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Accounting Degrees

Explore different accounting degrees and learn which one is best for your life and goals.

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Choosing an Accounting Degree

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The first step to building a successful career in accounting is earning the degree that will both teach you the necessary skills and provide you with the crucial credentials to embark upon a rewarding career. There are a number of routes you can take to getting that degree in accounting; the options differ depending on where you are in your education and career, what type of job you're ultimately interested in and what kind of commitment you want to make.

Undergraduates, for example, can earn a bachelor's degree in accounting or take accounting classes as part of a general bachelor degree in business. Many schools also offer associate degrees in accounting, which are shorter programs that teach a specific set of career skills.

Graduate students can work toward an MBA with a concentration in accounting or choose to pursue a Master of Accounting (MAcc). Many people also decide to get professional qualification through CPA certification, which can be obtained after they have earned an accounting degree. Nearly all states also require CPAs and other public accountants to complete a certain number of hours of continuing professional education before their licenses can be renewed.

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Who's Who in Accounting

Celebrity Accountants

Many celebrities have personal accountants to manage their millions, but these stars started out as accountants themselves:

  • Actor/comedian Roberto Benigni earned his accounting degree at a school in Prato, Italy.
  • Jazz musician Kenny G graduated magna cum laude with an accounting degree from the University of Washington.
  • Gibby Haynes, founding member of the band Butthole Surfers, studied accounting at Trinity University in San Antonio and was offered a job at a top accounting firm before devoting his career to the band.
  • Best-selling novelist John Grisham got a bachelors degree in accounting from Mississippi State University.