An online bachelor’s degree in accounting may be worth it if you value convenience and flexibility. The online bachelor’s degree in accounting can lead to jobs in bookkeeping, financial analysis, tax examination, and more. An online degree in accounting can also lead to grad school and a career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Accounting is one of today’s top 5 most in-demand degrees in the employment market. For this reason, it makes sense that a bachelor’s degree in accounting is one of the most popular choices for those who are detail-oriented, love numbers and problem solving.
With an accounting degree, you can either work as a corporate finance officer, a self-employed accountant or even work for the government as an analyst or auditor. Today, there are many reputable schools offering a bachelor’s in accounting, delivered online or traditionally.
But what is the difference between an online undergraduate accounting program and an on-campus program?
The main similarity between traditional on-campus and online degree accounting programs is that both will require students to complete the same curriculum to obtain the degree.
When you choose a recognized accounting program, an accredited body will require the school to have a curriculum that meets the body’s standards. These standards are set so that students can succeed in landing jobs in the accounting field.
In the field of accounting, accrediting bodies often require business programs that focus on the accounting discipline.
The courses in an online Accounting degree program usually include:
Whether enrolling in an online or on-campus accounting degree program, students will find that the curriculum is rooted in important business topics
Specifically, business administration courses are also typically part of the accounting online coursework, as the concepts between these two disciplines are deeply intertwined. Accounting majors, therefore, are expected to be generally adept in the financial aspects of business transactions and financially minded operations of day to day business.
Aside from the similarities in curriculum, online and traditional institutions also offer financial aid to students to help cover their tuition. In the recent past, financial aid was only available for students who were enrolled in traditional on-campus degree programs.
But over the years, with more and more online programs earning accreditation, students can receive federal financial aid even as remote students. But before enrolling in an online accounting program, make sure the program is accredited by an agency that is officially recognized by the US Department of Education.
The best accredited online bachelor’s degrees in accounting can start you on the path to a great career with excellent pay.
For adult re-entry students, the idea of earning an accounting degree while balancing work and family life at the same time might sound overwhelming. But online education is designed primarily for people in such situations–who can’t find the luxury of time to go to traditional classes on campus.
Online programs are perfect for adult students who need flexibility. You no longer have to worry about attending school at a specified time, and you can even customize your schedule to work around your time.
And since online programs do not require the same expenses as on-campus programs such as room and board, students enjoy a more approachable budget.
But this is just one of many benefits to consider
A career in accounting has long-term job security, which is particularly important during times of economic uncertainty!
If you’re thinking about enrolling in an online accounting program, here are some benefits to consider:
The bachelor’s degree in accounting is a popular four-year undergraduate degree where you’ll study financial forecasting, budget analysis, cost estimation, and more.
You will also study subjects like tax law, financial reporting, and accounting ethics. All of the best colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
An online bachelor’s degree in accounting is a four-year undergraduate degree that you can earn through online classes. Some online bachelor’s degrees are fully online.
Other online bachelor’s degrees are hybrid. Hybrid means some classes are online and some are in person. You will study the same topics in an online bachelor’s degree program as you would in person. Online bachelor’s degrees in accounting also require the same number of credits.
You may even have the same instructors for your online degree that you would have in person. The biggest difference between the in-person and online bachelor’s degrees is the convenience and flexibility of online courses.
You can get a job as an auditor, budget analyst, financial advisor, and more with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. You can also use an online bachelor’s degree in accounting to get into a graduate school.
Earning an advanced degree in accounting can help you become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). An online bachelor’s degree in accounting can help you get started.
Some other careers for online bachelor’s degrees in accounting include education, business management, and financial consulting. Your online bachelor’s degree in accounting can lead to all the same careers as an in-person bachelor’s degree in accounting.
A job in accounting can pay $65,170 per year for cost estimators, $81,410 for financial analysts, $93,000 for management analysts, and $131,710 for financial managers. An advanced degree in accounting can help you earn a higher salary.
An online bachelor’s degree in accounting can help you get started on any of these careers. There are many other kinds of jobs you can do with an accounting degree. Each job has a different salary range. The Bureau of Labor of Statistics says the average pay for postsecondary accounting teachers is $79,640.
The average pay for tax examiners is $56,780 a year. The average pay for top executives is $98,980. An online bachelor’s degree in accounting can lead to any of these jobs. These jobs all pay better than the average pay for all jobs.
It can be cheaper to get an accounting degree online if you go to a public school in your state.
Colleges and universities have tuition discounts for in-state students. Online students get these same in-state discounts. It will be cheaper to get your online bachelor’s degree in accounting from a public school in your state. Your tuition for the online degree will be the same, or slightly more, than the tuition for an in-person degree.
But you will save on expenses like housing, transportation, and certain campus fees. Your online bachelor’s degree in accounting will be cheaper if you get an in-state discount and save on these expenses.
Online accounting degrees are respected as long as they come from good schools. Employers respect online accounting degrees from accredited colleges and universities. Accreditation is very important.
Accreditation means your degree comes from a school that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. There are two kinds of schoolwide accreditation—national accreditation and regional accreditation. Regional accreditation is better than national accreditation.
Program accreditation is also important in accounting. An online degree in accounting should be accredited by either the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) or the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
An AACSB or ACBSP accredited online accounting degree from a regionally accredited college or university will be respected by employers. Check out the best online bachelor’s degrees in accounting to make sure you are getting a respected online accounting degree.
Now that you know that an online bachelor’s degree in accounting is worth it, take a deeper dive into your career prospects as an account in our article What Jobs Can I Get With an Online Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting?.
For a nuts and bolts look at earning a degree, check out our article How to Get an Online Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.