Jobs in accounting

What can you do with an accounting degree?

Do you have a flair for numbers and interest in business? With a career in accounting, you can channel your skills to help people achieve their financial goals, and support businesses to grow. Accounting careers and jobs in accounting offer endless opportunities.

Skills in accounting are in-demand, and will set you up to thrive in a fast-changing world – this is why the National Skills Commission has predicted strong future growth in jobs for accountants. Let’s take a look at what you can do with an accounting degree.

Why study accounting?

Studying accounting is more than just numbers, bookkeeping and budgeting – it’s the art and science of creating business insights. You can then help businesses use those insights to create sustainable value. When you study accounting, you’ll learn to:

• Measure, estimate, and report business value
• Tell stories by interpreting and communicating business outcomes, prospects, and challenges
• Advise on complex business, taxation, and regulatory matters
• Co-create strategies for future success
• Enhance the reliability of business information
• Leverage financial and analytical technology to improve business insights
• Work with a professional conscience and integrity.

The skills you gain through an accounting degree set you up for a versatile and successful career. You’ll learn a unique mix of technical, analytical, advisory, communication and leadership skills. These skills are valued across, different businesses, government, not-for-profit organisations, and in a wide range of sectors. They are skills that will set you up to be future-focused and aligned with developments in technology and industry.

Careers in accounting

When you study accounting, your skills will be in demand in, tax jobs, auditor jobs and finance jobs, as well as exciting careers in business and innovation. Whatever your path, you’ll be supporting others to create sustainable financial value and achieve their goals. Here are just a few of the jobs you’ll be prepared for if you study accounting.

Do you want to become a certified professional accountant?

UNSW Business School's redesigned postgraduate degree, the Master of Professional Accounting (Extension) offers a CPA specialisation that will prepare and support you to sit the CPA exams. The degree will assist you to acquire this important accreditation as well as all of the knowledge you'll need for a successful career in accounting.

Professional accreditation

It’s important to note that to work as an accountant you’ll need professional accreditation. UNSW offers a fast-tracked, industry aligned path to professional accounting accreditation and is recognised as an approved tertiary institution for the purpose of membership qualifications with the following professional organisations:

• CPA Australia
• Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ)
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)

This means that when you study an accounting degree at UNSW, you will have covered the competency areas required for accreditation and membership with these organisations. Depending on which accounting program you study, you may still need to sit exams with the institute or organisation. Once you pass their exams and gain your accreditation, you can work as a professional accountant. 

What are the top 5 skills of successful accountants?

Award-winning accountant and UNSW graduate Isha Miglini runs us through them - some might surprise you.

Where could an accounting degree take you?