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Online Accounting Bachelor Degree
So, before we talk about an online accounting bachelor degree, let's just get something off of our chests.
I know gossip is wrong… Yet sometimes it just feels so right. At the dog park once, I spoke whimsically of the Kardashians' payroll and was thus accused of "counting other people's money". Villainy among barkers! But here's the thing, I love counting other people's money. Almost as much as I love scrolling gossip sites and Beyoncé's Instagram. Never thought I'd love numbers, but somehow it seems totally different when those numbers are dollars. Everybody loves money, after all, especially other people's money. Games too are well-loved by many, and accounting can be like playing games with money for those who know it well. These are just a few reasons why a Bachelor Degree in Accounting might just make a perfect next step on your path. Turns out it's not all just dusty ledgers and tax facts. Some tax facts are actually fun.
Fun Tax Fact #1
Body oil can be deducted, baby! Only catch is you gotta be a body builder and use it in competitions - then it’s a business expense and can be deducted as such.
Classes in Online Bachelors in Accounting
So what exactly am I getting myself into with a bachelors in accounting online program? Is the an Accounting Bachelors the best choice for me? Well, earning an Online Accounting Bachelor Degree takes roughly 120 credit hours.
This can be any different kinds of electives but usually you can bank on a few top topics you might see pop up in your curriculum: *
- Financial Accounting
- Managerial Accounting
- Auditing
- Taxation
- Management Theory
- Business Mathematics
- Statistics
- Business Law
- Economics (micro economics, macro economics)
- Statement Analysis
- Cost Accounting
Accounting 101
One of the ways accountants play like gamers shows in how they help people with their taxes. The tax system works like any other, with loopholes as well as rules and regulations. An accountant can be like your very own personal savior when tax time rolls around. They literally rack up points (deductions and exemptions) to ease your tax burden with their seemingly magical machinations. But it's not magic. In fact, it's all about a bottom line; which is basically the opposite of magic. Turns out, the best part is that it's all teachable; proof of this literally lies in a BA Accounting degree. That's where the mysteries of such loopholes unfurl into sensible steps to reveal a clear process.
Fun Tax Fact #2
Presently England taxes TVs depending on how many each person has in their home. The people of England are thus paying for BBC Programming this way.
Speaking of sensible steps toward making sense of things, the real beauty in accounting lies in this process. Sure, it's fun to play games with rules and numbers. But there's more to it. One great relief numbers provide is actual answers. So much about everyday life can be confusing and unclear. So, it's refreshing to find things like math and numbers that have determinate correct answers. A definitive yes or no can be a comfort in many cases. This works in another element of accounting too—the nature of the job itself.
Accountants tend to work on client projects such as individual taxes or a company's budget. No matter what the project, though, there's a clear end point to each one.i An accountant just runs the numbers to their conclusion, zip, zam, zoom, like so. And then they're dunzo. Time to party. It can be a real bonus to leave work behind so easily like that. In fact, blurring the boundary between work and personal lives has become such an issue these days that many studies are being done on how to manage it. Some of these studies conclude with suggestions about getting more exercise and sleep. Others recommend looking at your phone less might help with keeping your work stress out of your personal life. But if you're anything like me you kick it lazy-style, stay out late, and check your phone every 10 seconds. That's just a few reasons why a job with a built-in home/work life boundary rocks.
There's a Tax on WHAT?
1st century AD roman emperor Vespasian taxed urine, a valuable commodity used to launder wool at the time.
So, by nature the work of an accountant might just be good for your state of mind and lifestyle. This is without even mentioning the very things that put Accountant at an impressive number 6 rank on U.S. News and World Report's "Best Business Jobs List." That's right, it's not just Great Aunt Nancy who thinks Accountant jobs are on fleek. Turns out for some Accountants there's even extra time for side pursuits, like the concoction of tasty candy treats.
Did You Know?
The inventor of bubblegum, accountant Walter Dierner, never received royalties for his poptacular invention but his wife insists that he didn’t mind.
Maybe one reason Mr. Dierner didn’t mind his lack of residuals too much is that even without all those bubbly pink royalties, his life was pretty sweet. That's because Accountants don't just advocate and advise lucky clients, they also earned a median salary in 2016 that was significantly higher than the median for all occupations at $37K. ii
Accountant salaries differ in many states where their employment levels are highest in the country. The next chart indicates the states with those top employment levels for accountants in 2016.
Did You Know?
A team of nine CPAs spend up to 1700 hours each year counting the Academy Award ballots by hand.
These Accountant salary numbers get even more in-depth when the BLS breaks it down into the top-paying metropolitan areas for this occupation, as seen below. The glorious California coastline looks even sunnier than ever with four out of the top nine located there.
Types of Online Bachelors Degrees in Accounting
OK, so now for some dry (but important!) stuff. Online accounting bachelor's degree programs may be available as Bachelor of Arts (BA), and Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting. Some schools may also offer Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting, or Bachelor of Accountancy. In addition to coursework, some colleges may help students find internships in a wide range of fields.
Online Accounting Bachelor Degree Types:
Online BA in Accounting Degree
In an online Bachelor of Arts in Accounting degree program, students typically must satisfy course requirements in liberal arts and social sciences (e.g. foreign language). With a Bachelor of Arts the there may also be more elective course credits rather than courses devoted to your major. This path might offer a “well-rounded” education that prepares students for a masters program where further specialization could occur.
Online BS in Accounting Degree
In an online Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree program, students typically have more courses devoted to the accounting major. Instead of the liberal arts focus of a BA, students might encounter more advanced courses in math, business (applied science), and accounting. Electives may not be as predominant as they are in the BA. In some cases, you may also find a Bachelor of Applied Science in Accounting which might be considered a ‘degree completion’ for students who have already completed two-year degrees in accounting related fields.
Online BSBA or BBA in Accounting
In an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, accounting may be chosen as a concentration. The curriculum might be focused on business practices and management functions, with an emphasis on accounting topics. In an online Bachelor Business Administration in Accounting, students may take a core curriculum of business courses (marketing, economics, finance, management) with courses in an accounting major.
Online BAC
An online Bachelors of Accountancy may provide a foundation in accounting topics. It might also be a preparation for a graduate degree such as an MBA-Accounting or Master of Accountancy (MAcc).
Beyond Accounting Jobs
We have touched on a few points that may have answered your question as to “what can I do with a bachelors in accounting?”
Continued Education: Earning a bachelors degree in accounting online may be a stepping stone to a Masters of Accounting or other graduate degree. Also, keep in mind that if you aspire to file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) you are required by law to be a CPA, and many prospective employers look for this credential (which may entail more study).**
Potential Accounting Careers & Paths: While earning a degree is not a guarantee, some of the potential career paths that graduates with a bachelors in accounting degree might pursue could include work at accounting firms that may include:
- Bookkeeping clerk
- Accounting clerk
- Auditing clerk
- Junior accounting positions
Why an Online Accounting Bachelor Degree?
So, there's one thing in the life of an Accountant that we have not yet mentioned . . . heroism. That's right, everyone may get a shot to be great American heroes. This makes sense when you think about it because Accountants take an account of our private business - they get all up in there - literally. So, it's special access to a bit of an inside scoop. Examples of this lie in such works as the 2,000+ FBI agent accountants as well as the story behind Al Capone's undoing. Even though it seems like the whole world was aware of Capone's role of crime boss, it took FBI accountants to finally bring him to justice when they nailed him for tax evasion in 1931. It makes sense that these superheroes would play a role in fighting crime because criminal motive is so often money. In fact, the FBI states on their organized crime web page that "with few exceptions, organized crime groups' primary goal is economic gain". iv It's no mystery, then, why the FBI need to employ so many accountants to handle all that racketeering. Interestingly, that's where we get the word about shady dealings being "a racket". It's a derivation from racketeering - how so many organized crime organizations have been nailed over the years.
Incredibly, there's still even more good news about pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting. Not only are the opportunities glowing with candy and California dreamin', these jobs are growing at faster rate than the average for all occupations. In fact, at 11% the projected job growth for Accountants over the course of 2014-2024, this beats the 7% for all occupations by a full four percentage points.v In the job outlook portion of their section on Accountants, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also states that, "Strong demand for accountants may lead to good prospects for entry-level positions". In other words, it may just be the perfect time for you to pursue a Bachelor Degree in Accounting and start your work experience with an accounting position.
Start Your Future Right Here
Take the next step right now. You're already in the right place here at eLearners.com. We can match you with the perfect program for you. Just click on our sponsored schools for an Online Accounting Bachelor Degree on this page to get matched free, easy, and fast.
[*] https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/cipdetail.aspx?y=55&cipid=88885 | [i] bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm#tab-2 | [ii] bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm#tab-5 | [iii] bls.gov/oes/current/oes132011.htm#st | [iv] fbi.gov/investigate/organized-crime | [v] bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm#tab-6 [**] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm#tab-6