Thinking about a Career in Accounting?

Question

I'm a 36 year old father/husband who is currently working as a Surgical Tech making around 35-36,000 a year. I'm tired of the call and the constantly being on my feet...and my top pay for my line of work is probably around 45,000 a year or slightly more. I enjoy business and statistics and I think this would translate to a career as a CPA. A local university offers a two year program for certification for people who already have a four year undergraduate degree (I have a BA in Communication..I know its odd considering i'm a surg tech now). Given my burnout and my discovery of this program, I'm really excited about the potential of changing careers. Can any of the CPA's out there give me some ideas about the job market, salary, growth potential? Is it a good idea to follow up the CPA certification with a masters degree?

Answer 1

There is always a need for accountants but not growing field. This can be working in manufacturing or in CPA firms. Most of what you will be doing will be auditing and tax if you are with a CPA firm and the hours are really long during tax season. If you are with a big firm you may also have to consider the possibility of transfer to various offices in different states to move ahead and be able to buy into a partnership if offered. Just like any field, there are a lot of accountants that suffer burnout and change fields. Graduate school education is always a good thing to have on a resume.