Accounting Schools: Become an Accountant, Bookkeeper, or CFO

Earning an accounting degree can provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to pursue a wide array of accounting careers. Learn more about accounting careers and the degrees you can earn to secure them.

Unique Accounting Careers

Working in accounting goes far beyond the cubicle. Trained accountants may choose from a range of fascinating careers. From forensic accountant jobs to highly lucrative CFO positions, take a look at a few of the exciting career options possible with an accounting degree you can earn online:

• Public Accountant: Excellent job opportunities are expected for this popular accounting option, particularly for those with Certified Public Accountant (CPA) distinction. Top accounting firms include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte.
• Bookkeeper: These professionals are put in charge of a company's general ledger. Everything from payroll to purchases falls under the watchful eye of the bookkeeper.
• Controller: Armed with an array of data, statistics, and knowledge, these financial managers summarize and forecast the financial future of a business.
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO): At the top of the ladder, the CFO oversees mergers and acquisitions, cash management activities, and capital-raising strategies.
• Enrolled Agent: These financial pros serve as public defenders of sorts, representing taxpayers before the IRS in disputes. Enrolled agents are nongovernmental workers.
• Forensic Accountant: This unique accounting career combines criminal justice and accounting principles. Forensic accountants investigate white-collar crimes by following the paper trail.

Among the above areas of accounting, top CFO positions are the most profitable on average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that chief executives, including chief financial officers, earned mean annual wages of $160,440 in 2008. These executive positions typically require years of experience and education among workers.

Accounting Degree Training Programs

Hiring managers in the fields above typically prefer or require education among applicants. For bookkeeping and accounting clerk positions, a 2-year associate's degree is generally considered standard.

Further education opens more possibilities for accounting careers. CPA certification follows a bachelor's degree, and The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners offers the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation for forensic accountants with a bachelor's degree, 2 years of experience, and completion of an examination.

Beyond the bachelor's degree, graduate degree programs help students specialize and deepen their knowledge. A CFO may earn an MBA in accounting or finance, while an aspiring professor or high-level researcher may choose to earn a PhD.

Major Accounting Careers Worldwide & in the United States

Any major city with a strong business or governmental presence traditionally employs a large number of highly trained, well-compensated accountants. During times when government regulation means higher levels of industry financial accountability, careers and wages for accountants can rise even higher.

In the U.S., major financial centers on the East Coast see high employment figures in the industry. Accountants working in New York, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and Maryland enjoy the highest earnings nationwide, with BLS-reported mean annual wages between $73,520 and $80,420 in 2008.

The District of Columbia had the highest concentration of accountants and auditors, and the federal government pays workers among the highest wages in the industry--mean annual wages of $84,520 in 2008, to be exact

Career Training: Online Degree in Accounting

If you decide to pursue an online degree program in accounting, you can have the option to attend classes and study on your schedule. Many students choose to keep full-time jobs while earning their online degree in accounting.