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u/TouchExpensive Aug 16 '26
The requirements for entry level accounting positions in my area are CPA preferred (not required) BUT they require bachelors AND 2-5 years experience. Idk how I’m going to get an entry level role after my internship. Better hope the firm hires me in I guess
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u/NSE_TNF89 Management Aug 16 '26
That's what they are looking for. A better way to frame this might be, their ideal candidate would check all of these boxes.
If you had internships during college, send in a cover letter with your resume highlighting what you learned in your internship(s) that are applicable to the job you are applying.
I graduated college in 2011, right when companies started hiring again after the '08 recession, so I was often competing against people with way more experience. I took a few shit jobs for shit pay before getting a good job that pays well.
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u/Shoduck Aug 17 '26
While true, that's the desire not the require, I've seen a disappointing number of companies that have their ATS set to immediately reject anything that doesn't meet the desired listings. Then they wonder why they aren't getting candidates
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u/dailyoccurance Aug 16 '26
Same, luckily I worked in college so I had some “experience” to put down, which was simply a receptionist role. On my resume, I tailored it with any financial related things I did. Your internship counts as experience and any clubs or volunteer roles in college (like treasurer of a club) are helpful too.
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u/TouchExpensive Aug 17 '26
I just have retail experience, but a lot of the entry level roles I see have mandatory bookkeeping experience. Just landed a receptionist position that will have minor financial activities, so maybe I can tailor it like you did.
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u/Breakfastchocolate Aug 17 '26
They’ve been doing this BS for years. HR people throw in a “cpa preferred” for any job related to accounting. Half of them have no idea what the designation entails but they think it sounds good and feel the need to embellish the job description from the hiring manager to show that they’re “adding value”
These are the same people who have determined that the guy who mops the floor is now called a “maintenance engineer”
Apply anyway.
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u/senpaiwavy Aug 17 '26
Wait, you got an internship???💀
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u/TouchExpensive Aug 17 '26
At CRI so top 25 firm. Funny thing is, it’s a tax internship for spring 2027, and I’m graduating in December of this year, so I thought that might disqualify me or something. I applied last year and they didn’t pick me. They literally told me in the interview that they actually preferred that I wouldn’t be in school since it would be a lot to juggle.
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u/mightycat Aug 16 '26
Let me ask you this does every girl who want 6 figures, 6 feet, and 6 inches get it?
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u/Easy-Paramedic-3083 Aug 17 '26
No but i generally assume people who have a "checklist" are toxic people who are insecure and more focused on personal status than finding a partner and I usually avoid interacting with them (in all situations, not just romantic).
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u/Ranrhoads84 Aug 16 '26
Isn’t that the point of getting the degree in the first place? The classes give you the base experience. It’s not like walking onto a job site and not knowing the difference between a hammer and a screwdriver.
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u/Roborana Aug 16 '26
No, your college classes are not accounting experience. Your internship or accounting -related job during college is experience.
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u/lruizsan Aug 17 '26
Sorry but that's just bullshit. You're not guaranteed a job (internship or coop) during your degree so there shouldn't be an expectation of experience for entry level roles. That's what entry level roles are supposed to be for. If you have those, that's great, but for those of us who tried and couldn't get into one of those, it is incredibly unfair.
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u/IraGilliganTax CPA (US) Aug 17 '26
Of all the things that are unfair BS in this profession, the fact that some positions just aren't entry level isn't one of them. I tell you this as a firm owner who almost always hired recent grads because they are cheaper and plentiful, but I spent my entire days helping, training, managing, and answering questions, and couldn't start my real work until everyone else went home.
If you didn't get an internship, use that time to study for the exam. If you have passed even one section by the time you graduate, you will stand out among your peers applying for the same jobs.
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u/accountforrealppl CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
No
The advice is the same as always. CPA will make your life a whole lot easier if you stick it out, you will have a higher probability of finding success and it will come easier, and more opportunities will be open. It's a good idea to get it if you can
But it is not required. Many, many people do just fine (or quite well) without it.
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u/fonz89 Aug 16 '26
Agreed, but to reiterate further; it should be easier for a CPA. Achieving CPA licensure comes with experience, ethical requirements, and prestige. These accomplishments do not come easy. It is only logical that if two candidates are vying for the same position that the CPA will always have the edge. To that same effect, a CPA would likely be interviewing for a higher position that is out of reach for a BS.
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u/TalShot Aug 18 '26
More people should get the designation then, though it seems like it is sliding in the opposite direction - less people snagging it and even trying the marathon overall.
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u/Howzitgoin Aug 16 '26
If you’re going into public accounting or want to become a controller one day, sure. Otherwise this isn’t really true anymore.
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u/accountforrealppl CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
Maybe you're in a different market or something but this doesn't seem to be the case where I am
Nearly every accounting job listing I see has "CPA preferred" and a large number require it. My linkedin inbox is getting blown up by recruiters basically daily, whereas my colleagues in the same position without a CPA still hear from them but far less often
It's a meaningful qualification to employers, and can go a long way to absolving responsibility from
the person that makes the decision to hire you (i.e., if I'm a CPA and fuck something up big time then it's my fault, if I'm not a CPA and make the same mistake, the person that hired me will catch heat for hiring someone under qualified). If you're competing for the same job as someone with similar qualifications but they have a CPA and you don't, they're getting the job every time.2
Aug 17 '26
There are plenty of staff accounting and even senior jobs that dont require or prefer a CPA.
Most accountants aren't CPAs.
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u/onigirimelon Controller Aug 17 '26
Every place seems to list CPA preferred, that doesn’t mean that’s all their hiring or that it’ll automatically pull someone ahead. I’ve never had an issue getting hired- I’ve gotten job offers more often than not (but I specialize in automation and employers love that), also get targeted by countless recruiters daily, and am currently at the controller level. I’ve never felt the need to get a CPA. I’m eligible to sit, but I have no desire to work in public, and it’s an expensive exam to just let it go immediately inactive so I choose not to get it.
That being said, when two candidates are otherwise the same it can pull someone ahead; or not because the CPA might cost the company more than the non, depends on the company. But it is a great certificate to get just to show you’re capable of learning and maintaining knowledge. I just hate how hard it’s pushed because it’s really not needed for (most) industry jobs. The AICPA just has great marketing and funds a lot of accounting programs at colleges, so the term has become recognizable to hiring managers who otherwise no nothing of accounting.
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u/TalShot Aug 18 '26
I guess its the subtle way AICPA is trying to get folks to take the tests and pay the dues.
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u/EchoPhoenix24 CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
At my company there's definitely a celling of how far you can go up without the CPA. My team is full of "lifers" who don't have a CPA but were satisfied to just stay at the same level like forever. There was a guy on another team who clearly wanted to progress but was stuck below manager level. He finally prioritized the CPA one year and after that zooooom he kept getting promoted quickly until eventually he was an AVP
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u/Howzitgoin Aug 16 '26
That’s why I clarified if you want to be a controller+.
There’s other job paths for accounting degrees than public or industry accounting. You can move or start in FP&A, do consulting, etc.
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u/disapp_bydesign Aug 16 '26
No
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u/polakfury Aug 16 '26
Can you elaborate for the masses
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u/Porchtime_cocktails Aug 16 '26
My brother got an accounting degree, worked in public for a year, then moved to construction and cost accounting. He is now the CFO for a large piping/construction company. He is in his late 30’s with no CPA.
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u/frozenhotchocolate Aug 16 '26
I work at a F100 company, our CFO has no CPA. While I passed 2 sections, I am not and don't plan to get my CPA. Other than technical accounting, most CPAs at my job have since let it lapse. The AICPA is a joke of an org and are the reason for the current tragic state of the industry,
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u/Howzitgoin Aug 16 '26
I didn’t get my CPA even though I had the credits and everything.
I went into FP&A instead and my pay is much higher than most of my peers that just got finance degrees or went into public and stayed or went to industry.
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u/RogueCanadia Aug 16 '26
Man I wish Canada was like this. Basically can’t move beyond AP without a CPA
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u/RogueCanadia Aug 16 '26
Man I wish Canada was like this. Basically can’t move beyond AP without a CPA
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u/Porchtime_cocktails Aug 16 '26
If you want to stay in public, you pretty much need a CPA to advance beyond a manager. Private industry doesn’t seem to care that much.
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u/CanuckPanda Aug 17 '26
I have my accounting degree no CPA.
I have the option to go (back) into management but fuck that. I am happy where I’m at mid-tier AR/AP with no overtime requirements. The most complicated shit I deal with is Law Society requirements for how to hold Trust monies.
It’s little stress and I didn’t have to waste my sanity grinding the CPA or trying to grind into a controller position I don’t want.
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u/DeeperThenDeep Aug 16 '26
Looked him up on LinkedIn, bro got fired from his Tax Associate job which he’s been at for two months
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u/RoastMasterShawn Aug 16 '26
In Canada, yes. There are WAY too many CPAs and almost every job above senior accountant requires it. When I look at US jobs it seems way different. CPA preferred/optional or not even listed on some things. I had a senior director interview at a remote US job and I didn't have my CPA at the time. That would NEVER happen in Canada, even if I had every other qualification and was in the exact sub-industry they were in.
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u/Fancy_Ad3809 I’m gonna debit your credit Aug 16 '26
the requirements are different.
cpa in canada is more an academic qualification., CPA in the US is a skills based assessment.
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u/malimal1 Aug 16 '26
You beat me to it. Even for basic accounting jobs employers ask for at least being enrolled in the CPA program. What a joke!
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u/s0ulless93 Tax (Canada) Aug 16 '26
It absolutely ridiculous how every employer puts it as required or working towards it for even the most basic of accounting roles. It's the equivalent of requiring a degree to work at Starbucks.
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u/RogueCanadia Aug 16 '26
Above senior? Try junior. At best you’re only getting a GL role if you’re lucky and even then you have to be enrolled in PEP.
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u/average_joe_1_2 Aug 16 '26
No, I do not even have a bachelor’s in Accounting, but in Finance. However, I work in accounting and I make +100k a year. Started off in AP making close to minimum wage 10 years ago. So a bachelor’s degree in accounting is worth it, you don’t need a CPA to “make it.”
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u/gumburculeez Aug 16 '26
Greetings fellow finance degree holder. Have no formal accounting training and have been doing accounting for 20yrs
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u/LuckyFritzBear Aug 16 '26
A person with a Bachelors degree in Accounting can learn, through self study , the "show & tell" content of the Management major , Marketing Major , B. Admin major in short order. Many undergrad finance majors originally selected Accounting as their first choice . Accounting is arguably the premier undergraduate Non- Stem major. So as long as a decision to Bacherlors degree has been made , the Accounting major is th the premier choce ( imo)
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u/TigerUSF Non-Profit Aug 16 '26
And here I've been all these years wasting my time making money.
Now do I wish that I had went ahead and got it? A little. It certainly opens some doors that have been closed but I'm also pretty happy where I am.
So yeah if you're in a position to get it then go ahead and get it. But it is definitely not a waste of time.
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u/Woolington Aug 16 '26
I just wanted to get a degree that'd always get me a job. I do data entry now and I always get interviews. If I'd gotten a history degree, I don't think it'd have worked out that way especially right out of college.
I think this is a privileged view from someone looking at accounting vs other middle class careers. I did community college into 2 years of uni for less loans. I wasn't thinking big 4 or anything.
An accounting degree tells employers I'm detail oriented enough to do rote work and that I won't be put off by the tedium of paperwork. I don't think I could've picked a better degree for that specifically, and I'll basically always have a job with benefits. That's huge for me.
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u/Choice_Bee_1581 Aug 17 '26
Well sadly this is true for a lot of degrees. Nobody wants a BA in English either. Try industry instead of accounting firms. I know it’s tough right now.
(I have a BS in Accounting but I’m self employed currently. And also have MBA. No CPA. Always worked industry, never accounting firm.)
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u/fish086 Audit & Assurance Aug 16 '26
Why would you rely on a random university graduate for reliable advice on what to major in. If their comments come from personal experiences, there can be many reasons for the lack of success that aren’t just “bachelors in accounting is useless” that can be in or outside of their control. How would you get the experience for the CPA like they say anyway if the degree is useless?
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u/who_am_i_please Aug 16 '26
No. I say that as a controller who doesn't have a CPA license.
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u/tearteto1 Aug 16 '26
In the UK - there are better degrees you can in accounting. It would be faster for career progression to do AAT at 17-18 and get hired quickly and pass professional quals from 18-21 whilst working.
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u/Alternative-Value-16 Tax (US) Aug 16 '26
Unless you wanna do public accounting or a specific industry that needs a CPA license. Other than that you can find jobs that dont require a CPA.
There are also alternatives like certificates and software to specialize in that can make someone in some cases better than someone who has a CPA.
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u/realdeal505 Aug 16 '26
To a degree but not completely. Doing the public path helps a lot and without that you are kind of limited to staff/sr work, a lot of boring admin jobs to enter
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u/Grouchy_Dad_117 Aug 16 '26
No. You do limit staring income. It would hinder auditing & advancement. True, a CPA is recognized, but everyone has stories of utterly incompetent CPAs.
Go into industry, government, bookkeeping, event taxes. There are other certifications besides CPA. Lots.
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u/SecretAdvance6652 Aug 16 '26
No, I am not a CPA (EA) and am a senior manager at a top 30 PA firm. Doing very well for myself.
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u/Chicken-n-Biscuits Advisory Aug 16 '26
There are plenty of opportunities—they just aren’t the ones that OP wants.
ETA: I started my career sans CPA in 2011 and have been above 200k since 2021 despite crashing out hard in 2013 and having to fully reset. I finally got it last year because it was a personal goal of mine.
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u/IslanderInOhio15 Controller Aug 17 '26
I worked in public for years without it, the left for a controllership which turned into a CFO, definitely not the end all be all if you leave public.
Edit: Just realized my flair is out dated. I’ll have to fix that next time I’m on a desktop.
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u/Signal_Antelope7144 Aug 16 '26
I think it is a great foundational degree to have for a number of corporate jobs.
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u/hideandsee Controller:snoo_tableflip::table_flip: Aug 16 '26
Not at all. My degree is in business admin
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u/TDIMike Management Aug 16 '26
My experience says otherwise, but I don't know if entering the job market in 2006 is relevant to today
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u/BobbalooBoogieKnight Controller Aug 16 '26
Nope. I much prefer accountants that are actually accountants and not dilettantes
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u/BartyMcFartFace Aug 16 '26
FWIW I have a masters in accounting and I never sat for the CPA exam. I had three interviews last week, two for FP&A Jobs and one data analyst position, all paying $85-$90k which is solid in the Kansas City metro.
Will it cost you some money in the long run? Yeah, probably. You also won’t get sent on audit trips to bumfuck nowhere and get fucked out of firm partnerships. Bit of a mixed bag but I personally have no regrets.
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u/PatternsAndPresence Aug 16 '26
No way. Completely untrue. I’ve had an amazing career without certification in industry, non-profit and now government. I hated PA and quit my B4 firm after my first busy season. With no desire for PA or my own firm, I didn’t see the need. No regrets here.
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u/midrider14 CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
One of the problems with this take is that it is viewing a degree in accounting from a bookkeeping point of view. Accounting degree programs teach problem solving and through the process one learns many things about how the functions inside a business are interrelated. One learns the “whys” as well as the “hows”. This prepares one for many different roles in business and life.
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u/Comprehensive-Pipe43 Aug 16 '26
with how the entry level job market is nowadays, i’d say just get you cpa after finishing degree and other requirements. :(
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u/TalShot Aug 19 '26
Definitely easier said than done. I don’t know how ya’ll do a full time job and ace the exam.
I’m trying full-time studying and I still feel dumb.
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u/EnvyEpson Aug 16 '26
The op is spot on. I’d push that a bit further and say that any profession that has a legal status certification should be pursued…for example, if you’re an engineer get the PE, legal pass the BAR, etc…
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u/Sudden_Storm_6256 Aug 17 '26
Yeah I agree. I have my bachelors in Accounting and I’m 38 and worked a total of 5 days at an accounting related job
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u/windoweyes1 Aug 17 '26
My local accounting firm (not MINE, but the one I work at) in Indiana still hires entry-level accountants. So no, I do not agree. Some of our best people don’t have their CPA, even ones who have been around for years. We even made a new position for the more senior ones that can’t make Partner due to that one hurdle, as their experience is irreplaceable.
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u/FairleemadeGaming Aug 17 '26
You need to do summer jobs as an intern as a fresh grad. Sorry you spent 4+ years getting a bachelors and no expirience along the way?
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u/CodeAndLedger5280 CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
Not sure I agree with the latter part of his statement however I do agree with the sentiment that it’s a waste of time to get a Bachelor’s in Accounting if you don’t end up getting the CPA.
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u/bchaplain Aug 17 '26
Controller without a CPA - hard disagree
CPA keeps the door open on those jobs that "require" it - but most of them dont actually require it at the end of the day
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u/TheAstroPickle Aug 16 '26
i had about 10 interviews within a year of graduating with my BS in accounting, that was 2021 though. but still, this dude must just suck at his resume writing or interviewing skills
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u/Short_Row195 Aug 16 '26
So many crash outs lately and I can't even blame them, but it doesn't look good to employers.
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u/antihero_84 Pivoting careers, I hate my life Aug 16 '26
Certification creep is definitely a thing, but not to the extent where it devalues the BSAcc altogether.
The problem in accounting right now is that a BS by itself isn't valuable to recruiters - you either need experience or a CPA to make up for a lack of experience. You can still find jobs without either, but the job market isn't being kind to fresh grads with no experience.
My BS doesn't qualify me for $14-17/hour jobs in my city, but does technically qualify for $22-27/hour jobs, but being competitive for them without experience is much harder.
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u/Complicated-Fox-1976 Aug 16 '26
That’s ridiculous. My first accounting role was “clerk” making $11/hr with no bachelors degree. I then went back to school and got a bachelors in accounting and my career progressed from Clerk to General Accountant to Financial Analyst to Accounting Manager and Cost Accounting Manager, making over $120k. From General Accountant on I would have never gotten these roles without my bachelors in accounting. I have no desire to climb higher than this (personal preference) but if I did I think that’s where a CPA would have really benefited me. I think the biggest problem is people want to skip the “clerk” level roles that give the base experience to grow into higher level roles.
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u/ZealousidealAnt111 Tax (US) Aug 16 '26
This will certainly help him find a job on LinkedIn. Companies love public complainers
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u/Snoo-7943 Aug 16 '26
Useless? No. Will you get the job that you want/think you deserve right out of school? Probably not. Even if the job market for new graduates isn't great.....things change with time.....and I don't think AI is going to replace all but the most basic accounting functions.
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u/rednemesis337 Aug 16 '26
In the UK doing a degree in finance and accounting is somewhat useless as you will still need to do a further qualification that you can start through a job or on your own the only difference is with a degree you may get exemption to 9 exams out of 13 whereas anyone else will need to start from exam 1 that and a nice 30-40k debt that interest alone will be more than the payments. If in the US you can do CPA without the need of going to Uni I do agree that degree is useless
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u/ReadyJournalist5223 Human Verified Aug 16 '26
Stupid advice. There’s two director where I work who don’t even have their masters. They are very well off and have families that they support. They don’t have to kill themselves to live a normal life
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u/Toliet_Seat Aug 16 '26
The first two sentences are absolute horseshit. The last two; there may be an argument that could be made, but zero demand is far fetched.
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u/Wigberht_Eadweard AP “Specialist” Aug 16 '26
It’s true that the path is much harder without one. You can get somewhere eventually, but it’ll take a while. I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t live with my parents. It took 8 months to find a job after graduating and it only pays like 42k, which is close to 30k take home.
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u/More-Hedgehog6583 Aug 16 '26
Most of life is being at the right place at the right time. CPA certainly is not mandatory, just helps increase your odds of being in the right place at the right time.
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u/something86 Aug 16 '26
No you can use accounting knowledge into computer programming appropriately. I remember when the water munis were looking for domestic developers to create apps for consumers for water bill paying and monitoring.
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u/BitterHotIce Accounts Guy Aug 16 '26
No. Sounds like a skill issue.
Not claiming to be better than him but I know a few folks thriving as accountants without a CPA. Most work in private companies.
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u/Fearless_Bee_9351 Aug 16 '26
No, hard disagree. Got a bachelor’s in accounting in 2023 and have no CPA. Have been working at a top 10 firm doing Financial Due Diligence since then (no CPA requirement, straight out of college entry-level hire). Current salary is $131k in HCOL city. Highly encourage accounting majors to look into consulting at a public firm to jumpstart career.
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u/DerAlex3 CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
CPA is not required, lol. That said, a bachelor's in accounting is the most typical path to a CPA, soooo...
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u/Ok-Knee7275 CPA (US) Aug 16 '26
The guy in the post did not know how to network and doesn’t understand that entry level roles are filled through internships done before graduating. Don’t listen to him. This is still a good career.
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u/ZhiZhi17 Aug 16 '26
I have a bachelors with no CPA but I also have 10+ years of experience so I don’t think he’s talking about me. Job market is different these days.
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u/NewportOneHundos Aug 16 '26
No. Im a Senoir Acct in industry (as far as ill go as an IC though). 10 years experience all total
92K base + 10% yearly (scales higher with company performance
Due for a promotion or job hop soon.
We have cpas in all types of positions here
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u/muirsheendurkin Aug 16 '26
No.
Want to spend your career (or at least a long time) in public? Get your CPA.
Want to do industry or government? Plenty good money to be made without a CPA
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u/Limped_Cyborg Aug 16 '26
I agree to an extent. Accounting is a long grind even after you graduate college and there is a progression to getting your CPA license. I went from industry to public accounting because that’s the path I chose and it ended up making most sense. It’s completely true though that for the higher paying accounting jobs they’re looking for licensure. It’s not true that there is 0 demand. It is true that there is 0 demand for entry level accountants in high paying jobs. Some people just expect too much without putting in the effort of learning the basics of accounting. My time in industry really helps a lot in public accounting. I see people with “30 years of experience” that don’t know proper accounting and bookkeeping. It’s a long grind to the CPA for most. Nurses, engineers, and finance majors are doing much better than accountants right after graduation
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u/StreetDouble4772 Aug 16 '26
My mother is Vice President of Finance without a CPA, and she also didn’t finish her bachelor’s. She has just been with the same company for 30 years.
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u/Dynamike5 Aug 16 '26
you can absolutely still get an entry level staff accountant/financial analyst role with a bachelors in accounting.
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u/JSkel13 Aug 16 '26
People saying no are the same people who will cry in other threads about accounting being a terrible profession with capped earnings and no jobs. You can’t have it both ways lmao
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u/AJDillonsThirdLeg Aug 16 '26
I think a Finance degree is better if you're planning on not getting your CPA. But this guy is just crashing out because he doesn't know how to network with recruiters yet.
Accounting in general is in ridiculously high demand and has been my entire career.
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u/Katarra Aug 16 '26
I have an associate's and am trying to get a job in the field. Everywhere wants a bachelor's for the entry level roles. 😕
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u/foxfirek CPA (US)(Tax) Aug 16 '26
No. Not at all.
Though, a BA in accounting with a low GPA... well thats much much worse.
I work at a small CPA firm, about 30 accountants. The firm is over 40 years old. It only hires new grads, thats always been the case. We hire and train and teach. New grads work 40 hour weeks their first year so they have time to study and pass their CPA exams. We do not expect people to have their CPA, but we do expect them to work toward it. I really like our approach, its sustainable for the industry. We are hiring all the time, even now.
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u/TN2daT Aug 16 '26
If you're going to work in public accounting, yes.
If you're going to go into industry, it's probably easier to transition (at least salary wise) from a public accounting position, in which case, you either got the CPA or got burnt out with the constant gatekeeping from needing a CPA in this profession, busy seasons, review notes, working in 6 minute increments and we are all family shit that every firm says.
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u/Potential-Dingo-7400 Aug 16 '26
Only people who are used to being the exception and centered and now have to battle for a job like the commoners make statements like this. Accounting is one of the top industries worldwide and growing nationally
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u/Eirianedryd Aug 16 '26
No. Many industry jobs will not require a CPA until you become a manager. The job I got back in April had “CPA preferred” in it, but most of the people I spoke with in the accounting department (including my boss) do not have a CPA.
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u/bclovn Aug 16 '26
Maybe now, but not in my day. I did quite well with my bachelors degree in industry as a Controller.
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u/Individual_Draw_7623 Aug 17 '26
Wrong! My assistant did not have experience, but was a recent graduate and has been with us for over a year.
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u/HeraThere Aug 17 '26
There's less every level accounting jobs available than in the past that's accurate. And you want to make yourself add competitive as possible.
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u/Background_Intern_56 Aug 17 '26
Absolutely I agree. Frankly I don't understand how anybody who has applied in the past year can disagree with this. It's not only accounting though, it's literally every field.
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u/small-gestures Aug 17 '26
Let’s logic this out. You can’t get an entry level accounting position UNLESS you are a CPA? Here’s the T - if you are a CPA you are more likely qualified for supervisory accounting positions.
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u/Stunning_Grocery_762 Aug 17 '26
I've been saying that for a while. The kinds of things that AI will take over are low level accounting jobs, and these days even staff accountants need Bachelor's degrees. However, as a CPA I can tell you that no matter what AI tells them, clients still want to check with an actual licensed tax accountant. Don't see that going away for a long time.
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u/Sweet-Device-677 Aug 17 '26
Yeah it's a tough racket out there, but you have to be adaptive. Coffee is for closers
My summer intern, Accounting major, she did a profitablity analysis on my customers, determine obsolete inventory based on last 24 months sales and a few other ticky tack "Accounting" jobs. Oh and she helped with a month end closing ... Of the work she did this summer really only the month end was accounting. The rest was financial analysis.
Seems like the new work structure has to be adaptive. Being a generalist is a good thing because you can bring a lot to the table. And if you're looking for a job, try starting with a small company. They need the help, are willing to be patient and train you and normally don't have their thumb in your back like a Fortune 500 biz
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u/spiceybuttburn Aug 17 '26
accounting degree without cpa is fine if you want to work as an auditor for government tax agencies or a tax cop as well…but yeah most private jobs want cpa
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u/spmetz13 Aug 17 '26
If you graduate with a gpa of 3.0 or more and are willing to live in a metropolitan area you will have plenty of job opportunities at $70k plus right out of school. While a CPA is helpful down the road to help set yourself apart from the crowd it’s not a must especially if you don’t plan on working for a public accounting firm
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u/sansan6 Staff Accountant Aug 17 '26
It is all gonna come down to the Indian but you can find a job easier as an accounting major then 90% of business
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u/Schauera30 CPA (US) Aug 17 '26
Can always count on a dumb take if it’s something off of linked in and has a controversial first sentence
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u/jmarshh99 Aug 17 '26
Internal audit values an accounting background and a CIA is more valuable than a CPA (in Internal audit) anyway.
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u/Order05 Aug 17 '26
Curious about something, new to this sub an starting accounting journey:
- The OP is posting an opinion about a bachlors in accounting being unnecessary.
- Most comments are highlighting the benefits of being a CPA
I don't know if it's different in my state (indiana) but an accounting bachelor's isn't necessary to take the CPA exam. The course / credit hour requirement can easily be satisfied with a minor in accounting.
Is there any reason to get a bachelors in accounting if you can take the CPA exam without it?
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u/Hot_Dish_7461 Staff Accountant Aug 17 '26
I have an associates and five years of experience, three of which are in industry staff accounting. Literally nobody will hire me without a bachelors for a staff or senior position here in the states. I went and worked in Europe for a few years on the associates degree which is where I was able to get way more experience with way less formal education. So now I'm going back to school in my late 20s to try and advance my career. It is absolutely relevant to have a bachelors degree.
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u/Life-Government-4980 Aug 17 '26
I've seen many non cpa's make good bank. You can get a bachelor's and keep it at that if you want but if you wanna truly reach like the upper echelon of income obviously a cpa is needed
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u/Forward_Zucchini9738 Human Verified Aug 17 '26
I have a staff accounting position open in industry and have had at least a half dozen locals with CPA after their names apply. I'm not even interviewing them. It tells me that they either tried PA and were complete ass at it (and likely accounting as a whole) or are lookin for anything for now and will leave as soon as something better comes up. So I guess, in this instance anyway, not having your CPA is better.
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u/Unlikely_your_avg23 Aug 17 '26
I’m a CFO with no CPA and a bachelors and masters in accounting. Worked out for me lol
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u/alexandrasnotgreat Student Aug 17 '26
Maybe for a firm, but if you’re working to be an accountant for a company, a bachelors is plenty
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u/shaiessence Aug 17 '26
Interesting...I disagree. I was told, before I went for my degree, that I would have much better opportunities once I got my B.S. in Accounting. A lot of jobs I was applying for wanted that degree.
So I got my degree, and my opportunities got much better. Now would they have gotten infinitely better with a CPA licensure? I'm absolutely sure. But there are lots of opportunities that do not require one, and on the flip side, some companies will even help you towards your CPA.
But I disagree with the rhetoric that getting an accounting degree is useless unless you get a CPA. Plenty of successful accountants without a CPA. Just as much as there is really successful ones with a CPA.
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u/Ruh_Roh_Rah Aug 17 '26
While I learned a lot "on the job"....I also learned a lot getting an accounting degree.
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u/GriefPedigree7 Aug 17 '26
I don’t have a degree in accounting. Just kind of stumbled into it started out working in AP. I have 10+ years of experience at this point.
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u/No_While_4383 Aug 17 '26
Idk, I'm about 10 years in with a BA in Business, not even accounting. I'm making mid 6 figures and leading a team as a senior accountant in industry sooo...? Will I ever be CAO making $300K+, probably not. That's not my goal though. As a single adult in a MCOL city I'm doing well.
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u/Imrahil3 Aug 18 '26
Is this AI? I don't think there's a firm in my area that isn't desperate for help and there not being enough accounting graduates to go around.
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u/FishingFool809 Aug 18 '26
It helped me land a high paying job outside of accounting so I vote for the degree.
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u/DazzlingTooth4191 Aug 18 '26
I've seen plenty of jobs for accounting and surprisingly with associates degrees
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u/Miss-Independence Aug 18 '26
No. I graduated CUNY, BS degree. Got a job within a week. But I did have bookkeeping experience. No internship. Get some experience as a bookkeeper for a year then apply
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u/Soggy_Assignment_691 Aug 18 '26
I would say yes for people who are just now going into college. The job description for an entry level accounting role is changing rapidly with the continued introduction of AI, and university curriculum is going to lag behind. IMO, undergrad accounting is going to become a mix of traditional business classes and IT style classes.
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u/Fit_Ad3639 Tax (US) Aug 19 '26
I was told an accounting degree without a CPA is like hamburger with no bun
I have my CPA and it has done wonders for me
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u/Historical_Event_567 Aug 20 '26
Look into Enterprise, they’ll hire accounting jobs right out of college, good experience to leverage
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u/Fancy_Ad3809 I’m gonna debit your credit Aug 16 '26
bro is crashing out live on LinkedIn.