What Can I Do with an MBA in Accounting?

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When taken with an accounting specialization, an MBA incorporates both business and accounting classes, making it more versatile than either a general MBA or Master's in Accounting. It may also help you prepare to pursue both accounting and business career paths.

If you’re considering earning an MBA in Accounting, DeVry’s MBA with an Accounting Specialization combines business learning with high-level accounting courses to improve your understanding of both disciplines and helping you become a more well-rounded professional.

In this article, you'll learn how an MBA in Accounting can help you reach your career goals, get a glimpse into some of the careers that you may be able to consider with an accounting MBA and more in the following sections:

Does an MBA in Accounting Help?

We think that an MBA in Accounting can prepare you to pursue your career goals. An MBA, which is a graduate-level degree, helps you develop broad business and leadership skills, which may help you stand out from the crowd in some cases. It may help you bypass some entry-level jobs and apply for intermediate-level positions, depending on the company and its particular job requirements.

An MBA, especially one with an accounting specialization, may also help you prepare to take the CPA Exam1. The CPA Exam requires candidates to have 150 credit hours of education in an accounting-related field. Earning an MBA in accounting may help you meet the 150 credit hour requirement while also giving you insight and the chance to acquire more complex accounting skills that may prove useful when you take the CPA Exam¹.

What Careers Can I Pursue with an MBA in Accounting?

Because an MBA in Accounting teaches both accounting and business principles, you may find that you're able to apply for both business and accounting jobs.

Five jobs that people with an MBA in Accounting may consider are:

Accountant

Accountants perform a variety of tasks depending on their specialty and where they work. In general, they provide some form of bookkeeping and analysis to keep a company’s finances in order and help meet their fiscal goals. Accountants may also work freelance with multiple clients, or even work for the government.
Budget analyst

Budget analysts use accounting skills to evaluate the health and stability of a company's budget. They may also make recommendations to management regarding the allocation of funds and how they could be better used throughout the organization.
Financial analyst

Financial analysts look at the state of an organization's finances at the end of each fiscal period. They may also make recommendations as to how the finances of a company could be improved.
Auditor

Auditors perform deep dives into the accounts and finances of organizations in order to identify areas for improvement and consistency. Those that work for the government tend to do so for the IRS, where they help to identify organizations and individuals that are committing tax fraud.
Management accountant

Management accountants work alongside managers to determine how funds should be allocated within individual projects. They may also be partially responsible for choosing which projects to pursue.

What Other MBA Degrees Teach Accounting?

MBA degree programs typically teach some level of accounting. While the fields of business and accounting are by no means identical, they do intersect in a variety of ways and rely upon one another in order to function. Aside from an MBA in Accounting, an MBA in Finance would teach you the most accounting skills. You would also learn some accounting skills in a general MBA program or in an MBA in Entrepreneurship.

Typical Tasks and Jobs for Accountants

Accountants perform a range of tasks that will vary based on their specialty and position, but some of typical tasks performed by accountants include:

Creating financial reports
Performing audits for companies or individuals
Reviewing a business's financial standing
Advising clients on how to reduce costs and improve business revenue in order to increase profits
Implementing new accounting techniques that can help a business get better data
Making recommendations as to which projects should be canceled or pursued
Preparing and filing tax documents

Earn Your MBA with an Accounting Specialization from DeVry

If you are interested in the versatility that an MBA with a Specialization in Accounting can offer, there’s no better time than now to enroll at DeVry. Take your love of numbers to the next level, gain industry insight and develop your skills in business, leadership, accounting and more. Classes start every 8 weeks.

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¹Credits and degrees earned from this institution do not automatically qualify the holder to participate in professional licensing exams to practice certain professions. Persons interested in practicing a regulated profession must contact the appropriate state regulatory agency for their field of interest. For instance, typically 150 credit hours or education are required to meet state regulatory agency education requirements for CPA licensure.