How To Get Into Accounting as a Second Career
Not everyone sticks with their first career choice for the entirety of their working lives. In fact, making a switch to a new role — or to another field entirely — is not uncommon. If you’re interested in making a change and you have a knack for numbers, why not consider accounting as a second career?
In this career guide, you can learn how to get into accounting if you already have a degree in another field.
In This Article:
Understanding Accounting as a Career
You may already know that accountants are responsible for examining financial statements, maintaining records and preparing tax returns. However, you might not know that accountants can also play a key role in an organization’s (or person’s) financial health by making financial recommendations that are fueled by data. In fact, the role of accountants is gradually evolving thanks to technology. Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) make it possible to automate many accounting tasks, allowing accountants to spend more time focusing on higher-value tasks.1 Some examples of these tasks might include data analysis and consulting.
Diverse Career Paths Within Accounting
Did you know that there are many different types of accountants and accounting specialties? It’s likely that no matter where your particular interests and strengths lie, you can find an accounting career path that aligns with them.
Some of the many types of accounting career paths and specialties include the following:
- Certified public accountant (CPA): A CPA is an accomplished accountant who has passed the certification exam necessary to use this designation. A CPA might work for a public accounting firm, corporation, nonprofit organization, government, higher education institution or any number of different businesses.
- Management accountant: A management accountant is sometimes known as a cost accountant or staff accountant. This type of accountant specializes in creating financial reports for companies, including budgets and cash flow forecasts, with the goal of helping companies meet performance goals by improving revenue and decreasing expenditures.
- Forensic accountant: Many different legal proceedings may involve financial matters. A forensic accountant is charged with analyzing financial and business records to identify problems such as noncompliance or fraud. A forensic accountant may work for a government agency, insurance company or bank.
- Government accountant: Local, state and federal government agencies hire accountants to ensure appropriate and responsible management of public funds, balance municipal budgets and evaluate the financial feasibility of various public projects.
- Investment accountant: As the job title suggests, an investment accountant specializes in performing work for brokerage and asset management firms. Investment accountants are responsible for processing investments, developing financial strategies and preparing tax reports on investment accounts.
Is an Accounting Job Right for You?
Before considering how to become an accountant, it’s worth taking some time for self-reflection. Going back to school takes a major commitment, and you’ll want to be sure that making a career change to accounting is really the right path for you.
One compelling reason to consider pursuing accounting roles is the job growth in the field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates job growth for accountants and auditors to be 4% from 2022 to 2032, as fast as average. This indicates that employers expect to hire about 67,400 of these professionals during this time period.2 Another reason to consider accounting as a career choice is the salary potential. According to the BLS, accountants and auditors made a median annual salary of $79,880 as of May 2023.3
How To Get Into Accounting
If you’ve decided that accounting as a second career is the right choice for you, it’s time to consider how you’ll meet the career qualifications. Here’s a look at how to get into accounting even if you have a different degree in an unrelated field.
How To Become an Accountant With a Different Degree
Individuals who already know they want to become an accountant when they first go to college will typically major in accounting. A Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree program teaches topics such as financial, management and cost accounting, as well as the analysis of financial statements and compliance with legal regulations in the field. While it’s ideal to earn a BS in Accounting, there is an alternative pathway for students who already have a degree in another field. It may be possible to become an accountant by earning a master’s degree in accounting.
First, you’ll need to research the eligibility requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination® in your state. Visit the website of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and find the link to your state’s board of accountancy.4 Navigate there and look for the eligibility requirements to become a CPA. You’ll need to ensure that your chosen degree program(s) will allow you to meet those requirements. For example, if you visit the Arizona State Board of Accountancy, you can see that the board requires a specific amount of coursework in not only accounting but also related subjects like business administration, statistics and economics.5
Next, you’ll want to enroll in a bridge program. A bridge program isn’t a master’s degree; rather, it’s like a gateway toward a master’s degree. A bridge program is designed to prepare students without a background in a specific field to tackle master’s-level coursework in that field. After completing the bridge program, you may be ready to enroll in an MS in Accounting degree program.
Make a Career Change to Accounting By Getting Certified
There are many benefits to pursuing the CPA credential. As a certified public accountant, you may be able to look forward to:6
- Stronger earning potential compared to non-certified accountants
- Greater career qualifications
- Professional autonomy
- Professional respect
- Opportunities to pursue careers in consulting
To become a CPA, you’ll need to pass the Uniform CPA Examination. The exam takes place in four parts over 16 hours. You do not need to take the full exam all at once. It’s broken up into four separate sections that each take four hours.7
Cultivate Important Skills for an Accounting Career
As you work toward becoming an accountant as your second career, you’ll likely have opportunities to develop some important skills.
An accountant can benefit from the following:8
- Communication skills
- Math ability
- Organization
- Attention to detail
- Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
Switching to a second career may come with certain challenges, especially if your first degree was in a field completely unrelated to accounting, economics or math. It takes hard work and dedication to launch a second career, but remembering why you made the decision to work toward it can help sustain your motivation. You may find that becoming a CPA can pay off in the end, given the job growth in the field.2
Grand Canyon University invites prospective career changers to explore our academic programs, many of which are available online for greater flexibility. Learn more about the Bridge (Master of Science in Accounting) program, which is designed to prepare you to apply to the Master of Science in Accounting degree program.
1 Breheney, S. P., CPA, MBA. (2023, Sept. 12). The AI revolution: Transforming accountants’ roles. New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
2 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Accountants and Auditors, retrieved on July 22, 2024.
3 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Accountants and Auditors as of May 2023, retrieved July 22, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Accountants and Auditors, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
4 NASBA. (n.d.) Boards of accountancy. Retrieved on Aug. 9, 2024.
5 Arizona State Board of Accountancy. (n.d.). Exam: FAQs. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
6 North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. (n.d.). Why Be a CPA? ncaCPA. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
7 AICPA & CIMA. (2021, Oct. 18). Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About the CPA Exam. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
8 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How To Become an Accountant or Auditor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
Approved by the academic program manager of the Colangelo College of Business on Aug. 20, 2024.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
