The Accounting Associates Degree Online, also known as the Associate of Arts in Accounting and Business, can help you develop the knowledge, skills, and aptitude you need to pursue a career in accounting.
If you’re looking to become an accountant or CPA in the near future, this degree can provide the foundational knowledge you need to succeed in your chosen field.
To help you decide if this associate degree is right for you, we’ve listed some of its main benefits below.
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Who Should Consider Earning an Accounting Associates Degree Online
The accounting associates degree online is primarily aimed at recent high school graduates who are considering a career in accounting.
Earning your associates degree online is an excellent way to begin your career with minimal time and money invested.
If you have already worked in another field, it can still be worth considering as many of today’s employers prefer applicants who have taken some form of education beyond high school.
For those who want to go on to become CPAs or pass their CPA exam while they work, we recommend getting a bachelor’s degree in accounting instead.
What You Can Do With an Accounting Associates Degree
In addition to holding entry-level accounting positions, associate’s degree holders may also become bookkeepers, office managers or preparers.
All of these positions can be secured with less than one year of work experience in accounting.
Students who hold at least a bachelor’s degree and a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) certification are qualified to practice public accounting, perform financial audits or work as controllers.
There is even room for experienced CPAs within governmental agencies or private companies to supervise other accountants and audit teams.
When you compare your options to what an associates degree holder can do, it becomes clear that earning your associate’s degree in accounting is a great way to launch your career in any industry that requires math skills and strong organizational abilities.
How to Get Started on Earning Your Associates in Accounting
If you have any prior work experience, it may be in your best interest to begin with a certificate of completion rather than immediately pursuing a degree.
Certificates can often be earned in as little as one year and will typically take less time than completing degrees.
Earning a certificate is also often less expensive, saving you money on tuition and offering more flexibility if you want to earn additional degrees later on.
Once you decide to pursue your associates degree, there are several career-specific options available including: accounting, taxation, auditing and corporate finance.
Some schools allow prospective students to enter directly into these areas while others require coursework across multiple specialties before a specialization can be chosen.
The Pathway to a CPA License
With a bachelor’s degree in accounting, you may take advantage of many job opportunities right out of college.
But if you want to set yourself apart and pursue a career as a certified public accountant (CPA), you’ll need more than just your associate’s degree.
Earning a CPA license will put you on track for management-level roles at corporations and small businesses, along with other high-paying jobs in related fields.
Related Educational Programs
Do you have a background in accounting and are looking to enhance your skills? Or, do you want to make a career transition into accounting?
An online associates degree program in accounting may be just what you’re looking for.
By taking core business courses such as finance, economics, auditing and taxes, you can acquire fundamental knowledge of financial reporting practices.
These essential courses will also allow you to explore various careers within finance, which include management consulting, treasury services and investment banking.
Find out why an online associates degree program in accounting could be right for you.
A career in accounting requires at least two years of study at a four-year institution.
Related Job Titles
With a Bachelors of Science in accounting, you can choose from a variety of job titles.
Here are some examples: financial analyst, bookkeeper, tax accountant and chief financial officer (CFO).
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business reports that accountants with bachelor’s degrees earn a median salary of $68,450 per year.
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