<p>So, how hard is accounting really? I dont plan on being an acct, i prob find auditiing pretty intresting...However, in my hs basic accting class it was hard as hell, as well as the teacher being a *****... And in most states, do you need a masters to sit for the CPA?</p>
<p>On the other hand, i know finance/econ is easier, but how hard is it to have a good job? Like, i know i wont be making 75 k my first year out, but 2-3 years down the road is there a signifcant change?</p>
<p>(would a double major be beneficial in econ/finance,(i def cant do a double with accting)..</p>
<p>Most states you need 150credits and certain courses like tax auditing, thats why masters in accounting is a good choice but is not the only one. You get a slightly higher starting salary as well. You can live fine either finance econ or accounting. Accounting is the hardest undergraduate business major (Atleast at my school), I would recommend accounting and finance, very strong combination.</p>
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Most finance jobs are more interesting.
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<p>All finance jobs can be filled by an accounting degree.</p>
<p>Accounting is the top business degree at my school as well... it's the one that all the recruiters are fighting for.... they'll take a finance major, but if they can get an accounting major, they're a lot happier.</p>
<p>I don't know about that, if accounting degrees could do everything a finance degree could plus more then what would be the point of a financial degree? I think people pursuing finance probably learn a lot more about investments (and stuff in that area) than accounting students. </p>
<p>I think the skill set to do investment analysis is very well grounded in an accounting degree... you have to remember that it is primarily accountants who collect and provide financial information of a company, so I'm not sure it would take a real large adjustment to learn how to analyze the data... something accountants do, but with a different intention than investors. However, I think Finance does have its specialties that are attractive (i.e. finance students are usually more apt to have passion for stocks/bonds, etc.) but to think that accounting doesn't provide the ability to understand what finance is about is plain ignorance. Finance is like a specialized branch of Accounting. It's the investment/interest side, and accounting provides a more broad based understanding of business, IMO.</p>
<p>Yes, a more effective analysis of data/financials is acheived through an understanding of the "nuts and bolts" (the collection and gathering of specific and detailed financial information) that make up financial statements. A solid understanding of financial statements is key to effectively analyzing investments. </p>
<p>Understanding the nuts and bolts provides a better foundation for analyzing financials than that of a "general" understanding, which finance majors tend to have. That's partly why accounting majors are so sought after.</p>
<p>Oh yes and accounting is a pretty difficult major. If you had difficulty in your basic accounting classes then it's only going to get more difficult once you start taking your core upper divsion classes. So this is something you need to consider when deciding between finance and accounting.</p>
<p>Accounting tends to be a little harder because it's often more tedious and requires you to interpret principles under somewhat vague business circumstances. In terms of the material though, you can look at it this way. With accounting, you'll learn a great deal about how to assemble financial statements, GAAP, and the analysis of financial statements to determine the financial health of a company. With finance, you'll focus on valuation techniques, capital markets, and the theory behind investing and markets. One of the valuation techniques you learn in finance is financial statement analysis. Although it's probably not presented as thoroughly in finance classes than in accounting classes, it's probably sufficient. If you don't have much interest in learning about GAAP and how to assemble financial statements, then finance/econ would probably be a better route. I wouldn't recommend accounting if you don't plan to pursue a career that requires in-depth knowledge of accounting.</p>
<p>my friend just graduted in econ and finance, and she has a lot of job opportunities to pick from as we speak. Very versatile majors to say the least.</p>