How to Become an Accountant

Any successful trip begins with mapping a route. The same principle applies to your career goals. To help you on your journey to an accounting career, we've created a 4-step roadmap helping you understand how to become an accountant.

We'll guide you through all 4 steps and what it may take to complete them. If you're already part-way through your journey to becoming an accountant, feel free to jump ahead to the step that most applies to your situation.

As with just about any other career path, the journey begins with education. An online accounting degree like the ones offered at DeVry will help to boost your technical skills, provide hands-on experience with accounting software and help you develop the essential workplace skills, like communication, teamwork and collaboration, that will help you excel. At this early stage, it’s important to consider how you will balance your commitment to education with other aspects of your busy life. For example, do you plan to attend classes full time or part time? Will you work a full-time or part-time job while enrolled in your accounting program? Will you choose 100% online learning or opt for hybrid learning, which combines the online and on-campus experiences?

Start by thinking about what type of undergraduate degree you’d like to earn. While a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting may seem like the logical choice, you may also consider earning a more general business degree, such as a Bachelor’s in Business Administration or Management, with a Specialization in Accounting.

It’s important to choose the degree program that fits with your career goals. Different accounting degree programs and specializations may contain different accounting courses that focus on particular areas of study. Remember that coursework in accounting degree programs teaches you the various skills and theories related to the occupation, but it may also prepare you to pursue the various certifications, such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential, that you may need to pursue specific career opportunities.

If you’ve already earned your bachelor’s degree, a Master’s in Accounting may help you to set your sights on more advanced accounting-related job opportunities and prepare for the CPA Exam.¹

To help you align your coursework with your career goals, here are 5 common areas of accounting with a brief description of each:

As you enter the final phase of your Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Accounting program, you should start looking for specific jobs and internships that interest you. It’s a good idea to identify the type of accounting job you want before you complete your degree because you may need to obtain specific certifications to qualify for the position.  

Once you've identified the type of accounting job you'd like to pursue, the next step is to determine what industry-specific certifications may be required for the position. Certifications are common in many industries and professions because they verify specific skills. Employers routinely include certifications in job listings because they’re looking for candidates who have specific competencies in addition to the requisite formal education and experience.

Here's a quick overview of some common certifications in the accounting field:

The answer depends on you, your personal and professional goals and  on the level of education you have. You may elect to earn a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree and CPA certification and licensure. In that scenario, your journey would take longer to complete than if you pursued a career that only required a bachelor’s, but would also prepare you to pursue more senior-level career opportunities.

If you’re asking, “How long does it take to become an accountant?” it’s likely your biggest concern is the time it takes to complete the academic program you choose. At DeVry, our Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting can be completed in as little as 2 years and 8 months on an accelerated schedule, and 4 years on a regular one.⁴ Our Master’s Degree in Accounting can be completed in  1 year and 8 months on a normal schedule and in as little as 12 months on an accelerated one.⁵

Accountants and auditors perform a broad range of tasks related to the finances of  corporations, government agencies and nonprofits, and individuals alike. Here’s a partial list of what they do:

It may come as a surprise to learn how many different types of accountants there are, but the complexities of the business and financial world demand qualified professionals with specific training and skills in different areas of the field, like tax preparation, auditing, cost accounting, forensics and others. Read on for a brief description of 5 particular types of accountants.

Certified Public Accountants have a CPA certification and generally serve in an advisory role helping companies and individuals achieve their financial goals. Depending on your state requirements, you may find that you will need to earn your master’s degree in order to have enough credit hours to earn your CPA credential.

Forensic accountants may work for insurance companies, financial institutions or law enforcement agencies looking for evidence of crimes such as embezzlement, employee theft, identity theft or insurance fraud. To become a forensic accountant, you might consider pursuing the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential.

Management accountants help companies make business decisions that are financially viable and provide risk assessment to companies. You may consider earning both a bachelor's degree and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential to prepare to pursue roles in this field.

Staff accountants perform general accounting duties within a company. They are typically involved in bookkeeping, light financial analysis and payroll. If you’re interested in working in staff accounting, consider earning a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field.

Cost accountants analyze the profitability of an organization and identify areas for improvement. They may have a Certified Cost Accountant (CCA) or a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification in addition to a bachelor's or master's degree in accounting or a related field.

A growing economy, the continued globalization of business and technological change are all contributing to the demand for accountants and auditors. So notes the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as they project employment of accountants and auditors to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. The BLS further projects about 126,500 job openings for this occupation each year, on average, over the decade.⁶ This growth is projected on a national level and local growth will vary by location. This projection is not specific to DeVry University graduates and may include earners at all stages of their careers.

If you're interested in becoming an accountant, DeVry can help you get started on the path toward your goals. Our accounting degree programs can be completed 100% online and are designed to help busy students like you gain the skills needed to pursue a variety of accounting career opportunities.

Study on your terms with DeVry. Our 6 academic sessions per year allow you to start when you’re ready and learn at your own pace, finishing on a regular or accelerated schedule that meets your personal and professional goals. Let’s talk about getting you started in our next session.