<p>Does quitting your job in order to attend grad school make any sense in this current economy?</p>
<p>I currently have a full-time job, which I’m really grateful for. However, I’ve been wanting to switch jobs for a long time now (due to the long commute, required overtime, lack of training opportunities, type of industry, type of responsibilities given, etc.). I like my company and my coworkers, just not my job or my industry. I’ve been looking around for a while, but I’m not qualified for much outside of my industry.</p>
<p>I’ve applied and been accepted to a graduate accounting program, but it will cost me $40-45k to attend. Should I leave my job in order to go to grad school? I had originally wanted to attend grad school part time while staying at my job, but that was before I discovered the sheer amount of reading I would need to do for each class. The workload just won’t be possible for someone with my commute, work hours, and (lack of) time management skills.</p>
<p>Also, does this career path sound realistic? MS or MSB in accounting -> do not take CPA exam -> goverment job or business/financial analyst position in the private sector.</p>
<p>Accountants usually have good jop prospects, and as an accountant with a master’s degree you can reasonably expect to make more than $40-50K per year, so you’d have enough money to pay back the loans.</p>
<p>But to go the accountant route and not take the CPA exam sounds pointless. Any government job or well-paying financial analyst position is going to want you to be certified. Why limit your potential a priori, especially since one of the reasons you are GOING into accountancy is because of limited opportunities in your field? Plan to take the exam.</p>
<p>If you will only make $50,000 to $60,000 a year as an accountant after you get your MS or PhD, you better think if it is worth to go to graduate school. I know some accounting jobs do not need degree at all. The beginning pay is about $36,000/yr. However, you can make $50,000/yr after two years and be making $60,000 after about 4 or 5 years. Therefore, while you are spending money to get the degree, other people are making money and after 4 or 5 years, both of you make the same money.</p>
<p>What if I’m already making $40,000-50,000? Would it make any sense for me to spend a year making $0 while racking up bills to go back to school?</p>
<p>Also, what sorts of companies/positions will promote you to $50,000 after two years? I would love to have that salary now. Speaking from experience, many smaller companies give little to no raises. My only hope for a raise seems to be to switch jobs. Yet every interviewer would instantly see my lack of an accounting/finance degree and reject me for the jobs that I want.</p>
<p>It seems like for any job I apply to in any sector, I either lack the relevant work experience or the specific degree required. Even though I currently have a job, I would love to have a real career someday.</p>
<p>Though admissions are extremely competitive (typically 3-5% for most schools), and it requires essentially the same prereqs as an Econ PhD (real analysis, ODE/PDE, etc.). And just as important, you’d have to love doing accounting research to do it in the first place.</p>
<p>I only bring this up since chen1111 brought up some salary figures.</p>
<p>I don’t know about your background and I am not sure if you can spend just one year to take the courses you need or not. However, you can check [State</a> Personnel Board](<a href=“http://www.spb.ca.gov%5DState”>http://www.spb.ca.gov) for all accounting series positions.</p>