With a projected year-over-year growth of six percent between 2021 and 2031 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting continues to be an ever-growing field. Some aspiring accountants think that obtaining only an associate’s degree isn’t enough to open career doors, but that’s simply not true! Read more to learn about all the available job opportunities with an associate’s degree in accounting today!
Here are all the available jobs you can get with an associate’s degree in accounting:
As you can see, an associate’s degree can open several career doors for you. Keep reading to learn more about the exciting, rewarding job paths you can explore and how long it may take you to obtain an associate’s degree in accounting.
Associate’s degrees are a step in the right direction in academia. Although they don’t hold as much weight as a bachelor’s or master’s degree, that doesn’t mean you can’t earn a fantastic job in accounting with only an associate’s degree.
Here are some jobs you can hold with your new degree.
As a billing clerk, you’ll produce the invoices your company relies on for cash flow. You’ll also have to be prepared to serve those invoices to clients and customers and ensure the invoices are paid.
Another element of your job as a billing clerk is managing overhead costs and revenue streams. A small business might not have many of these costs, but a mid-to-large-sized company certainly will.
Your job responsibilities will also require you to create credit memo drafts and purchase orders.
Tax time is a period that many people dread. As a tax preparer, you will help make this time more seamless for your clients.
You’ll prepare taxes for each client, calculating what amounts are due and what (if any) money they’ll get back.
As a tax preparer, you’ll also file a client’s income taxes.
With your accounting associate’s degree, you could also land a job as a payroll clerk.
Under this role, you’ll be responsible for processing payments, prepping paychecks, reviewing earnings, sending statements, determining employee wages, and managing each employee’s timesheet.
Working as a payroll clerk is an important role in any company.
All companies need dedicated bookkeepers to manage the company’s financial records. It’s these records that others within your business use to make critical financial decisions.
Your job could go even further, as you could help your company in the strategy development department.
An entry-level role for graduates with an associate’s degree in accounting is the job of accounting assistant.
You’ll work with other financial experts within your company in areas like bookkeeping, reporting, and budgeting. You’ll also do some administrative work for the accounts department.
Working as an accounting assistant is a great preview of what your accounting responsibilities could be as you continue to climb the career ladder.
If hired as an accounts receivable clerk, then it will be your job to begin collecting goods and services payments owed to your company from clients or customers.
Your job will have some administrative duties or customer services duties too.
As a financial analyst, you’ll have the opportunity to review the financial records of your clients or customers, which can include insurance companies, pension funds, banks, and businesses that otherwise deal in finances.
When these clients need guidance on how to manage their finances, it’s you they’ll turn to. You’re expected to provide sound advice based on your knowledge and the company’s historical data.
Your associate’s degree can also help you land a job as an audit associate.
As an accounting specialist, you’ll work with a company’s auditing team to help plan and delegate assignments.
Your job requirements will include verifying financial information, conducting audits, finalizing budgets, and preparing financial statements.
You could even work as an account resolution specialist. This role is critical, as you prioritize compliance by reviewing accounts receivables.
In any of the above roles, you could work for retailers, small to large businesses, government agencies, service industries, production and manufacturing facilities, business consulting groups, nonprofits, and insurance and finance firms.
Is pursuing an accounting associate’s degree worth your while as you begin your college education? Most certainly, and for all these reasons!
As the section above proves, an associate’s degree is enough to open several doors for your accounting career.
These roles are more than entry-level and will put you in a good spot on the career ladder. You’ll make a huge difference in the finances of the company you work for, individual clients, or customers.
Your college education continues to pay back dividends not only when you get hired for your first accounting job but as you continue to advance your accounting career.
You can use the knowledge you acquired in academia to excel in your current job and continue accelerating up the career ladder.
If you’re interested in pursuing an associate’s degree in accounting, then your next question is how long it will take to finish your education.
Traditionally, it takes about two years for a college student to earn their associate’s degree, but by enrolling in an online university’s accounting program, you could graduate faster!
Then you can enter the working world and begin showcasing your knowledge in your first accounting job.
Bryan University’s Associate Degree in Accounting program is the key you need to unlock the door to your accounting career.
During your time in the program, you’ll learn all the fundamentals that make for a good accountant, such as management and leadership, payroll and taxation, financial statements, accounting, business analytics, business law and ethics, critical thinking, and communications.
As part of your education, you’ll receive preparation to take two certifying exams through the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers or NACPB. You can choose from certifying exam topics like QuickBooks, Tax, Accounting, or Bookkeeping.
Your first exam attempt is included in tuition, but that’s not all! All courseware and electronic book costs are too!
Your online education at Bryan U will include 60 credits in total. You’ll graduate from the program faster compared to the average accounting associate’s degree program. Bryan U offers accelerated classes, meaning you’ll take two classes at a time with an average of eight weeks per class.
As a Bryan University student, you’ll use online tools such as Canvas, Zoom, Yellowdig, and Cerego to enhance your learning. With academic support and tutoring available, you will have all the support you need.
Students can even utilize our success coaches to ensure they make the most of their college education from start to finish!
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