What Can I Do With a Major In Accounting?
UGA Specific Information for Accounting
The J. M. Tull School of Accounting prepares students for careers as professional accountants, whether as tax experts, members of management, computer systems specialists, or as certified public accountants. The curriculum acknowledges that accountants also need to be competent business people. Thus, the academic program includes a significant exposure to courses in business, economics, and management and is designed to give the student an understanding of the theory of accounting as it is used in our society. An accounting education provides an excellent background for non-business professions, such as law, and is helpful for advancement to top-level management positions. Because of the various areas within accounting, BBA students are given a broad background of accounting classes to provide the basic tools to enter an accounting position. Should a student wish to specialize in a specific area, he or she would need to pursue the Master of Accountancy that allows specializations in Audit, Taxation, or Systems.
Class of 2023 Career Outcomes for Accounting*
** Includes Self-Employed
Campus Resources
Accounting Student Organizations
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Beta Alpha Psi - a national scholastic and professional fraternity whose purpose is advancing the study and practice of accounting by providing opportunities for self development and by promoting association among members and professional accountants, as well as encouraging a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility.
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National Association of Black Accountants - seeks to unite professionals and students who have similar interests and ideals, are committed to professional and academic excellence, possess a sense of professional and civic responsibility, and are concerned with enhancing opportunities for minorities in the accounting, finance and business related professions
Other Terry Student Organizations
- Atlas Business Society* - open to 1st & 2nd year students, focused on developing business skills & professional etiquette
- Magellan Program* - open to 1st year students, semester-long program focused on developing business skills & professional etiquette
- Alpha Kappa Psi - co-ed professional business fraternity
- Delta Sigma Pi - co-ed professional business fraternity
- Multicultural Business Student Association - open to all students, caters to and develops the professional needs of business students from diverse backgrounds
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Society of Entrepreneurs - connects students to resources of the Entrepreneurship Program and the Athens entrepreneurial community
* Appication required
Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations
POTENTIAL CAREER PATHS
- Auditor: Examine and analyze accounting records to determine financial status of establishment and prepare financial reports concerning operating procedures.
- Budget Analyst: Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports.
- Staff Accountant: Analyze financial information and prepare financial reports to determine or maintain record of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability, or other financial activities within an organization.
- Tax Consultant: Prepare tax returns for individuals or businesses.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
- Maintain a competitive overall and major GPA, ideally a 3.4 GPA or higher. Your ability to excel in the classroom is an indication that you have an understanding of accounting principles and rules that must be applied when performing your job as an accountant.
- Participate in leadership development programs sponsored by larger public accounting firms. Many students are offered internships as a result of participating in the leadership development programs
- Attend “socials” hosted by employers. Many “socials” are invitation only events.
- Develop strong leadership, communication, and team work skills by getting involved in clubs and student organizations.
- Participate in an internship to gain real experience as an accountant.
- When eligible, join Beta Alpha Psi, an honor society for accounting majors.
- Accept constructive criticism on how to improve your skills and abilities.
- The accounting recruiting season occurs in the fall semester; therefore, conducting your job or internship search in the fall semester is crucial.
COMPANY & SALARY RESEARCH
- Join LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your career interests. To search, select "groups" & type in your keywords.
- Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined & consider joining those as well.
- To login, visit the LinkedIn main page.
Supplemental Career Research Dashboard
Additional Career Research Resources
O*NET Online – The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities, and interests associated with over 900 occupations.
My Next Move – An interactive tool for students and job seekers to learn more about their career options.
Occupational Outlook Handbook – The OOH is a career resource offering information on the hundreds of occupations that provide most of jobs in the United States.
Vault – Vault.com provides in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work in an industry, company, or profession – and how to position yourself to land that job.
Candid Career – This resource provides you with access to thousands of informational video interviews with real professionals through an easy-to-use website.
UGA Mentor Program – Connect with a mentor (alumni, faculty, staff) to research and explore industries and careers. Research industries and careers by connecting with a mentor for a quick chat or formal 16-week mentorship through the UGA Mentor Program.
Interstride - Interstride is an interactive tool for both international and domestic students to enhance their international experience and employment potential. The platform consists of job-listings, hiring trends, employer information, self-assessments, and up-to-date immigration guidance.
Glassdoor - Glassdoor is a free jobs and career community that offers an inside look at jobs and companies through "employee generated content" – anonymous salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and more – all posted by employees and job seekers.
Steppingblocks - Research your future career with real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with career and education searches designed to find your best path based on millions of others. It’s data-powered career exploration for doers like you.
Employment Websites
GENERAL:
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Handshake (scroll down to the bottom of the page; login with your UGA MyID and password)
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LinkedIn (this popular networking site also has a job board!)
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Idealist (non-profit jobs)
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USAJobs (federal jobs)
MAJOR/CAREER SPECIFIC:
Professional Associations/Resources
- American Accounting Association
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Georgia Society of CPAs
- Institute of Internal Auditors
- Association of Government Accountants
- National Association of Black Accountants
- Becker
Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.
Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2023 Accounting majors
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2023 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
| Employer | Position Title(s) |
|---|---|
| Aprio | Tax Intern | Aprio | Tax Associate | Aprio | Tax Intern | Bennett Thrasher | Tax Intern | Burton Energy Group | Staff Accountant | Chicago District Golf Association | Manager of Social Competitions | CommScope | Financial Analyst | Deloitte | Tax Consultant | Deloitte | Tax Accounting Intern | Deloitte | Audit Assistant | Deloitte | Audit and Assurance Associate | Deloitte | Tax Consultant | Deloitte | Tax Consultant | Deloitte | Audit and Assurance Associate | EY | Staff Auditor | EY | Assurance Intern | EY | Assurance Intern | EY | Enterprise Risk Management Staff | EY | M&A Consultant | Freelancer.com | Translator | Georgia-Pacific LLC | Financial Analyst | Hancock Askew & Co., LLP | Tax Intern | Inspire Brands | Staff Accountant | KPMG | Audit Associate | KPMG | Deal Advisory Associate | KPMG | Audit Associate | Locos Grill & Pub | Manager | Mativ Holdings | Corporate Tax Analyst | Mauldin & Jenkins | Accounting Associate | McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co., LLC | Staff Auditor | Moore Colson CPAs and Advisors | Business Assurance Associate | PwC | Tax Intern | PwC | Associate | PwC | Associate Auditor | PwC | Tax Intern | RSM US LLP | M&A Tax Intern | SBA Dermatology | Front Desk Receptionist | Schellman | IT Audit Associate | Tidwell Group | Tax Associate | Turner & Patat | Accounting Intern | UHY Consulting | Staff Consultant | University of Georgia | Franklin College Research Project Manager | Xplor | Marketing Operations Analyst |
Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2023 Accounting majors
The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2023 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
| Graduate School | Program(s) |
|---|---|
| Auburn University | Accounting, MAcc | Georgia Institute of Technology | Analytics, MS | Georgia State University | Accounting, MAcc | Kennesaw State University | Accounting, MAcc | Mercer University | Accounting, MAcc | Mercer University | Unspecified Master's Program | North Carolina A&T State University | Accounting, MAcc | Tulane University | Law, JD | University of Georgia | Law, JD | University of Georgia | Accounting and Financial Planning, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Bachelor's | University of Georgia | Accounting, CPA | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of Georgia | Unspecified Master's Program | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | MAcc, MEd | University of Georgia | Unspecified Master's Program, MS | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Unspecified Master's Program, MS | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Accounting, MAcc | University of Georgia | Marketing Research, MS | University of Georgia | Finance, Bachelor's | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Accounting, Degree Not Specified | University of South Carolina | International Business, MS | University of Texas at Austin | Business Administration, MBA | Vanderbilt University | Program and Degree Not Specified | Virginia Tech | Accounting and Information Systems, MAcc |