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Why Should I Study Accounting?

  • Every organization needs accountants — from global banking companies and small businesses to sports teams and the FBI. That's why accounting is often regarded as the most versatile degree you can earn.
  • It's one of the fastest-growing professions, expected to grow 10% by 2026, with 139,900 new jobs to open in the field.
  • You'll earn a solid salary right after you graduate. Starting salaries for accounting grads are often around $55,000, median salaries are $70,500 and some of the best paid accountants make $122,840. 
  • Accounting majors become leaders. One in four CEOS are accountants and accounting is one of most common degrees among top-earning CFOs.

Why Choose Point Park for Accounting?

  • Our city campus equals career connections. With industry-focused faculty and our location in Downtown Pittsburgh, we will connect you to networking and accounting career opportunities just steps from campus.
  • Internships and co-ops pay well. Nearly all of our accounting internships and co-ops are paid, with students often making $20 per hour.
  • You'll be ready for the CPA exam. As a Point Park accounting major, you'll be prepared for the Certified Public Accountant examination.
  • Earn six credits toward our MBA degree program, making it possible to graduate in five years with an MBA and the 150 credits generally required for CPA licensure. 
Michael Williams '18, Assurance Staff for EY and former intern and staff accountant for Herbein + Company, Inc.
"Michael’s coursework and studies at Point Park provided him a solid knowledge base of both accounting and tax issues, which allowed him to quickly integrate into our firm during the busiest time of the year. Point Park has stoked a passion in Michael and set him on the path to be successful in a very rewarding profession." — Thomas L. Bakaitus, Jr., Operating Officer and Partner, Herbein + Company, Inc.
Meet Michael

Courses & Topics

Our average class size of 15-20 students allows for personalized learning. You will receive a well-rounded education through our core curriculum and various classes in the accounting major.

Courses include:

  • Auditing 
  • Accounting Information Systems
  • Advanced Accounting Theory
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Communication and Research
  • Cost Accounting
  • Federal Taxation
  • Introduction to Financial Accounting
  • Intermediate Financial Accounting I, II & III
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Microcomputing 
  • Nonprofit Accounting
  • Tax Accounting
  • Accounting Internship I & II

Faculty bring industry experience and expertise to the classroom.

Learn from professors who teach from scholarly and professional accounting experience, and share industry knowledge and connections.

Meet the faculty
Pictured is Margaret Gilfillan, M.B.A., CPA.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Margaret Gillfillan, MBA, CPA
  • Developed audit expertise in a number of industries
  • Worked for a “Big Four” public accounting firm and as a CFO for several Pittsburgh organizations
  • Member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs

Accounting Internships and Co-ops

Students in our accounting program have completed internships and co-ops at a variety of places including:

  • Arthritis Foundation
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • BDS/Canon Computer Systems
  • De Julius & Company Certified Public Accountants
  • Deloitte
  • EY (Ernst & Young)
  • Flagship Business Plans & Consulting
  • Genocea Biosciences, Inc.
  • Herbein + Company, Inc.
  • Maher Duessel
  • PaineWebber, Inc.
  • PNC 
  • PPG Industries
  • PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
  • RSM US LLP
  • Schneider Downs
  • Scott & McCune Company
  • UPMC

Alumni Success

Learn where our graduates have gone on to build their careers as tax preparers, financial analysts, corporate and public accountants and more.

More news & features
Pictured is accounting alumna Madeline King.
Madeline King '19

Staff Auditor, Maher Duessel

"It was such a relief to spend my final semester at Point Park knowing I had already secured full-time employment, and I was fortunate to have several accounting professors guiding me throughout the process!"

Pictured is accounting alumnus Brandon Camic. Photo by Tanner Knapp
Brandon Camic '16

Intermediate Accounting Analyst, UPMC

"One of the best decisions I made in my college career was switching my major to accounting because of all the opportunities it opened up for me."

Career Options

Our accounting program prepares students for a variety of careers in the accounting field including:

  • Corporate Accounting
  • Educational Institutions
  • Forensic Accounting
  • Government
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Public Accounting

News & Features

The Resiliency of Accountancy: A Q&A with Point Park University’s Accounting Faculty
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 Point Park University accounting faculty Amy Cesario, Cheryl Clark, Margaret Gilfillan and Jayne Olshanski answer hot topic questions about the accounting field and its stability during the COVID-19 crisis.
Students Complete VITA Accounting Course, Discuss Community Impact in Final Presentations
Thursday, April 23, 2020 Point Park University students in the Accounting 295: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance course recently gave presentations through a Zoom conference call about their experiences as VITA volunteers in the Pittsburgh community.
Point Park Students Enhance Their Tax Preparation Skills, Make an Impact in the Community Through VITA Course
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 Students enrolled in Point Park University’s first officially designated community-engaged undergraduate course — Accounting 295: VITA — are making a positive, real-time impact through their work with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.