When choosing careers, one major factor that many job seekers filter for is the long-term stability of that particular profession. However, if your calling is business, in today’s fast-paced internet-driven world of commerce, you may be hard-pressed to find an area of expertise that matches this description.
Look no further than accounting, the single business profession that most embodies the idea of stability. For the foreseeable future, businesses will always need accountants as these professionals provide the financial backbone that all organizations need to run correctly.
Accounting experts handle everything from the organization of financial records to tax management, account bookkeeping, ensuring financial compliance with the law, providing auditing services, and helping companies increase profits and revenues while reducing overhead.
Furthermore, even if you chose to branch out into other aspects of business management like economics or finance, an accounting degree provides a solid background in money dynamics that is valuable to any organization.
However, a common problem aspiring accountants face is that of figuring out which degree to pursue. The most popular of these certifications include a BBA in Accounting and a BS in Accounting.
What is the Difference Between a BBA in Accounting and a BS in Accounting?
On the surface, both a bachelor of business administration in accounting and a bachelor of science in accounting look eerily similar, as they both prepare you for comparable roles in the industry. However, if you take one look at a comparison of the coursework for both degrees, the difference in focus becomes immediately apparent.
A BBA in accounting instructs the student in the fundamentals of accounting while incorporating several other aspects of business management and administration into the curriculum, giving participants a well-rounded education on how to manage a business’s finances.
A BS in accounting, on the other hand, narrows in on the technical aspects of accounting, acquainting the student with all the math and applied skills needed to become a master specialized accountants.
Consequently, both degrees prepare participants for differing roles in most organizations. With a BBA, you are more qualified for administrative functions that could veer off considerably from hardcore accounting. At the same time, a BS equips you for specialized positions that require top-notch technical accounting skills.
Related: Why Get an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration?
An Overview of a BBA in Accounting
With a BBA in accounting, you get a hybrid program that incorporates elements from both technical accounting and general business management. Here, participants learn about aspects of accounting like auditing, financial reporting, corporate and management accounting, tax, and auditing ethics.
Besides, students also get a solid grounding in managerial accounting tools and techniques like planning, cost analysis, control, and accumulation, as well as broader business management sectors like business law, marketing administration, organizational behavior, and change management. However, since your concentration is accounting, these appropriated courses all focus on how they affect accounting and finances.
Typical organizational roles for BBA in accounting holders include financial controller, senior accountant, and chief financial officer.
AN Overview of a BS in Accounting
A bachelor of science in accounting goes the other way by niching down on the core technical skills it takes to be an accountant. While this program also includes instruction in professional values, leadership, strategic thinking, and ethics, the crux of the degree coursework narrows in on specialized skills.
Here, students learn how to interpret, analyze, and communicate complex and abstract financial data, translating statistics and numerical data into actionable advice for the enhancement of business.
Consequently, the curriculum for a BS in Accounting is typically heavily reliant on technology, incorporating in vogue accounting tools like Accounting Information Systems. Students also get a comprehensive education on standards in the accounting world like the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP.)
Bachelor of Science in accounting holders feature in every level of an organization’s finance department, especially in technically complex roles like accounting manager, cost account manager, financial analyst, accounting information technology manager, and accounting software developer.
Which Option Should You Choose?
Whether you should select a BBA in Accounting or a BS in Accounting depends heavily on the career path you have in mind.
If you have your mind fixed on a specialization in accounting, a BS in the field is one of the best ways to ground yourself in all the foundational knowledge you need to fuel a prosperous career in the technical aspects of accounting.
However, if you fancy moving on to more administrative roles at some point in your career, a BBA in accounting is a no-brainer.
Nevertheless, whichever way you swing, a degree in accounting is a solid bet for the future. A report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the average wage for accountants at a double of the national average, and it also projects the job market for professionals to grow by 10% in the next decade.
