Careers

Accountants and auditors help to ensure that the nation’s firms are run more efficiently, its public records kept more accurately, and its taxes paid properly and on time. They perform these vital functions by offering an increasingly wide array of business and accounting services to their clients. These services include public, management, and government accounting, as well as internal auditing. However, accountants and auditors are broadening the services they offer to include budget analysis, financial and investment planning, information technology consulting, and limited legal services. Beyond the fundamental tasks of the occupation—preparing, analyzing, and verifying financial documents in order to provide information to clients—many accountants now are required to possess a wide range of knowledge and skills.

From the Occupational Outlook Handbook 1/15/02

Professional Organizations offering Advanced Certifications

Washington State Board of Accountancy

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants - CPA

Institute of Management Accountants - CMA

Institute of Internal Auditors - CIA

Systems Audit and Control Association - CISA

Association of Government Accountants - CGFM

For educational information and resources on accounting careers, go to https://discoveraccounting.org/careers/

Local Professional Organizations

Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants

Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance

Salary Information

National salary Information is available on http://salary.com.

State of Washington detailed salary information for Washington at: http://www.workforceexplorer.com

Occupational Outlook Handbook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook by the US Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics is a nationally recognized source of career information. Below is a partial list of Executive, Administrative, Managerial and Professional Occupations web pages that can demand someone with a finance degree.

Accountants and Auditors

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

Financial Managers

Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Budget Analysts

Financial Analysts and Personal Financial Advisors

Insurance Underwriters

Actuaries

To find out more about the duties and qualifications of specific jobs requiring a finance degree, go to The Seattle Times online classifieds and enter a search for 'account' or one of the job titles listed here.

Their web site is: http://marketplace.nwsource.com/jobs/

Interested in Being a CPA?

Since July 1, 2000, the Washington State Board of Accountancy requires that students have a total of 225 quarter credits from a recognized higher education institution in order to satisfy the education requirements to be eligible to sit for the CPA exam. This is equivalent to a 5th year of college. It is not only important to take additional accounting classes. It is also important that students broaden their education across a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities. One way to obtain the additional credits is through our Master of Professional Accounting (MPAC) degree program. The MPAC degree is designed to meet the broadening educational needs of the accounting community, and allows students to select among three concentrations: Financial Reporting and Assurance Services, E-commerce and Information Systems, and Corporate Financial Management.

CPA Exam Requirements

Washington State Board of Accountancy

MPAC Degree Program

Master of Professional Accounting