Being a Certified Public Accountant can often be enough for many people. For some, they’ve received their degree, they’ve moved into the field they’re interested in, and that is good enough. Still, there are many CPAs who have dreams of climbing up to the top of the corporate/financial ladder. One way they do this is to move up the chain of the accounting world and become a Certified Management Accountant.

According to the Institute of Management Accounting, one of their profession’s top organizations, management accountants assess an organization’s taxes, lower expenses and analyze budgets. They also are involved in strategic planning, manage costs, and oversee new project and product development. They also prepare reports and write papers for investors, regulators and auditors. This list only begins to outline a management accountant’s possible financial responsibilities. A lot depends on where they work. One of the perks of the job is there isn’t an industry that doesn’t need them, either as an employee or as an outside consultant.

A tried but true way to start this is to get a Bachelor’s in Accounting as a bookkeeper or junior accountant. From there, it’s usually a good idea to establish a work-study program and go on for a Masters in Accounting and/or Finance. Management accountants also are required to take a two-part certification test before they can officially carry the title.

A certified management accountant also has to be more well-rounded than his peers. They not only have to know the difference between the left and right side of a balance sheet, but knowledge of statistics, marketing, operations management and finance usually goes with the job.

As such, many enter the field with their Bachelors of Science, more than likely Accounting, then enroll with an online college to finish off their degree program through work-study. The Institute is also very helpful in pointing ways to get financial aid, both grants and scholarships at its website. Companies who hire young accountants many times also offer financial assistance as part of their employment package.

The fact is there are really not that many management accountants out there. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states there are only about 65,000 of them in the U.S. When one considers there are slightly over 2 million accountants employed in the U.S. these days, the number is incredibly small. At the same time, the need for management accountants is conversely huge, and like other accounting fields the Bureau estimates a 22% growth in positions by 2018.

Salaries can be incredibly appealing. On the low end, salaries are $47,000. The high end borders around the $100,000 mark. Perks are more than just continued education. The package almost always has excellent health care and life insurance policies, expense accounts, 401(k) and other retirement/investment clauses. Stock options are not out of the realm of possibility. So while it takes a lot of work to become one, the rewards make it worth the effort.

The sky is virtually the limit once you start with your degree programs online. Many board executives, after receiving their degree programs online. , were certified management accountants a decade or even more recently. If being a member of a board isn’t enough, many management accountants go on to set up their own consulting firms, with top governmental agencies and the Fortune 500 as their clients. As said before, a management accountant is only one of a number of options available to a CPA. Still, the rewards make it one well worth considering. Whether you choose to go back to school and get an online degree or go to a traditional college campus, this is a career that can bring personal as well as financial achievement. If your are interested in getting more information about accounting degrees, check the internet.