Is Accounting a good major?

<p>My friend is an auditor and he does not travel (KPMG).</p>

<p>Really?! What does he do?</p>

<p>I think accounting is the best major as far as availability of jobs but I've never had an interest in accounting or the work environment.</p>

<p>They say that accounting is the "language of business" but when I see execs with accounting degrees, they look too technical to me. I think finance degrees look better on paper, but that's just me.</p>

<p>Formidable, you are right: it is just you. To most companies, accounting grads are MUCH more in demand than finance grads for undergraduate study. If you don't believe me, just ask the head of any business school: ""Which is more demanding and rigorous: majoring in finance or accounting?"</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
Formidable, you are right: it is just you. To most companies, accounting grads are MUCH more in demand than finance grads for undergraduate study. If you don't believe me, just ask the head of any business school: ""Which is more demanding and rigorous: majoring in finance or accounting?"

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>That's a bunch of bs...and I would hope that no one here makes a career decision based on this piece of crap advice. Bottom line is, accounting, finance, MIS, and engineering are the majors to take if you want to get somewhere in the business world. All of them are in high demand... To say that there is a significant difference in demand for grads majoring in accounting vs. finance is idiotic.</p>

<p>The main difference between the two majors is what kind of job you end up doing and what company you do it for...both are seeing great demand. Many accounting majors will flock to the Big 4, and likewise many finance majors will head over to the BB i-banks. Do what YOU want to do, and study what you WANT to study...you can't go wrong with ANY of those previously mentioned fields.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Formidable, you are right: it is just you. To most companies, accounting grads are MUCH more in demand than finance grads for undergraduate study. If you don't believe me, just ask the head of any business school: ""Which is more demanding and rigorous: majoring in finance or accounting?"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you are trying to suggest that you will have way more opportunities with an accounting degree than with a finance degree, then you are exaggerating greatly.</p>

<p>If accounting grads are in so much greater demand than finance grads, then how come all the career and salary surveys I've seen for prestigious universities show little difference between the recruitment and salaries of accounting and finance majors? Hmm? </p>

<p>Many business careers ask for accounting OR finance. Accounting will allow you to become a CPA, work for the Big Four, to go into a field that requires a strong accounting background. Finance will allow you to go into financial analysis and it is also used in investment and real estate firms.</p>

<p>The only practical difference between the two is what YOU want to do exactly. They are two different paths to the same financial prosperity; two different ways to become successful in business.</p>

<p>I agree with you 100%, GoGetta09. In fact, I wouldn't have posted my reply if I had seen yours first.</p>

<p>Prestigious universities represent only a small percentage. for the MAJORITY, accounting is the better major in terms of job prospects. You cannot become a CPA with a finance degree (without extra work)..think about it.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Prestigious universities represent only a small percentage. for the MAJORITY, accounting is the better major in terms of job prospects. You cannot become a CPA with a finance degree (without extra work)..think about it.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Oh boy, another accounting major who thinks his major is the only way to make money.</p>

<p>Sorry dude, but there's A LOT of ways to make $$$ in the business world WITHOUT being a CPA. Open your eyes.</p>

<p>Why in the world would anyone be worried about not becoming a CPA if he has a finance degree? Who cares? That finance major WILL find a way to be successful. There's no doubt about that. </p>

<p>Besides, why wouldn't we want to go to a prestigious university, anyway? By the way, my definition of 'prestigious' includes nationally known public state schools such as Purdue, UCLA, University of Arizona, University of Virginia, University of Texas, Texas A&M... just about all the schools in the top 100 nationally.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Really?! What does he do?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>He is an IT Audit manager (CPA) and all of his clients are in the same metro area.</p>

<p>Gogetta09 and Formidable, I NEVER say anything without some basis for my statements. When I said that accounting is a more in-demand major than finance, it is because the research supports my view. Check out: Collin</a> News: Which majors are most in demand?</p>

<p>See alsohttp://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Departments/eLearning/?article=FourHotJobs</p>

<p>See also Top</a> 10 most popular majors Careers and Colleges - Find Articles</p>

<p>See also: The</a> Liberal Order: Most Popular Majors</p>

<p>See also: Five</a> Hot College Majors - Career Exploration</p>

<p>I can go on and on,but I think if you check out these articles, you will accept my statements as valid.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I think if you check out these articles, you will accept my statements as valid.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I wouldn't consider a news article a reliable source. News outlets are more interested in making money than reliable stories.</p>

<p>But you are missing the point. You say that accounting is more in demand than finance, but I have NOT met a single person yet with a finance degree from a good school who is having trouble finding a career. In that sense, the ONLY practical difference between the two degrees are the careers and what exactly YOU want to do with them. Like I've said in my previous post, they are two separate paths to the same success.</p>

<p>So your whole argument about accounting being more in demand is irrelevant because nobody with a finance degree from a good school is starving.</p>

<p>Formidable, you are missing the point: I NEVER said that majoring in finance is a poor choice. I simply said that generally (given the same quality school and grades), majoring in accounting will be more in-demand than majoring in finance. The articles and research noted in post 20 support this thesis.</p>

<p>Moreover, the fact that "You don't consider news articles reliable sources" is quite surprising. What sources have you researched that shows that the articles cited are incorrect? Frankly, all I am seeing is your unsupported opinion.</p>

<p>What is your definition of a GOOD school</p>

<p>If you definition means top, then simply look at the percentage of GOOD schools vs the ordinary/average schools.</p>

<p>Obviously the ordinary/average schools HEAVILY outweigh the number of GOOD schools. Now take a look at what kind of job a student with a finance degree can get from say Cal State Fullerton. Then look at what kind of job a student can get with an accounting degree at Cal state Fullerton. This should be obvious, compare the opportunities you can get with CPA firms vs. the menial sales jobs you can get with a finance degree, both degrees obviously being from the same school, so there is no additional advantage outside of the fact that one took accounting, and one finance</p>

<p>Your views are substandard since they focus on a niche market instead of the ENTIRE market.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I simply said that generally (given the same quality school and grades), majoring in accounting will be more in-demand than majoring in finance.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>But who cares? Do you know ANYONE with a finance degree from a good school that is having a hard time finding a job? Do you know ANYONE with a finance degree who saying to himself, "oh, geez, I really screwed up my life by majoring in finance instead of accounting. I can't even find a job!"?</p>

<p>Your entire argument is pointless. The only real, applicable difference between finance and accounting is what kind of career YOU want.</p>

<p>End of story.</p>

<p>
[quote]
What is your definition of a GOOD school

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you are college educated then you should already know the difference between a good school and a not-so-good school. I shouldn't have to spell it out for you.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Obviously the ordinary/average schools HEAVILY outweigh the number of GOOD schools. Now take a look at what kind of job a student with a finance degree can get from say Cal State Fullerton. Then look at what kind of job a student can get with an accounting degree at Cal state Fullerton. This should be obvious, compare the opportunities you can get with CPA firms vs. the menial sales jobs you can get with a finance degree, both degrees obviously being from the same school, so there is no additional advantage outside of the fact that one took accounting, and one finance

[/quote]
</p>

<p>So you're suggesting that accounting is better because if you're a slacker and don't care enough to get into a good school, you can get a less menial job than a finance degree?</p>

<p>Hahahahaha!</p>

<p>
[quote]
Your views are substandard since they focus on a niche market instead of the ENTIRE market.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You don't even know what a 'market' is.</p>

<p>
[quote]
"You say that accounting is more in demand than finance, but I have NOT met a single person yet with a finance degree from a good school who is having trouble finding a career. In that sense, the ONLY practical difference between the two degrees are the careers and what exactly YOU want to do with them. Like I've said in my previous post, they are two separate paths to the same success.</p>

<p>So your whole argument about accounting being more in demand is irrelevant because nobody with a finance degree from a good school is starving."

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Why is your discussion only centering around "good" schools? I would hope that you would do well regardless of your major at a "good" school? If not, it's probably not all that good. Regardless of that though, the fact is that you don't have to go to a "good" school to be successful in accounting.</p>

<p>Accounting has always been a more secure fieldthan finance. If you consider the passage of Sarbanes-Oxley 5 years ago and the current happenings on wall street, you'd be a fool to believe that finance is in more demand right now then accounting.</p>

<p>
[quote]
If you are college educated then you should already know the difference between a good school and a not-so-good school. I shouldn't have to spell it out for you.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You have still failed to define what range of schools fit within your definition of good? My definition may very well be different than yours; this is a word that can describe totally different levels of satisfaction. Cal State Fullerton is a good school. San Jose State is a good school. But they are not prestigious schools, nor are they good in everything. Some people couple good with prestigious, some couple good with a particular department, some determine good by other means yada yada yada. I have no clue what you mean by GOOD until you explain. I regard Cal State Fullerton as a good school because its business school is occupied by Stanford and U Chicago Phds that can actually teach. And the schools proximity to Irvine and other orange county business centers gives you a geographical upside absent from other campuses. But then, would you consider Fullerton good, or would it be Wharton, or possibly Kelley. I have no damn clue what your level of satisfaction is, just tell me, no more obscure statements that allow you to skirt around your true inability to answer simple, elementary questions. Name a school possibly, or use the term ‘prestigious’ just be more specific. If you cannot explain to me what you consider good, who are you to make ridiculous comments?
Vector, accounting hiring will probably go down because of AS5, at least for CPA firms, but I have heard stories of several fortune companies that are already behind on hiring internal auditors. This can be good or bad depending on the company. Some offer excellent training/rotational programs and other don't</p>

<p>
[quote]
But who cares? Do you know ANYONE with a finance degree from a good school that is having a hard time finding a job? Do you know ANYONE with a finance degree who saying to himself, "oh, geez, I really screwed up my life by majoring in finance instead of accounting. I can't even find a job!"?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I know several. I hope USC can be termed GOOD in your eyes</p>

<p>
[quote]
Why is your discussion only centering around "good" schools? I would hope that you would do well regardless of your major at a "good" school?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Because good schools are the only schools really worth going to, that's why.</p>

<p>I can see some of you all's points regarding how accounting is a good degree from any school, but seriously, if you go to a good school (and you should), it's not going to matter from a success standpoint if you majored in finance or accounting.</p>

<p>Hell, a finance degree from a good school is better than an accounting degree from a not-so-good school.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Because good schools are the only schools really worth going to, that's why.

[/quote]

You don't really think this is true, do you? Facts about CEO's and other successful people prove otherwise. </p>

<p>And think about this. Even <em>IF</em> you theory were true, there would still be stratification of schools. Say the bottom tier of schools went out of business because nobody chose to attend them. Then the second to last tier would be the "worst", and so on. The only reason somebody attends a "strong" school is that other attend a "weaker" school by comparison. It's sort of like the grading curve of colleges! :D</p>

<p>
[quote]
Because good schools are the only schools really worth going to, that's why.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you really believe that about undergrad school, you are completing f'ing clueless.</p>