AICPA

What's cooler, making CEO or busting a CEO?

Whatever career path you want to take, or headline you want to make, a CPA certification can help you make your big break in just about any field, including: government, business, academics, not-for-profit and public accounting.

Public Accounting

As a public accountant, you could be tasked with protecting the interest of anyone and everyone from small family-owned businesses to large publicly owned companies. That's why so many CPAs start their career here. You'll hone an extensive list of skills, including: auditing and attest functions, tax consulting, financial planning, environmental accounting, and other specialized assurance services. With that kind of resume, CPAs tend to move up the ranks at an accounting firm, start their own consulting company, or use their invaluable know-how to take the business and industry world by storm.

Business and Industry

CPAs are constantly climbing the ranks of companies public and private, start-up small to Fortune 500 huge—and in every industry from information and technology to retail and entertainment. They're Controllers, Financial Analysts, CFOs and even CEOs. At any level, the strategic advice and insight CPAs supply help to determine a company's profitability, growth and overall future.

Government

As a CPA, local government or even top officials in Washington may need you to give advice on budgets, spending priorities and tax programs—along with assessments on the efficiency of government agencies. You could even be investigating white-collar crimes or assessing hazardous waste programs with the FBI. Working with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Treasury and the White House are also possible job opportunities.

Not For Profit

Many CPAs make a rewarding career out of working for a cause or group that's meaningful to them. Non-for-profit groups don't generate large budgets, so they need to maintain a strict financial balance. Whether a CPA works from within the organization or as an outside consultant, gratification comes with every successful fund raising campaign and new budget resource created.

Education

Many CPAs have the opportunity to hand down everything they know to undergraduate and graduate students in business and accounting programs. A CPA's teaching options are just as vast as their career choices—subjects include: accounting, audit, taxation, ethics, and business applications of information technology. CPA educators also publish books and academic articles, and use their expertise in information analysis to consult companies or act as an expert witness in litigation situations.