Accounting

About Accounting

The Muskingum University Accounting program will prepare you for a career in areas such as auditing, cost management, financial analysis, management, policy, and taxation. In addition to tax and bookkeeping services, accountants perform essential business functions that include:

• Preparing budgets and projections based on anticipated business and market conditions
• Manage company financing and investing activities
• Analyze and report on financial and non-financial data
• Identify ways to improve financial performance

The program also prepares students for success in graduate school. We have placed accounting majors in many of the top accounting graduate programs. 

Traditional teaching methods paired with the latest business and accounting software will prepare students to enter the business world successfully. The accounting profession is much more than maintaining records as the focus moves to analyzing business activity, processing data, and communicating information to decision-makers. 

The close relationship between business, economics, and accounting programs allows students to acquire specialized knowledge by selecting any declared major of study and still gain a basic understanding of the other two. Each of our majors provides a background for graduate study in economics, business, law, or immediate participation in the business community. The accounting major fulfills the education requirement to begin the certified public accounting (CPA) examination

In addition to regular classroom course offerings, individual options for unique off-campus internships are also available. Muskingum’s Accounting graduates quickly find employment with local, regional, national/international CPA firms, and governmental entities, and in a variety of private industries. Our graduates work as CPAs at firms such as Tucker and Tucker, Wilson, Phillips & Agin, Rea and Associates, Ernst & Young, Novogradac & Co., Deloitte, and for the State Auditor of Ohio. Many begin this journey as interns while studying with the university. 

Students interested in economics, accounting, or business major should contact the department chair at the earliest opportunity to ensure fulfillment of all degree and pre-professional requirements for completing a major in these areas and preparing for a related career.
 

Program Highlights

• Employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 6% from 2021-2031. That's over 80,000 new jobs on top of the nearly 1.5 million that already exist (bls.gov 2022)
• Internship opportunities that fit your needs and schedule
• Finance and accounting are the top two in-demand bachelor's degrees in the entire country, outranking degrees such as business administration, marketing, and computer science (NACE 2019 Job Outlook Study)
• Accounting and auditing positions are among the top 25 in-demand positions in Ohio (ohio.gov Top Job List 2022) and top 100 best jobs in the US (US News & World Report 2022)

Starting salaries for accountants with 1-3 years experience:

Corporate – Tax Accountant

• $60,270 – 88,445 (25th – 75th Percentile)

Corporate – IT Auditor

• $65,660 – 95,795  (25th – 75th Percentile)

Financial Reporting Accountant

• $63,700 – 92,610 (25th – 75th Percentile)

Manager level salaries for accountants:

Corporate Accounting – Tax Manager

• $98,735 – 135,975 (25th – 75th Percentile)

Corporate Accounting – Financial Project Manager

• $100,450 – 155,085  (25th – 75th Percentile)

Manager of Financial Reporting

• $100,205 – 145,040 (25th – 75th Percentile)

Executive/Director level salaries for accountants:

Chief Audit Executive/Director of Internal Audit

• $133,525– 215,600 (25th – 75th Percentile)

Corporate Accounting – Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

• $142,100– 250,880  (25th – 75th Percentile)

Corporate Accounting – Treasurer

• $127,400 – 233,240 (25th – 75th Percentile)

Robert Half 2023 Salary Guide – Columbus, OH