Accounting Master Degree

Accounting Master Degree: The Next Step To Success

An accounting master degree will qualify you to become a certified public accountant (CPA).  It's the best route to comply with most states' CPA exam requirements, the most stringent being the five-year schooling.

Top 3 Accounting Schools

Most accounting master degree programs offer specialization in taxation or auditing.  The tuition fees range from $6,000 to $48,000 depending on the business school you will enroll in for in-campus education. Pursuing an online degree will mean significantly lower costs.

The McCombs School of Business of the University of Texas in Austin is the top-ranked business school offering accounting programs. The year-long program will give you a Masters in Professional Accounting degree.

If you want a career in public accounting, industry or non-profit organization, your specialization will be Financial Reporting and Assurance. If you choose to focus on industry and government, then Managerial Accounting and Control is the right specialization for you.

For those who want to specialize in tax accounting, the Stephen M. Ross Business School of University of Michigan Ann Arbor is the best college to enroll in. Their Master's of Accounting Program is a comprehensive 10-month course that includes tax law courses.

The University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign offers two accounting master degree programs: Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) and the Masters of Accounting Science, for those whose undergraduate course is not accounting. The MSA be completed in 12 months and 32 hours.  Its core is five classes that focus on US accounting standards. You can specialize in Taxation, Finance or Information Technology.

Specialized Accounting Courses

If you are taking up an accounting master degree program, there are specialization courses that you are required to complete. They may vary in some accounting colleges but generally, these include:

• Financial Accounting
• Management Accounting
• Auditing Process
• Fraud Examination and Accounting Ethics
• Accounting Information Systems
• Federal Income Taxation

As businesses prosper and multiply, the need for accountants continues to grow. It's more than just a skill with numbers that make a good accountant. It's the attention to detail and the ability to analyze and co-relate numbers presented to you. It's making a story out of something as abstract as numbers.

Possible Accounting Careers

Courses in an accounting master degree curriculum harness more than just skills in accounting or finance. It produces an outstanding individual that is an asset to any organization that hopes to make an impact and succeed.

After earning your masters in accounting you may be qualified to serve as:

• Public Accountant or Auditor
• Accounting Manager
• Internal Control/Forensics Accounting Specialist
• Management Accountant
• Government Accountant or Auditor
• Internal Auditor
• Financial, Budget, or Management Analyst
• Fraud Examiner

In May 2008, the median salary for accountants and auditors with a master degree was $59,430. Even the lowest ranked accountant was earning $36,000. And further education, specialization and experience will only mean higher growth in your career.

If numbers are your expertise, it will pay to have an accounting master degree or start off with an accounting associate degree.

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