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Question

I have a bachelor's degree in business administration, and have worked as an accounts receivable clerk for a while. I'm thinking of going back to school for a college degree in accounting. Do you think this will help my career?

Answer

Earning an accounting degree could benefit your career, especially if your experience in accounts receivable has taught you that an accounting career would be of interest to you. A fundamental difference between your current degree in business administration and an accounting degree is that business administration teaches a fairly general skill set, whereas accounting involves a much more specific set of disciplines. Both approaches have merit--a generalized approach to education is good if you want career flexibility, while a more specific approach can increase your marketability within a specific field.

If you are not certain that you want to narrow your career focus to accounting, an alternative would be to add to your current business degree by pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

However, if you are set on accounting, factors in your favor include a favorable job outlook for accountants, and compensation levels that tend to be above average. One tip though: if you do decide to go back to school, go for a bachelor's degree in accounting rather than an associate's degree. Accounting jobs tend to require bachelor's degree, and in any event there is little point in adding a lesser degree than the one you already have. After completing your BS in accounting, you could enhance your career prospects further still by passing the CPA exam.


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Richard Brarrington Richard has over 20 years of business experience in marketing, financial services, and management.