If you like numbers, equations, and especially a good spreadsheet, an Associate degree in Accounting could help you turn that passion into a career. Accounting is important no matter the company, business, or industry. And the more developed your skills are, the more in demand they will be. An Associate degree could be the first step into a new company or field. You could work for a small business, a nonprofit, a hospital, or a multinational corporation using all the latest accounting software. Or you could take your skills and learn how to run your own business!
Here are 10 reasons to get an Associate degree in accounting:
1. Gain Useful Knowledge
At the heart of any form of education is the attainment of knowledge. And while some forms of knowledge have only intellectual value, Accounting classes provide you with useful information that has immediate real-world applications. When you understand the fundamentals of Accounting, you get how businesses run, grow, succeed, and fail.
2. Satisfy Business Demand
Whether your interests are in retail, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, or insurance, you can use your accounting skills to help businesses grow. There are lots of jobs you can get with an Accounting degree.
3. Increase Your Potential to be Promoted
An Associate degree proves that you possess a base knowledge that businesses want their employees to have. Especially against coworkers who hold only a high school diploma, your degree can set you up for employment and promotion.
4. Earn a Higher Salary
Degrees often lead to higher pay. A recent report from Georgetown University found that those with an Associate degree earn nearly one third more than those with just a high school diploma.
5. Build a Foundation for Advanced Degrees
An Associate degree in Accounting is a good steppingstone to a Bachelor’s degree. You may be able to transfer your credits and your employer might even offer tuition reimbursement benefits to help you earn your next degree.
6. Complete Your Accounting Degree Online
Many colleges now offer Associate degrees in accounting online, so you won’t have to quit your current job to attend classes. You can learn at your own pace, whenever it is convenient, and still gain real world work experience.
7. Learn Many Types of Accounting Software
Your Associate Degree in Accounting program will introduce you to accounting software such as Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, and payroll processing. The more exposure you have to the tools of the trade, the more familiar you will be with any technology that comes your way.
8. Develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills
In addition to learning about accounting techniques and procedures, you will develop important critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. For example, by learning how to follow income, debits, invoices, and cash receipts, you may be able to discover discrepancies that unearth errors or theft.
9. Increase the Opportunity to Work from Home
Because so many businesses are now open to work-from-home, your accounting skills might present you with this opportunity. Often all you need to do bookkeeping are a computer, the right software, digital records, and the proper security to do your job.
10. Find Contract Bookkeeping Work
There are thousands of small businesses throughout the U.S. who can’t afford or don’t need a full-time bookkeeper. With an Associate degree in Accounting, you could work for many different companies providing these services. What could be better than being your own boss and setting your own schedule?
At National American University, we offer an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, plus a variety of certificates, that will help provide you with the skills you need for a rewarding career. Call 800-209-0182 to learn more.
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