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6 Answers
Katie Thompson
A Masters Degree in Accounting will always look good on a resume, but I would highly recommend looking into CPA licensing first. This is the Certified Public Accountant License, and if you are looking to do taxes and not be stuck in the world of bookkeeping you absolutely need to be a CPA.
Andrew McQueary
Honestly, I really don't think it helps too much. One way it can come in handy is if you need extra credits to get your CPA license, otherwise it probably will not pay out the amount of money you put into it. In public accounting I can honestly say the people with masters degrees are not treated any differently than those that do no have a masters in accounting. That being said it is a good way to get extra accounting credits needed for the CPA and looks a little better than basket weaving if you need simply extra credits but in public accounting it won't put you ahead. You are better off getting an MBA in my humble opinion
Muhammad Haider
Depends on your undergraduate studies. I got my Masters because my undergraduate degree was not in accounting or related field. I needed to get my necessary hours as well to sit for the CPA exam, 150 in my case.
If you have an accounting undergraduate degree, I would suggest extending your undergraduate degree and get 150 credits to be able to sit for the CPA. However, if you want to go into research or teaching accounting, Masters is a good place to start.
Jennifer Capoccia
An important thing to consider is if you need an MA to sit for your CPA exam. If you want a prosperous Accounting career, your CPA is a must. I know in NC you need at least 150 hours, equivalent to a Masters, to sit for the exam. I received my MBA, then took the CPA about a year later. I can honestly tell you that I saw a much higher return from the CPA than my MBA. I do see value in my MBA, but not from a cost-benefit perspective. Whereas, my salary increased $40k by receiving my CPA.
Stacy Cataldo
If your Bachelor's is in Accounting, you may not want a Masters in Accounting. There are other options like the MBA or a Master's in Finance.
Jaz M
Thank you Katie!
