Top Jobs With a Master’s in Accounting

A master’s degree in accounting can boost your career in two important ways. First, a graduate degree may open access to roles not available to candidates with only an undergraduate education. Second, an advanced accounting degree may also help you secure a higher salary.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) highlights the value of graduate education. According to BLS data from 2024, professionals with master’s degrees earn an average of 19.2% more than those with only a bachelor’s degree.

This page highlights five of the top-paying master’s in accounting jobs, with salary and job outlook data from the BLS and Payscale. Use this list to supplement your other research into accounting career paths.

Financial managers guide the financial decisions businesses make. They hold leadership positions in finance departments, administering budgets, tracking revenues and spending, selecting investments, and deploying capital to achieve growth. They also monitor their employer’s overall financial standing and usually report directly to top executives.

Certified management accountants (CMAs) are experienced accountants who apply their professional insights to strategic management duties. Drawing on their knowledge of accounting as the “language of business,” CMAs analyze accounting and financial data to identify opportunities, risks, and pathways for potential growth. You can qualify to become a CMA with multiple years of accounting or business management experience.

Also known as financial planners, personal financial advisors help individuals and families build wealth and progress toward their financial goals. They identify investment opportunities and financial products aligned with each client’s risk tolerance, suggest money management strategies, and help clients build detailed long-term financial plans.

Working for businesses on a full-time or consultant basis, financial analysts mainly focus on managing and deploying monetary resources to enhance organizational profitability. They help manage investment portfolios, recommend capital deployment strategies, monitor business conditions, and track relevant industry and macroeconomic developments.

Certified public accountants (CPAs) hold state-issued licenses, authorizing them to practice under the CPA title as full-time or contract employees. CPAs create financial statements, ensure compliance with applicable regulations, manage organizational finances for reporting purposes, and function as analytical and strategic advisors to business managers and executives.