Accounting Career Resources
Accounting is a way to communicate the financial health of an organization to interested parties, and is therefore an essential career within business. By learning to summarize, analyze and report financial transactions as well as assess assets, liabilities and cash flow, accounting students develop research and communication skills while becoming knowledgeable about ethical business practices. Internships prior to graduation are very common.
Why Major in Accounting?
- Accounting knowledge is always in demand; become fluent in the language of business
- Challenging and ever-evolving coursework
- Develop data analytics skills
- Exciting future for the field as the world moves toward global financial reporting standards
- Improve your organizational and interpretive skills
- Increase your ability to rationalize financial decisions
- Influence organization leaders and stockholders
Who Pursues a Degree in Accounting?
Individuals who possess these traits may find their fit with accounting:
- Analytical
- Excellent problem-solvers and critical thinkers
- Effective communicators (written and oral)
- Team players
- Skilled with computers
- Strong leaders
Strategic Minor Options
- Business Analytics
- Finance
- Law and Business
- Management
- Mathematics
Professional Certifications and Further Education
To be more competitive in the job market, some students will pursue advanced degrees or professional certifications:
- CPA (Certified Public Accountant, an exam-based licensure)
- Master of Public Accountancy (MPA)
- Master of Science in Accounting
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA), an exam-based licensure
- Joint MPA-Juris Doctor Program
- Ph.D.
Technical Skills to Learn
- Advanced Excel
- ESSBASE
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Oracle
- ProSystems
Career Planning Action Steps
- Earn good grades. Most companies and graduate programs have a minimum GPA requirement.
- Participate actively in student organizations to develop leadership skills.
- Consider applying for summer leadership programs to learn about the field as well as specific firms.
- Recruitment happens EARLY in accounting. Meet with a career coach your freshman or sophomore year to develop a strong professional résumé.
- Complete multiple informational interviews to learn about various career paths within accounting.
- Build your network of personal and professional contacts.
- Pursue internships (use Handshake) to learn more about the field and gain relevant experience.
Get Involved
Beta Alpha Psi | National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)
What Can You Do With a Major in Accounting?
Common Career Paths for Accounting Majors
- Private/Corporate Accounting: assist a specific organization with its accounting needs
- Public Accounting: assist clients with accounting needs
- Government Accounting: conduct research, analysis, and account management in various areas of the government
- Auditing: ensure proper management of organizations’ funds, sources of revenue, and internal controls
Sample Internship Titles
- Accounting intern
- Accounts payable intern
- Accounts receivable intern
- Assurance intern
- Audit intern
- Billing and collections intern
- Busy season intern
- Compliance intern
- Corporate accounting intern
- Credit analyst
- Data analyst intern
- Financial accounting intern
- Financial analysis intern
- Forensic accounting intern
- Internal audit intern
- Investment accounting intern
- Loan assistant
- Management intern
- Mortgage intern
- Private equity analyst intern
- Revenue audit intern
- Summer analyst
- Tax intern
- Wealth management intern
Sample Titles for First-Destination Careers
- Accountant
- Associate accountant
- Associate consultant
- Audit associate
- Audit assistant
- Auditor
- Billing and accounting specialist
- Budget analyst
- Corporate audit
- Credit analyst
- Financial analyst
- Junior accountant
- Payable associate
- Risk and financial advisory associate
- Revenue processor
- Staff accountant
- Tax accountant
- Tax analyst
- Tax associate
Sample Titles for Advanced Career Opportunities
- Associate
- Senior auditor
- Budget director
- Chief financial officer
- Controller
- Accounting manager
- Senior accountant
- Accounting supervisor
- Finance manager
- Lead internal auditor
- Accounting director
- Lead analyst
- Senior analyst
- Chief Accountant of Securities and Exchange Commission
- Vice Chair of the Financial Accounting Standards Board
Did You Know?
Nebraska’s accounting program graduates have a 76% first-time CPA exam pass rate for the last five years.
Organizations Hiring Accounting Majors
Ameritas
Baker Tilly
Charles Schwab
Conagra Brands
Deloitte
Ernst & Young
Fiserv
Forvis (formerly BKD)
Kiewit
Koch Industries
KPMG
Lutz
Mutual of Omaha
Nelnet
Pinnacle Bank
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
RSM
Sandhills Global
Security First Bank
Seim Johnson
Spreetail
State of Nebraska
Learn More
Learn More About the Major
Need assistance exploring your major or career options? Schedule an appointment with a career coach:
Business Career Center
HLH 141 | M–F, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Drop-ins: M–F, 1–4 p.m.
businesscareers@unl.edu | 402-472-7272