High School
Accounting, business, and mathematics courses are, of course, very important for aspiring accountants and auditors. But today’s accounting professionals also need to be proficient using accounting databases and software (so they should take computer science and database management classes), be good communicators (English and speech classes), and have strong critical-thinking and analytical skills (government, social studies, philosophy, and science).
Postsecondary Education
To enter this field, you’ll need to earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or economics. Some mutual fund companies prefer to hire candidates who have a master’s degree in one of these fields.
U.S. News & World Report provides a list of the best undergraduate accounting programs in the United States at https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-accounting. In 2025, the best programs (in descending order) were the University of Texas-Austin, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, Brigham Young University-Provo, Indiana University-Bloomington, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and the University of Notre Dame.
The AACSB accredits colleges and universities that offer degrees in accounting and business. Visit https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited for a list of accredited programs.
The Institute of Internal Auditors has a formal endorsement program for colleges and universities that offer an internal auditing curriculum within a degree program (undergraduate or postgraduate). Visit https://www.theiia.org for a list of schools that offer this curriculum.
Certification
Certificate programs in accounting and related fields are provided by colleges and professional associations. For example, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants offers a certificate in business accounting, which covers management accounting, financial accounting, business mathematics, business economics, accounting ethics, and corporate governance and business law. Other certificate programs are provided by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (International Financial Reporting Standards) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (international auditing and international financial reporting).
Other Education or Training
Professional development classes, seminars, workshops, and webinars are provided by employers to new hires and by industry associations. For example, the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants offers hundreds of self-study courses, Web events, and more than 60 annual conferences and workshops. Recent offerings included Securities & Exchange Commission Reporting, Fair Value Accounting, Financial Forecasting and Decision Making, Budgeting Process, and Advanced Excel: Practical Applications for the Accounting Professional. The Institute of Internal Auditors, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, and the Institute of Management Accountants also provide professional development opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.