Alternative Career Paths for Accountants: Other Opportunities

By Dr. Sheri Hernandez  |  07/29/2025

Are you considering an accounting degree? An accounting degree focuses on analytical thinking, ethical decision making, and interpretation of financial data.

Some graduates with an accounting degree typically become accountants, conducting audits or preparing tax returns for clients. However, there are other careers that someone with an accounting degree may choose to pursue for career satisfaction.

Some Alternative Careers for Accounting Majors

If you have a knack for numbers but aren’t keen on being an accountant, there are other ways of switching careers and applying your accounting knowledge. There are different career options in fields such as:

• Entrepreneurship
• Financial planning and investment advising
• Government and nonprofit sectors
• Analytics and cybersecurity
• Criminal investigation and forensics
• Education

Entrepreneurship

Many people dream of starting their own business ventures. However, any budding entrepreneur should understand the basics of:

• Preparing budgets and budget management
• Planning and forecasting
• Managing cash flow to maximize profits
• Investing
• Preparing and interpreting financial reports
• Business processes

Basic bookkeeping is essential, but learning accounting theory and rules of financial reporting can give an entrepreneur a competitive advantage. Understanding what every report is showing can be useful for making sound business decisions.

If you prefer to be your own boss, you could start a business offering accounting services. Many small businesses rely on bookkeeping companies and accounting firms to handle their finances.

Financial Planning and Investment Advising

Accounting graduates may choose to focus on financial analysis and advising. Common roles in this area include:

• Financial analysts
• Financial advisors
• Financial planners

Financial Analysts

Financial analysts are professionals who research and evaluate investments. A financial analyst may help their clients at various stages of their lives.

A financial analyst uses financial formulas to determine the risk of specific investments. Then, they make recommendations to help individuals or organizations decide which investments to choose and how much money to invest.

Financial analysts commonly work for asset management firms, banks, and credit unions, or they may also work for government agencies. For this career, an understanding of the financial or insurance industries is needed, and the financial analyst may need to earn additional certifications. 

Financial Advisors

Financial advisors work with clients on personal financial planning. Brokers, money managers, and insurance agents may serve as financial advisors. In addition to investment management, they guide clients in major financial decisions that impact clients' financial management.

They guide clients as they finance their first home, set up a child’s college fund, or plan for future retirement. This work may range from consolidating debt to making estate planning decisions and helping a client to maintain financial health.

Financial advisors are deeply familiar with the financial world and often work at financial institutions such as banks or brokerage firms. They can also work for insurance companies.

Financial Planners

Financial planners help organizations and individuals to meet long-term financial goals. This type of accounting career may appeal to graduates who wish to pursue a more person-focused vocation.

These professionals gain an in-depth understanding of client needs, financial performance, financial documents. This information guides the tools and investments they recommend to help clients achieve their personal goals. They develop financial plans, provide advice on choosing investments, and guide clients in understanding potential investment risks.

A financial planner may also be referred to as a financial consultant or wealth manager. They often work at investment banks, insurance companies, financial firms, or government agencies.

Government and Non-Profit Sector Accounting Jobs

Accounting professionals may work in the government sector as a policy advisor or budget analyst. For instance, policy advisors leverage their financial expertise, business knowledge, and analytical skills to help develop public policies that align with reporting and regulatory compliance mandates. Their work may have implications for economic development, spending, and tax policies.

Another accounting career option is to become a grant advisor at a nonprofit. Many nonprofit organizations rely on government and other grants as a source of income.

In those cases, the nonprofit needs a savvy grant accountant guiding them through the grant application process. Once funds are granted, the grand advisor ensures the money is spent ethically and in compliance with the grantor’s requirements.

Analytics and Cybersecurity

Students with analytical skills may work in data analytics or cybersecurity. However, accountants learn more than just debits and credits. They also perform data analysis on large datasets to draw logical conclusions based on sound financial principles.

Naturally, that data must be protected, and that’s why some students may want to specialize in cybersecurity.  Their financial compliance and information systems skills can be transferred to cybersecurity. In this role, they advise clients on the safety of their internal data and ensure data is secure.

Note: Additional/advanced education beyond a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and/or specialized work experience may be required to work in analytics and cybersecurity. It is important to check with possible employers regarding the requirements to work in analytics and cybersecurity.

Criminal Investigations and Forensics

If your interests lie more in the area of criminal justice, you may consider a forensic accounting career. It combines a knowledge of accounting principles, auditing, and investigation to uncover or prevent financial fraud. Law enforcement agencies and insurance companies hire these accountants to testify and provide evidence in fraud or embezzlement cases.

Another potential accounting career is as an agent with a governmental agency. Governmental agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employ accountants in investigative and operational roles.

In the FBI, a forensic accountant might work alongside field agents in various field offices. In this capacity, they make vital contributions to cybercrime, counterintelligence, and terrorism investigations.

Similarly, an accountant with the CIA might undertake forensic work to uncover paper trails related to fraud and other crimes. There are opportunities for an accountant to work in other government agencies, including:

• The Federal Reserve
• The Internal Revenue Service
• Various state or local government agencies
• Law enforcement agencies

Note: Additional/advanced education beyond a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and/or specialized work experience may be required to work in criminal investigations and forensics. It is important to check with possible employers regarding the requirements to work in criminal investigations and forensics.

Education

Society needs skilled, knowledgeable professionals to educate the next generation of accountants. Teaching provides opportunity to educate and encourage promising students embarking on a career of their own. Whether you want to become a mentor, teacher, curriculum developer, or textbook writer, all of these education-related jobs can profoundly impact the future of accounting as a field of study.

If you’re an accounting professional with a penchant for social media, there are legitimate pursuits in this area. Accounting industry influencers write blog articles, produce podcasts, and share important and innovative educational content. Their work helps consumers to understand their finances.

Note: Additional/advanced education beyond a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and/or certification/professional licensure may be required to work in education. It is important to check with possible employers and state regulatory boards regarding the requirements to work in education.

Real-World Examples of Accountants Who Pursued Different Career Paths

There are many real-world examples of accounting majors pursuing a career beyond certified public accountant (CPA) certification.

For instance, Denise Harding, a forensic accountant for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), began her career as a tax compliance auditor. She investigates fraud and terrorism financing in her role at the NCIS.  

Arthur Blank, philanthropist and business owner, began his career in an accounting firm after earning his degree. He went on to co-found Home Depot, growing it into a successful home improvement company.

Jennifer Wilson leveraged her accounting skills and knowledge to become a thought leader in the coaching industry. She created a company focused on coaching individuals and firms in public accounting.

Why Seek an Accounting Degree?

A bachelor’s degree in accounting aims to ensure that graduates are equipped with a unique set of valuable, transferable skills. In addition to understanding how to produce and review financial records, accounting students develop useful skills, such as:

• Attention to detail
• Critical thinking
• Analytical processing
• Problem solving
• Financial analysis (interpreting financial data and using it to make decisions)

Additionally, someone with an accounting degree develops an understanding of regulatory frameworks. They also need to apply ethical standards when recommending actions based on data interpretation.

The Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting at APU

For students who are interested in learning accounting – or who want to upskill their abilities for a career change – American Public University (APU) offers an online Bachelor of Science in Accounting. In this academic program, learners can take various courses including:

• Accounting
• Business theory
• Operations research
• Financial management principles
• Statistics
• Management ethics

This degree program has a general concentration. Depending upon their professional goals, students can take different concentration courses in topics such as auditing, cost accounting, and accounting information systems.

Also, this accounting degree program has specialty accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP®). This accreditation ensures that this academic program has been examined for high quality by higher educational professionals.

For more information about this degree program, visit APU’s business and management degree program page.

ACBSP is a registered trademark of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Note: This program is not designed to prepare graduates for any state-issued professional license or certification and therefore has not been approved by any state professional licensing agency. Successful completion may or may not satisfy the educational requirements for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Educational requirements for the CPA exam vary by state. Please see State Requirements for more information.