An accounting certificate is a focused and accelerated alternative to a full degree. We ranked the best online certificate programs in accounting.
Accounting certificates prepare students for entry-level accounting roles that include managing financial records, analyzing financial operations, and ensuring that clients and employers avoid risks and take advantage of financial opportunities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% growth in accounting professions between 2020 and 2030 as a result of organizations’ increasingly complex and globalized financial activities. Accounting certificate-holders can also pursue bookkeeping and tax examiner positions. Here, we rank the best accounting certificates and provide detailed information about these programs. To ensure our rankings give an accurate picture of the certificate landscape, we pull data from reputable and publicly available sources. The information is then curated by using ZDNet’s ranking methodology. Unless otherwise indicated, data is drawn from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and College Scorecard. Bret Hanson holds bachelor’s degrees in marketing and accounting from Oregon State University. He serves as the elected President of the Lake Grove Fire District Board of Directors. As a certified fraud examiner, he specializes in turning complex business structures into clarity for lenders. He has worked on lending projects of up to $75 million in categories such as life sciences, technology, and healthcare. As an industry expert in recurring revenue, he often consults on the best practices to account for churn within various industries. Beyond the office, Bret enjoys a full-time nomadic travel lifestyle with his family. ZDNet: What was the most challenging, rigorous course you took in your accounting program? What advice would you give to students who are about to start this course? Bret Hanson: Introductory accounting courses were the hardest to complete successfully. In early accounting classes, I didn’t have exposure to business operations as a whole to fully grasp concepts with a whole new vocabulary attached.
