How Long Does it Take to Get a Master’s in Accounting?

If you are great with numbers and analyzing financial reports, you may want to consider putting your skills to use by becoming an accountant. An entry-level accountant will work for a company, a firm, or for individuals. While professionals in the field can qualify for job openings in accounting with a Bachelor’s degree, many professionals choose to advance their career after they gain some on-the-job experience by earning a graduate-level degree and the CPA certification. If you want to compete against applicants with little experience and a lower level degree, you may be interested in learning how much time it will take to earn your Master’s in Accounting.

Completing Your Undergraduate Degree First

There is not just one correct question to answer the question “How long does it take to get a Master’s degree in Accounting?” because this answer depends entirely on you. With so many different intensive and traditional accounting programs to choose from, the amount of time that it takes for you to earn your Master’s degree depends on the commitment you are willing to make. For starters, you must earn your Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. The B.S. degree program will teach you the principles of accounting so that you have a solid foundation before you find an entry-level accounting position. The average B.S. programs take 48 months to complete, but some accelerated programs can be completes in 36 months. Some students will take a fully loaded semester to reduce the time it takes to finish undergraduate school.

Selecting the Right Master’s Program When You Are Majoring in Accounting

Most professionals who want to become CPAs or advance their career will pursue a Master’s degree so that they can become experts in the field. In most states, students must have 150 credit hours completed in college before they can apply to take the CPA exam. To fulfill these licensure requirements, many students feel like the best route is enrolling in an M.Acc program to complete mastery classes that are highly more complex.

There are several different types of Master’s programs, both online and on-campus, that students in today’s modern world can choose from. Online programs offer greater flexibility, and many students find that they can complete the curriculum within 15 to 24 months. The traditional M.Acc program on-campus, takes 24 months to complete, but programs that are completed on nights and weekends may take longer. If you enroll in an accelerated program where topics are covered on a more intensive level, you could complete school in 1-year. To get accepted in one of these programs, you need to have excellent grades.

Once you earn your Master’s, you will have all of the credit hours that you need to take the CPA exam in any state. You may even be able to earn your licensure by passing the CPA test before you are done with the M.Acc program. Take time to calculate the credit hours you have already accumulated in school, review Master’s requirements when you major in accounting, and choose a schedule where you can balance personal and professional life. Once you earn a Master’s, you can compete against talented and experienced applicants who do and do not have a graduate-level degree.