An online accounting degree may not sound like the most glamorous educational pursuit, but it leads into a world of job opportunities that offer security, financial stability and peace of mind. If you are willing to work hard and you enjoy basic math and organization, then an online degree in accounting could be just the ticket you need to a life of wealth, financial health and early retirement.
Earning an Online Accounting Degree
Of all the degrees that you can earn online an accounting degree is one of those that seems the most obvious as far as suitability to online learning. Accounting is all about numbers, tracking systems and organizations and in today's modern world these things cannot exist without a computer system to support, create and store them. Thus, merging your education with the job of accounting makes absolutely perfect sense. Furthermore, many of the skills that it takes to be a successful online student are also features of a successful accounting professional.
The Accounting Skill Set
Achieving success in the world of accounting requires a strong mind that is comfortable working with numbers and basic mathematical equations. It also requires someone with the mental discipline and focus to concentrate on the numbers in front of them while the world is going on around them. Focus, skill, education and a bit of self-directedness are all the marks of a successful accountant, whatever level you hope to work at. They are also the mark of a successful online student.
Successfully Earning an Online Accounting Degree
Preparing for a career in accounting with an online accounting degree requires similar skills. To be a successful distance learning candidate you need to have dedication, drive and your own built in initiative and motivation. Solid computer skills are another skill set common to both accountants and online students. With a degree in accounting the cost of an online degree can be recouped in just a single year in the field.
Moving Forward into the Field of Accounting
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 1.3 million jobs right now in accounting and the related field of financial auditing. There are four main areas that these financial wizards work in: Public accountants work in commercial firms who do various jobs for individual clients (like doing someone's bookkeeping or taxes), management accountants who track other people's money and investments, government accountants and auditors who watch over how the government manages and spends its money, and internal auditors who work inside a specific company to ensure that everything is handled properly with no embezzling or tax errors to be seen. The average accountant can make about $65,000 a year; of course highly experienced accountants and auditors can make significantly more.
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