputation for accounting and finance (check out the surveys of graduate schools published in magazines periodically).
A graduate degree in accounting is another option. Fof example, Northeastern University's Graduate School of Professional Accounting caters to liberal arts grads from the Northeast (many are graduates of Ivy League schools) and prepares them for careers with Big 4 CPA firms. Each student is sponsored by a firm, so has a pretty good shot at full-time employment if they don't screw it up. FWIW, I've been reading a lot about there not being enough accounting grads in the Journal of Accountancy and other industry rags. Essayons, JD, MS, MBA, CPA, Registered Investment Advisor Representative 
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Posted: 3/31/2006 11:35:28 AM EDT
[#19]
I'm in it right now,
Sometimes I want to shoot myself in the fucking head it's so boring. But when it's over it will be worth it, you don't have to be an accountant when you get out, and that's what I'm banking on. If not, then it's on to plan B. An officer in the Military. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 11:35:32 AM EDT
[#20]
So in my group at work (defense contractor) we have 3 political scientists, an anthropologist, and a handful of other majors (physics, operations research, secondary education). There are jobs available for any major, you just have to know what doors your degree can open for you. shooter |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 11:47:54 AM EDT
[#21]
I'll tell you this - I got Masters in Accounting and CPA license 5 years ago from one of the top schools in the country and have been working at Big 4 ever since (PwC first and now EY). I feel like I make a good living for a 28 year old, but I wouldn't say that I love my job. You really have to be prepared to put up with a lot of B.S., but it is manageable. At my level, I'm working about 45 hours/week pretty consistently with the occasional 55 hour week thrown in. That's tax consulting, though, not assurance.
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Posted: 3/31/2006 11:51:39 AM EDT
[#22]
Learn how to cook the books and you can really make a good chunk of change
 As for me, I'm finishing up a degree in Computer Science in the next year or so. Talk about a job that's becoming less viable! Everything will be outsourced to India before I can get into the job market! 
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Posted: 3/31/2006 3:32:34 PM EDT
[#23]
I have some insight into this. I got my B.S. in Accounting back in 1988 and was hired as an acccountant right out of school. In my experience, you can make a good comfortable salary as an accountant. However, the work SUCKS!!
After about a month on the job, I realized that there was no way I would ever enjoy a career as an accountant. The work is repetitive, no one is every happy with your work and there are often times you are working 60+ hours a week for long stretches. If you want the pay that bad, you can have it! I ended up taking Computer Science classes at night and moved from being an accountant to writing programs to help accountants to just being a general programmer. The work is better. The pay is better. I am a lot happier now and making more money! Having said that though, having basic knowledge of Accounting (and Finance) is very valuable. I agree with some of the earlier posters. Accounting can give you a good start to a career in the business field, but getting an MBA later will be yet another step up. |
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Posted: 3/31/2006 3:33:37 PM EDT
[#24]
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Posted: 4/1/2006 3:12:46 AM EDT
[#25]
It's a good degree to have. Of course, you need to find work that you can live with - I was with PWC and I couldn't stand it - though part of that was the NY mentality. It's not exciting but if you want that then any corporate job isn't for you. Being a PH isn't all fun too, of course. I'm working now in Iraq as an accountant for KBR, and life is great.
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Posted: 4/1/2006 3:28:29 AM EDT
[#26]
That makes for a very unhappy life, in my experience. I have an accounting degree and work in database and web development. Businesses love an IT guy that knows what debits and credits are. Unfortunately, I constantly get sucked into helping our accounting manager, but accounting is a very useful foundation for other things if you get tired of it. As much as I hate to say it, you need to either get your CPA or CMA to be taken seriously in many cases. If you have a computer aptitude, look into moving into that. I mostly self-taught myself into being a pretty darn good web developer. Even after the dotcom crash, it's still in demand. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 3:52:53 AM EDT
[#27]
Two years ago my IT job got sent to India. I came to the Mid-East as a contractor and am now taking some online classes from Houston Community College. I will go home for good in December and hopefully go to school full time and major in .....ACCOUNTING!
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Posted: 4/1/2006 4:12:14 AM EDT
[#28]
My father-in-law doesn't even have a degree, and yet he has enough business doing taxes for
people that the income supports him and the mother-in-law. He took enough accounting classes to understand taxes, then he had kids and quit school. No degree, not a CPA, but he is making money. With a degree, being a CPA, you can literally work from home. Probably better to get the education and work for a company doing taxes for a while just to get used to it, so you bring home money instantly, but once you get experience, you can jump right in. Put an add in the yellow pages, indicating you are certified just like everyone else, but that you will do taxes cheaper than anyone else, (much less than anyone else to get yourself noticed), and you will be set for life. Doing taxes is not difficult once you know the tax laws. My father-in-law buys computer software (turbo-tax or something like it) which knows all of the individual state laws. He said that although it costs something like $400 every year, it is a good investment because it makes his job so much easier. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 4:34:19 AM EDT
[#29]
I have a BBA degree in Accounting and an MBA. I am currently studying for the CPA exam. There is a HUGE demand for accountants right now. With Sarbanes and the complex tax code, the demand will always be there. Since accounting is not as "sexy" as other majors (art, psychology, etc...) there are a lot fewer students competing with you for all of these job openings. The supply is limited and the demand is great; i.e. salary potential is very high.
Federal government accountants starting out make around $33,000 but jump up to about $65,000 or so in 3 years. Big 4 firm accountants start around $42,000 and can go as high as $350,000+ in 10 years (if senior manager/partner). Small firm accountants start out around $39,000 or so and the salary potential is great if one becomes a partner, maybe not as much as a big 4 firm, but still very respectable. You want at LEAST a bachelors in Accounting, but if you get a Masters degree you will be in even higher demand. It is VERY much worth it. I had over 10 job offers when I graduated with my MBA. Don't get me wrong, Accounting is not 'easy', but it is very rewarding and a professional career you can be proud of. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 4:57:43 AM EDT
[#30]
Consider being a government auditor. I rarely, rarely ever "crunch numbers". I conduct "performance" audits. Basically, we determine whether people in the government are doing what they are supposed to do (following safety requirements, screening grant recipients, and so on). You would be amazed at the variety of work you are able to see. This is particularly true at DoD, which is huge and offers the opportunity to work in a large variety of areas. Jobs at DOJ, DHS, DOD would likely be a little more interesting than Labor, HUD, etc. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 5:03:05 AM EDT
[#31]
Yep. It's how I make my living right now. The pay is very nice, but this industry is replete with incompetence, moreso than other sectors. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 5:30:33 AM EDT
[#32]
It seems to me that if the $ is the first priority, life will suck.
I can't imagine entering a field predetermined to hate it. As I've bashed into my kids heads; Pursue a career that you will enjoy. Let's take a 24 hour period for example. Wake up at 5 or 6 am. Pour coffee, take a crap, shower and start thinking about your upcoming day at work; 7 to 9 am. Go to work; 5 to 7 pm. Go home, thinking about your day; 7 to 10 or 11 pm. Kick back, perhaps not giving much thought to your previous work day or tomorrows work day; 11pm. Go to bed, starting to think about tomorrows work day. Repeat for 30 or 40 years. Get into a career that you dislike????? You've got to be kidding me. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 5:42:22 AM EDT
[#33]
Dont forget that the FBI needs accountants to poor over records for RICO cases. Sure its not hunting in Africa, but its close...
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Posted: 4/1/2006 5:58:57 AM EDT
[#34]
I would suggest Nursing or some other form of medicene.
Accounting can be doen overseas cheaper. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 7:25:37 AM EDT
[#35]
oh, one more thing, the ratio of women to men majoring in Accounting is probably about 2 to 1
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Posted: 4/1/2006 8:09:40 AM EDT
[#36]
A great many jobs from perusing the classified in my paper seem to be accounting-related.
It's just not a profession that interests me even slightly. But is it viable? Could you get a job? Make a comfortable living? Oh yes. Easily. And no knocks about their work, it's just something I personally couldn't imagine myself doing and enjoying. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 8:46:09 AM EDT
[#37]
Large corporartions will NEVER outsource key financial and accounting functions, and Sarbanes is one reason. I doubt some company in India is prepared to supply a SAS70. |
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Posted: 4/1/2006 9:19:53 AM EDT
[#38]
I got my accounting degree in 90, passed the cpa exam the same year. Earily 90's sucked. Major recession in the industry at the time, jobs were scarse. Brother was a partner in a firm - they were getting 200 resumes per opening.
Since then, the CPA designation pretty much requires a Masters Degree. Numbers going into the profession have fallen - other things are sexier. It got pretty rough for a while in personnel - could hardly find quilifed people - got a lot who were not. Now there are a couple qualified resume's per possition. There is good demand for work. I would give a batchlors a good thumbs up as a liberal arts degree , to be used in congunction with other work. If you plan on working in the field of accounting get your masters and CPA.A lot of the job quality depends on the firm you work for. I worked for two that were not so hot. I really enjoy the one I am at now (and have been at for about 12 years now I guess). It fits my lifestyle rather than forcing me to conform to their expectations. With my experiance, very little work I do anymore is repetious - that can be given to staff. I actually look forward to the few projects that are - they are relazing. |
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