Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
If you like all-inclusive deals, then you'll appreciate what's waiting for you on the other side of an accounting major: The opportunity to become a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Just to be clear, no one actually hands you a job signed, sealed, and delivered, but there is a path laid out for you, all ready to go. While you can do a bunch of things with an accounting major, most people choose to be accountants. It's in the name, after all.
After college is over, accounting majors take the CPA exams so they can get a job at a CPA firm and start workin' the numbers. Like it or not, the world is run on money, and there are plenty of jobs that involve calculating money, budgeting money, and how to make more money. Some curse and reject it, while some lie, cheat, and steal for it, but it's still important. The best you can do is help regulate it.
Common Career Fields
Accountant. Chances are, if you're majoring in accounting, you've thought about becoming a CPA. After the undergraduate degree is finished, another year of experience working with a CPA firm is needed, and passing the CPA exam is also necessary. Sure, it sounds like a lot of work, but once the test is over and done with, you'd be able to call yourself a card-carrying, legit accountant with a license and everything.
Auditor. Don't expect fan mail as an auditor. Seriously. Instead, expect longevity in your career. CIAs, or Certified Internal Auditors, are hired by big companies to keep everything in check. You'll need to take an exam to get certified as an auditor, too. Once you pass with flying colors, you'll be reporting to the big shots about how the company is doing financially. Instead of waiting for the IRS to come knocking down your door, CIAs go through the books regularly to make sure everything is financially copasetic with the company.
Chief Financial Officer. Cha-ching. Interested in the big bucks with an accounting degree? This is the career path for you. CFOs are responsible for coming up with the budgets and goals for a company. Think along the lines of "double profit margins" and stuff like that. It's true that an MBA never hurts when applying for CFO positions, especially because the competition is tough the higher you climb up the corporate ladder. Still, you can't get there unless you climb.
Comptroller. Be careful with this one—it can be pronounced as "controller," "comtroller," or "comptroller," but it's all the same thing: Super-Pro Auditor. If something is financially amiss, a comptroller will suss it out. Nothing gets past the comptroller. A comptroller's basic job functions are to manage and oversee financial transactions and to maintain accurate records. A comptroller is pretty much the head honcho of the accounting department.
Financial Analyst. Imagine a typical board meeting or conference. When you hear these words, you probably think about business suits, PowerPoint presentations, maybe a line chart or bar graph. This is a typical background scene in business-related movies, but if the storyline expanded on this, you'd probably find out that the person presenting is a financial analyst. People love knowing where their money is, how it's being spent, and where it'll be in the future. (Like we said—money, money, money.) For this, companies hire financial analysts.
IRS Criminal Investigation. What happens when you don't pay your taxes? The IRS Criminal Investigators come knocking. Not everyone is honest on their taxes. Often, companies try to get around tax laws through loopholes, embezzlement, extortion, and other pesky schemes. That's when the IRS gets involved. These CPAs help the government figure out who is to blame for the crimes, and work alongside other government agencies like the FBI and Department of Justice.
Stockbroker. So there's this thing called the stock market. It's a magical place where you can invest in promising companies who may or may not eventually be able to pay you back. Sounds like a wonderful example of symbiosis, but oh, where to start? Are iPods still a thing? Should you invest in Yahoo or Google? Well, Shmoop can't help you there, but a stockbroker sure can. The general duties of a stockbroker are to advise clients and/or execute their investment plans. A stockbroker also has to be trustworthy and honest—you don't want to leave your clients stockbroke.
Current unemployment of the major
5%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
24%Stats obtained from this source.