If I receive my CPA does it matter which school I attended?

Question

I am thinking of going to an online school (AIU), and I will still be qualified to take the CPA exam.

Which would an employer more likely choose (both without experience)?
1. a person who finishes a brick and mortar college with a bachelor's degree in accounting or
2 a person who finishes an online college and gets a CPA.

Answer 1

School will matter when you compete for very competitive jobs. Right now there is a shortage of CPA's especially in the public accounting/auditing area. The top firms (D&T, PWC, E&Y, etc.) tend to recruit solely from the top institutions in academia. However, even they are having problems filling all the demand they have for professionals. The second teir firms are finding it even more difficult, as every top candidate is taken by the previous mentioned firms, and are willing to accept nearly any qualified (CPA or CPA track) candidate. So, I would suggest that if you are looking for a decent paying job you will have no problem. If you are looking for the most prestigious jobs in the field, the online school may be an issue. Also, several states may not accept on-line course work or AIU for licensure. This, however, shouldn't pose much of an issue.

To directly answer the question asked, it would depend on the position to be filled. Having met the experience requirements and passing the tests to qualify as a CPA, you would be more respectable than one who only has a degree, but different jobs require different types of personell. With this said, you will find more jobs available as a CPA than one who is not, regardless of degree. Just do a monster.com search for CPA.

Answer 2

Employers consider a CPA (with experience) to be equivalent to an MBA. Some place emphasis on the school, but the better ones know you all used the same books, whether you went to Harvard or the local community college.

What you can do for them is more important than where you spent your beer-drinking years.