Career in Accounting Without C.P.A.?

Correct me if I am wrong, but working in accounting with just an undergrad won't really take you anywhere. If you plan on staying in that field for a while, CPA is basically a standard to get you to move up the ladder.

 

Why get an accounting degree if you don't want to be a C.P.A.?

Just go to monster.com and enter accounting. That'll show you the types of jobs available.

 

There are certain levels you can reach in companies without a CPA degree. But it depends on which parts of accounting you plan to do.

You can do management accounting and rise pretty high in certain business fields, but it would probably do you good to have a minor in business if you want to go that direction.

If you want to do strictly financial and taxes then you will be stopped just before management levels because you don't have a CPA.

At least that has been what I see from my position. I am not a CPA, I strictly do bookkeeping/data entry/payroll taxes.

The only CPA's in our office are the office managers. Everyone else either has an associates or bachelors in accounting. But I work in an accounting specific company.

If you work for another company as part of their accounting division the rules are a bit different from what I hear from girls who have left here.

Edit: I couldn't the exact page, so I just looked it up.... maybe this will give you some ideas. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm

 

Accounts payable, accounts receivable, and personal assistant. LOL

 

Isn't the CPA just a series of tests like the CFA?

Why would you not get one if you can get a ugrad in Acc.?

 

It has some pretty strict requirements.
Its also one of the more difficult professional exams.

EDIT: Doesn't appear that you have a masters, but you need 150 hours to sit, so you might as well get your masters.

The following requirements must be met to become eligible to apply for the CPA Exam.

Be of goodmoral character.
Hold a baccalaureate or higherdegree from a United States college or university, or an equivalent degree from an institution of higher education in another country.
Complete150 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of college credit.
Complete 30 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of upper levelaccounting courses.
Complete 24 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of upper level relatedbusiness courses.
Complete a 3-semester-hourethics course that had prior Board approval.

That's to just sit for the exam. You then require a certain number of hours of work experience to actually qualify for the license.

The pros are the fact that you can hold a higher level job, get hired easier, and also make much more money.

 

You need to at least be qualified to sit for the CPA...even if you dont plan on sitting for the exam, at least make sure you are eligibile.

I got my masters in accounting and do audits of mid-cap companies. In order for me to be a manager at the accounting firm I am at, you have to obtain your CPA license.

Good luck!

 

I thought you wanted to be a teacher? Or maybe you were already a teacher. Can't remember.

 

IIRC the CPA pass rate is something like 12%.

 

CFA is less than that.

 

Passing all four exams on the first try has a passing rate of 12%.........but since you can continue to write them as many times you want eventually about 75% complete their CPA.

 

53% for CFA

 

I think anyone with a BA can write the CFA, so it really squews the stats, that's if you are trying to compare the two.....apples and oranges.

 

not true.

Plus the CFA costs 3 times as much. (not including study classes and time, CFA is much more intensive than CPA.)

 

Just wondering what is the req. for a CFA?

 

I think you have to be sponsored from your company. Thats what I had to do.

 

http://www.nyssa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/CFA/about/default.htm

Exam Requirements (4 options)


1. Have a US bachelor’s degree or comparable non-US degree. The degree requirement is self-reporting. An applicant must receive a bachelor’s degree no later than 31 December of the current examination year to qualify for entrance into the CFA Program.

 

An option (that I pursued) was to enter tax consulting - thereby being a specialist/consultant to accountants on certain sections of the tax code.

 

Forgot to mention that I'm not a CPA.