Accountants with an MBA (Master of Business Administration) work in industries as diverse as banking and finance, healthcare, technology, and are just as prevalent in the public sector. No matter what business or government agency they might work for, they take on the responsibility of overseeing financial decisions, managing budgets and seeing to it the numbers add up to ensure the organization is in the black and on the right side of the law.
What We Do
Accountants with an MBA work in private companies, as consultants, as government auditors and accountants, as bankers, and investors and in healthcare, technology, and management.
From small to medium sized businesses to major corporations, enterprises of every size rely on accurate accounting, advice for strategic growth, and tax planning services to help ensure they keep more of what they earn. Both short-term quarterly profits and long-term strategic planning rely on having skilled accountants on the payroll.
- Managerial accounting:Tracking information that is required to manage the financial affairs of the company, so that it can make educated strategic and operational decisions.
- Cost accounting: Determining the costs of various products and services by conducting analysis of records and depreciation records. Classify and record various operating costs so that managers can keep expenditures under control and also can assist in making better financial decisions
- Auditing: Reviewing several document types, including loans, contracts, and websites to ensure that they are correct. Auditors may work with either financial or non-financial documents, or sometimes may work only with financial documents.
- Tax accounting: Preparing federal, state and local tax returns for organizations or private individuals, according to current laws, rates and regulations. Some may further specialize in individual, corporate or property taxes.
- Government Accounting: Working at the federal, state and local levels. They often work on white collar crime cases or are in charge of public funds. At the local and state level, they may manage local revenues and investigate fraud.
- Nonprofit accounting: Assessing the financial situation of the nonprofit entity. The goal in this case is not to earn a profit but to reduce costs and to maximize level of service to the members of the organization and society at large.
- Forensic Accounting: Working as investigatory accountants. They may work in an ongoing financial fraud or white collar crime case. Responsible for digging up illegal or unethical financial transactions that may include matters of fraud, money laundering or embezzlement.
- International Accounting:Working with organizations that do business internationally. They often work of foreign financial statements so that they are better aligned with US standards of generally accepted accounting principles.
Why It’s Hot
As government expands, tax laws get more confusing, and regulatory agencies impose new layers of rules it requires someone well-versed in the world of numbers to lead companies through the maze of laws and requirements.
The global economy has made it complicated running a business, but also made it more exciting and often more profitable. Changes in technology that control how consumers bank, buy, and invest have brought a mini-revolution to the financial markets.
These many changes have led to stronger demand for accountants and auditors with advanced accounting and business management skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for accountants and auditors will grow by a steady 4 percent in the ten-year period leading up to 2029. This is being driven by new financial and regulatory rules, and a post-pandemic economy that is gathering steam.
As more businesses are starting and expanding, wages, expenditures and hiring is increasing. These factors lead to more need for accountants to keep track of the books.
Certain skills in accounting have been reported to be especially hot:
- High level of technical proficiency in cloud computing, information and cyber security and data mining
- Great expertise with compliance, internal audit and risk
- Deep knowledge of the state and federal regulatory environment
All of this makes accounting a profession that is very resilient to economic instability. Accountants consistently earn respectable salaries, with a national median of $73,560 as of 2020. That median figures includes a workforce that largely consists of bachelor’s-prepared corporate accountants, as well as auditors and staff accountants with small to medium sized accounting firms.
But accountants with an MBA or Master of Science in Accounting more often find their niche in larger accounting firms serving wealthy families or performing consulting and external audit and attestation services for business clients after earning that coveted CPA. Those kinds of credentials can just as easily lay the groundwork for a job in management accounting, whether heading up an accounting department or serving in higher level enterprise management roles where a deep understanding of accounting principles can play a key role in high-level decision making. In either public or corporate accounting, a graduate degree and CPA licensure places accountants squarely in the top income bracket where salaries can be $128,680 or more.
Below you’ll find top paying industries for accountants in 2020, shown with the overall average salary, which skew it lower than what would be expected for accountants that hold MBAs:
- Computer Hardware Manufacturing – $112,680
- Federal Executive Branch – $105,980
- Transportation – $105,060
- Financial Services – $102,020
Work Environment
Almost exclusively, accounting MBAs work in an office environment. Even those who choose to work for law enforcement, like the FBI, sit at a desk, work with numbers, and consult with others involved in the project. In some cases they are witnesses in court proceedings.
For many who choose from one of many of the best accounting MBA online, there is plenty of people work involved, especially for consultants and those who work in technology or information systems.
How To Do It
To get an accounting MBA, you first need to complete your bachelor’s degree and apply to the graduate school of your choice. Competition is fierce in the Top 50 MBA programs across the country, so be prepared with several backup choices.
Depending on the MBA program you enter, you can either major in accounting as an undergraduate, in arts and sciences, or in business.
For most traditional campus-based programs, you must first successfully pass the GMAT exam. Much of your admission score is based on how well you do in the exam. Preparation is rigorous. There are many books and classes that will walk you through the process to improve your chances of a high score.
However, for many Online MBA programs today offered by top non-profit universities, the GRE is NOT required for admission. Some top Online MBA programs such as Washington State University required 7+ years while others like the University of Maryland at College Park require just 1-2 years. Your GPA and work experience also play a role.
Online MBA in Accounting – Southern New Hampshire University
The online MBA program at Southern New Hampshire University will offer you the expertise and skills in accounting to work in many different industries and occupations. Students are able to greatly accelerate their expertise in financial and business management, and deepen their understanding of capital budgeting, portfolio management and finance.
SNHU’s online MBA in accounting is one of the most cost-effective MBAs in the US, and many student can complete it in just one year. The coursework is designed to be relevant in your current position; many students are able to develop accounting-related projects in the program that are related to their current positions. SNHU is featured in America’s Best Online MBA Programs rankings.
Skills that you will develop in this program are:
- How to apply economic and accounting principles to be a more effective business planner
- Learn to use information technology to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace
- Use tools in quantitative analysis to handle the operation and management of a variety of companies
- Employ solid financial management principles to manage businesses
- Learn to consider all of the implications of taxation in making decisions about financial planning
Required courses include financial reporting; tax factors in business decisions; economics for business; business law; and accounting and financial analysis
This school has a tradition of excellence and a proven success rate – 95 percent of our students are employed upon graduation.
Details
- University Type: Non-Profit
- Campus Location: Manchester, New Hampshire; online
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Tuition: Inquire
- Degrees Offered: MBA in Accounting
- GMAT/GRE Required: No
- Financial Aid Offered: Grants, loans, work study, internal and external scholarships
Online MBA in Accounting – Colorado Technical University
The Master in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting at Colorado Technical University offers you the chance to learn the essential skills that you need to succeed in the field of accounting. You will study taxation, financial reporting, auditing, cost accounting, accounting information systems, and managerial decision making.
This program has been well ranked for years in nationally known publications. It was named as a Tier One MBA program in CEO Magazine. The MBA program also was ranked as a Best Online Program by US News and World Report.
The courses in this program are taught by highly experienced instructors who understand that the most successful accountants today often take on the role of financial advisor. Note that this program may be taken fully online, or at one of the school’s five campuses. No GMAT is required.
Required courses are in applied managerial accounting; applied managerial economics; strategic management in dynamic environments; applied managerial finance; taxation and business decisions; financial reporting, and MBA accounting capstone.
Students who have a GMAT of above 500, or has shown a lot of professional experience in accounting may have preparatory requirements waived. These include courses in law, marketing, accounting, ethics, information technology and global leadership.
Details
- University Type: Non-Profit
- Campus Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado; online
- Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Tuition: Inquire
- Degrees Offered: MBA in Accounting
- GMAT/GRE Required: No
- Financial Aid Offered: Grants, loans, work study, internal and external scholarships
Online MBA With a Focus in Finance and Accounting – Kaplan University
This accredited degree program from Kaplan University does not require the GMAT, and you will have the opportunity to collaborate on business projects with your fellow students that will help you to make solid business and management decisions. This MBA program also will help you to learn effective skills in leadership, innovation and corporate social responsibility.
This program further will assist you in developing the accounting and business management skills that will help you to attain leadership roles in virtually any business organization.
Required courses include the following:
- Financial Institutions and Markets
- Corporate Finance
- Accounting Principles
- Risk Analysis and Management
- Financial Statement Analysis
The curriculum of this two-year online MBA program is designed to help you do the following:
- Apply knowledge that is related to essential business processes so that you can make effective accounting and business decisions in a national and global context
- Be effective in your personal management and leadership styles in your current workplace or in future workplaces
- Demonstrate the advanced leadership skills that are needed to earn high level management positions
- Integrate new business knowledge so that you can take logical business actions in diverse business situations
- Evaluate social and ethical implications of various business decisions in a globally oriented context
Details
- University Type: For-Profit
- Campus Location: Online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: Inquire
- Degrees Offered: MBA
- GMAT/GRE Required: No
- Financial Aid Offered: Grants, loans, work study, internal and external scholarships
Online MBA in Accounting – University of Maryland at College Park
This online MBA at the University of Maryland at College Park has a strong reputation for developing highly skilled and legally sounds business leaders. MBA graduates from this accredited program have been shown over time to embody high business standards who thrive at the lead of local, regional and international organizations.
This program allows students to complete requirements in as little as 21 months. It is a highly flexible MBA that permits students to continue to work part or full time.
This MBA in accounting features Action Learning Projects at its in person residences, which challenge MBA students to be deeply involved with real-world business issues both in the US and overseas. This is a unique hands on approach that will hone your skills in leadership, teamwork, communication and analysis.
This online MBA has been ranked #47 overall in the US according to US News and World Report. It also is ranked the #9 online MBA by the same publication. The Economist also has ranked the program as #4 for quality faculty.
Required courses include managerial economics and public policy; managerial accounting; operations management; impact of taxation on business entities; corporate valuation and fraud examination.
Details
- University Type: Non-Profit
- Campus Location: College Park, Maryland; online
- Accreditation: AACSB
- Tuition: Inquire
- Degrees Offered: MBA in Accounting
- GMAT/GRE Required: No
- Financial Aid Offered: Grants, loans, work study, internal and external scholarships
Online MBA in Accounting – Liberty University
Prepare yourself for an exciting career in the corporate world by earning a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting through Liberty University.
You will learn tax and auditing skills, accounting theory, accounting information systems in a team environment and practical leadership skills. In addition, you will study the best accounting practices and learn the importance of accounting ethics.
A total of 50% of the hours in this MBA program can be transferred in, if they are approved by the university.
The faculty and staff in this MBA program are some of the most talented and skilled in their business subject matter. They are well-known in the education and business fields to have a constant focus on business and mental growth for students, as well as encouraging them to grow spiritually.
Required courses include the following:
- Strategic Marketing Management
- Managerial Finance
- Legal Issues in Business
- Business Research Methods
- Accounting for Decision Making
- International Business
- Organizational Design & Structure
- Global Economic Environment
- Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management
- Operations Management
- Policy & Strategy in Global Competition
- Advanced Cost Accounting
- Accounting Information Systems
- Tax Research & Jurisprudence
- Advanced Auditing
- Advanced Financial Accounting Theory
Some of the careers that past students have entered include: Auditor, Certified Public Accountant, Bank Officer, Cost Accounting, IRS Agent, Budget Analysis, Managerial Accounting, Tax Accountant, Certified Management
Details
- University Type: Non-Profit
- Campus Location: Lynchburg, Virginia; online
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Schools and Colleges
- Tuition: Inquire
- Degrees Offered: MBA in accounting
- GMAT/GRE Required: No
- Financial Aid Offered: Grants, loans, work study, internal and external scholarships
America’s Best Online MBA Accounting Degrees
The following list of Online MBA Accounting degrees was sourced from our report, America’s Best Online MBA Programs for 2021.
Cost legend:
$ = up to $30,000, $$ = $30,001 to $60,000, $$$ = $60,001 to $90,000, $$$$ = over $90,001
| Rank | College / University | Score | AACSB | Cost Legend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Scranton | 84.07 | Yes | $$ |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) | 82.82 | Yes | $ |
| 3 | Emporia State University | 77.91 | Yes | $ |
| 4 | Tennessee Technological University | 77.43 | Yes | $ |
| 5 | University of South Florida – St. Petersburg (Tiedemann) | 77.27 | Yes | $ |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts – Lowell | 75.84 | Yes | $ |
| 7 | University of Dallas | 73.28 | Yes | $$ |
| 8 | California State University – San Bernardino | 71.63 | Yes | $$ |
| 9 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 70.36 | Yes | $ |
| 10 | Suffolk University | 63.21 | Yes | $$$ |
| 11 | University of Maryland – College Park (Smith) | 60.92 | Yes | $$$ |
| 12 | Southern New Hamphshire University | 54.78 | No | $ |
| 13 | Liberty University | 53.78 | No | $ |
| 14 | Maryville University | 52.55 | No | $ |
| 15 | Columbia College | 51.73 | No | $ |
| 16 | Franklin University | 49.56 | No | $ |
| 17 | City University of Seattle | 49.55 | No | $$ |
| 18 | Endicott College | 49.5 | No | $ |
| 19 | Grand Canyon University | 48.63 | No | $ |
| 20 | Upper Iowa University | 47.23 | No | $ |
| 21 | University of North Alabama | 44.49 | No | $ |
| 22 | Albertus Magnus College | 43.93 | No | $$ |
| 23 | Davenport University | 42.17 | No | $ |
| 24 | Campbellsville University | 41.98 | No | $ |
| 25 | Ferris State University | 41.27 | No | $ |
| 26 | Charleston Southern University | 40.01 | No | $ |
| 27 | University of the Southwest | 38.17 | No | $ |
| 28 | DeSales University | 38.03 | No | $ |
| 29 | Florida Institute of Technology | 38.02 | No | $$ |
Pros & Cons
An online MBA in accounting opens a lot of doors in corporate America. Here is a look at the pros and cons.
Pros:
- You’ll stand out in the crowd, always important in the competitive fields that need MBAs and accountants.
- Going to a good MBA school will give you the chance to network with experienced and successful professionals. This can often be one of the most valuable parts of attending MBA school.
- Earning an MBA in accounting will allow you to sit for the Certified Public Accountant examination; the CPA designation if you earn it will provide you with many more high-paying career opportunities
- Accountants with an MBA and years of experience may be able to venture out on their own and work for themselves as a CPA
- You’ll be on target for better paying positions as you move through the ranks.
- Earning your MBA in accounting may allow you to eventually move into a corporate leadership position, such as chief financial officer, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, or operations manager. Many executive leadership professionals today have advanced accounting and finance skills
- You’ll have the extra time to study the theory of finance and accounting, which are so important in leading 21st century organizations.
- Postgraduate work is required for some areas like quantitative finance or complex financial products.
Cons:
- It is expensive to work your way through completion of an MBA. Some students find that the amount of debt they need to take on for their MBA is not worth it in terms of the increase in salary for years after they got their degree. It is important to look carefully at the amount of debt you will incur, compared to the likely salary increases you may enjoy in coming years.
- Some argue that much of what you learn in an MBA program for accountants can be learned on the job with enough experience. For example, the skills you learn in an MBA program with accounting software and current tax laws can be attained through a few years of full time work experience.
- Some MBA programs focus on theory and concepts, rather than real-world situations. Students should seek out an MBA program that allows you to work on real business cases from the current business world.
- Attending an online MBA program will probably not provide you with as many networking opportunities as going to an on-campus program.
- Accounting work is very seasonal, with a light workload for the summer and winter months, and lots of overtime in the spring time. This can be challenging if you are self-employed, as you may have months where you have little work.
- If you get an accounting job out of college, you get real world experience. Staying in school longer extends the process of learning by doing.
Financial Aid
It is important to consider the matter of financial aid as you are earning your MBA degree. Earning an advanced degree can be expensive. But fortunately, there are many scholarship options available. Here are five scholarships available to MBA accounting candidates:
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund General Scholarship: This fund helps Hispanic students in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
- Government Finance Officers Association Minorities in Government Scholarship: This scholarship is for $5,000, available to U.S. and Canadian students.
- AAUW Education Funding: The American Association of University Women has a variety of help available for women, ranging from $2,000 to $12,000.
- QS Community Scholarships for MBA and Postgraduate Studies: This scholarship is for $2,000, available to people who have completed a QA Applicant Survey and attended a QA World Grad School Fair.
- NABA National Scholarship Program: The National Association of Black Accountants awards scholarships in various amounts, from $1,000 to $10,000.
Career Paths
There are many career paths for an individual with an MBA in accounting. Here is a look at seven of the most popular career paths for those pursuing an MBA in Accounting:
- Finance: If you thrive in a competitive environment, this is a good pathway to choose. It involves overseeing the financial transactions for a company, including cash management and investment. It can also involve working in the field of banking and investment. Most begin this career path in public accounting with regional and Big Four firms.
- Marketing: People choosing this career work to increase sales and improve a firm’s bottom line. It involves research, finding opportunities and developing effective marketing campaigns.
- Technology Management: This pathway requires people with the vision to establish a company’s technological development for the long term. It involves managing IT, overseeing research and developing standards.
- International Business: This choice is perfect is you enjoy travel. People work in the global marketplace, discovering trends and applying worldwide economics to marketing, finance and policy decisions.
- Government Accounting and Auditing: If you want to work for the IRS, the FBI or government budget agencies, this is the career pathway to choose. Areas this covers include banks, drugs, food, financial service companies, telephone services, utilities and all types of government regulation.
- Information Systems: This pathway involves all computer-related activities in a company, including getting internet and intranets working properly, upgrading software and developing networks.
- Management Consulting: If you like to work with people as well as numbers, this pathway is a sound choice. Consultants help a company solve management problems, control costs and increase productivity.
Further Reading
Here are five publications that can help answer your questions:
- Wiley CPAexcel Exam Review 2021 Study Guide. This highly regarded review provides study guidelines and outlines, in addition to problems in skill building.
- McGraw-Hill Education 500 Business Environment and Concepts Questions for the CPA Exam, McGraw-Hill, by Denise M. Stefano. Part of the 500 Questions Series, this book provides critical questions often asked on the CPA exam in the business environment and concepts section of the test.
- Confessions of a CPA: Why What I Was Taught to Be True Has Turned Out Not To Be, Infinity Publishing, Bryan S. Bloom. The author, a CPA with an MBA, has held a wide range of executive jobs in the financial field. He offers real-world knowledge and advice about traditional financial planning.
- Journal of Accountancy. This online journal covers a range of topics, including practice management, technology, taxes, financial reporting, auditing and management accounting.
- List of publications compiled by the American Institute of CPAs. It covers a wide range of topics and publications arranged by category.
Suggested Websites
Six websites with helpful resources for people working on an MBA in Accounting are:
- American Accounting Association
- American Institute of CPAs
- National Society of Accountants
- National Association of State Boards of Accountancy
- American Woman’s Society of Certified Public Accountants
- Mega list of trade associations and MBA organizations, compiled by The Baruch College Zicklin School of Business
References
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary data for Accountants and Auditors. Figures represent national data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2021.
