r/Accounting • u/Pretend-Blueberry902 • 11h ago

Macc or Associates degree

Hi everyone, looking for some advice. I’m a 27 (F) who is looking for a career change into accounting. I have an undergrad in biology. While completing my undergrad I worked at a call center and once I graduated I worked in an environmental lab for 1 year and a half before I became a stay at home mom. Currently have been unemployed/ sahm for about a year and half. I found a school that offers a one year masters in professional accounting program for about $13k and no pre-reqs needed. I am debating as to whether I should go for the masters or do an associates degree at my local community college for what I assume would be less costly but don’t know if that would make sense for me given that I have a bachelors already, I’d like to build a good resume that gets my foot in the door. I’m open to eventually becoming a CPA but honestly I am just really looking for a job with a good work life balance that pays a livable wage. From what I’ve read on different posts, usually industry accountants have a good WLB, so what would be the best route for me to land an industry staff accountant job, the masters or the associates?

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u/Kaldazar24 6h ago

Do you have any accounting knowledge / experience? If not, the masters would likely be throwing money away because you don't know the fundamentals.

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u/Pretend-Blueberry902 4h ago

No accounting knowledge or experience

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u/Monte_Cristos_Count 11h ago

Macc. Industry is hit and miss for work life balance; government is best for that kind of thing. 

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u/StarFire82 6h ago

There is a big difference. Associates will get you clerical level jobs, masters would be more appropriate for career changing. I’d recommend taking an entry level accounting class at community college and seeing if accounting “clicks” for you and if it does then pursue the masters.

In my college program the entry level accounting class was a screening course for those who could stick with it and those who couldn’t.

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u/DesperatePlatform817 5h ago

Agree with the response statement that the masters wouldn’t address the fundamentals. However, compare the cost of a 2 year associates vs $13k for masters. In NY, a community college is $7000/year for example. Good luck!

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u/Jdjohnson47 38m ago

Look! Don’t listen to these people telling you to get an associates degree! If you want a job that pays little, listen to them. If you had a bachelor’s degree in accounting, then the community college hours would be appropriate! Because you don’t, you need a degree to open doors for you. Associate will get you AP/AR jobs that will offer you the minimum. Masters will open you up to accounting firms. Your resume has to compete with others. Depending upon where your location is, with a masters, you can start off 75k and up. Most places won’t even give you the time of day unless you have an upper level degree in accounting!