For the most part an accounting job is a fairly steady job. The pay is competitive and opportunities are abundant. This has led many people to consider receiving an associates degree in accounting. This post will give you a feel for what type of career opportunities you might have with this degree as well as what school will be like.
Career-Outlook
Truth be told you are probably not going to be able to get the more prestigious jobs right out of college with only your accounting associate degree. The Big 4 accounting firms almost always require a Bachelor’s degree. And depending on the state you are in it might be more difficult to get your CPA without at least a Bachelor’s degree. Ultimately most of the best accounting jobs require you to have a CPA.
That being said there are several decent entry-level jobs for those with an associate degree in accounting.
Bookkeeper: Being a bookkeeper is a pretty vague term, but in this discussion I’m referring to someone who makes basic journal entries for a company.
Accounting Staff: Within a larger organization you could be assigned to a certain account like accounts receivable or accounts payable. You will make all of the journal entries for this specific account. Note that after a year or so this can get a little boring because you have already made every entry imaginable within your little domain. However, if you are just looking for an 8-5 job this is an excellent solution.
Payroll Clerk: Working in payroll can be a little confusing at first with all of the taxes and withholdings. An accounting associates degree will give you a leg up on understanding some of these items.
Remember that most of these jobs are entry-level. While it is true that as you gain experience you have some upward mobility, it will be extremely tough to climb the corporate ladder without a CPA. Staff accountants within a company are often leapfrogged by other accountants coming out of public accounting (who have their CPAs and have worked for the Big 4). This is not to say you can’t move up your organization with an associates degree in accounting; a lot depends on how your company decides to promote. If they like to promote from within and you are an exceptional worker, then you are in luck.
Average salary at these entry level jobs is around $35,000. Of course salaries vary depending on the normal factors like location and experience.
What to Expect in School
While at school you can expect to take basic financial accounting classes. These classes teach you about double-entry accounting. They also introduce you to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Other classes include management accounting, taxes, and accounting information systems. Note that these classes will vary depending on the school you attend. The information systems classes will teach you how to use the technology that accountants need to use.
Skills developed during skill will consist of analytical skills, decision-making ability, and attention to detail. These are skills that will definitely help you in other areas of your life.
An associates degree in accounting can lead to some decent entry-level accounting services jobs. These jobs can be low stress (after you’ve mastered them), very stable, and they come with average pay. Upward mobility can be a problem without the CPA depending on your organization.
