Can an Accountant Become an Economist? - Gage and Company (2024)

Accounting and economics are the two most respected and trustworthy professions that often give us hard time choosing one. For rewarding us with millions of opportunities, it gets hard to decide whether you should be an accountant or an economist?

Human nature is greedy, while deciding whether you should be an accountant or an economist you sometimes find yourself thinking if we can be both at the same time? In this brief post, we would be discussing whether an Accountant is an Economist as well? So, let’s find out;

Most likely not. It’s because accounting and economics are two different things. Indeed, both economics and accounting deal with financial matters but they are still not closely related. So for this legitimate reason, it is said that a person can be an accountant or an economist.

To be able to judge why is it so hard to belong to the accounting and economic field at the same let’s find out what accounting and economic is;

Accounting or accountancy is a process of summarizing, analyzing, recording, and reporting the financial transactions of a business. Accounting is a vast field that is further divided into several fields; external auditing, tax accounting, cost accounting, management, and financial accounting.

Financial accounting deals in summarizing, analyzing, recording, and reporting financial information, management accounting focuses on measuring, analyzing, and reporting information that helps in decision making, auditing is the verification of assertions, tax accounting is a preparation, analysis, and presentation of returns and tax payments, and cost accounting is a form of accounting that aims to show the company’s actual cost of production.

Economics, a social science, focuses on how individuals interact with value; production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It focuses on the behavior of economic agents and economies work.

Economics is divided into Macro and Microeconomics. Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that deals with large-scale economic factors; interest rate and national productivity. Microeconomics studies the firms’ and individuals’ behaviors in making decisions.

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Coming to the point;

To be an accountant you have to have an accounting background and to be an economist you need to have a solid economic degree

For the record, a person can not be an accountant and an economist by having a solid accounting or economics degree. Even though, the accountants and the economists both have to deal with financial matters, to be an accountant you need to have an accounting background, and to be an economist you are required to have an economics degree. You can not become an economist by having an accounting degree and vice versa.

You can only be an accountant and an economist at the same time if you have both an economic and accounting degree
To fulfill your dream of becoming an accountant and an economist at the same time, you must have to get both accounting and economics degrees. If one agrees to have the required degree, it would not be hard for an accountant to become an economist or an economist to be an accountant.

People usually try not to be both accountants and economists at the same time

Accounting and economics are the two most challenging fields, both require a serious attitude and long-term commitment. It’s super hard to build and maintain a career in accounting and economics at the same time. For all these legitimate reasons, people usually try being a jack of all trades and a master of none. Professional accountants and economists try to excel in their fields rather than bothering about something else.

Can an Accountant Become an Economist? - Gage and Company (1)

Despite accounting and economic being number-crunching, you can not be an accountant and economist by having one accounting or economics degree for one reason

Most of us often mix accounting and economics because both these not-so-closely related fields require you to do some number-crunching. You can not act as an accountant and economist with one degree because accounting deals in recording, analyzing, and reporting income and expenses whereas, economics, a branch of social sciences, deals in production, consumption, and transfer of resources.

There is only one way to become an economist with an accounting degree

If you have heard that economists make more than accountants, you have heard right. As per the survey conducted recently, accountants on average earn around $54,673, and economists make $109,742 annually. To be able to earn more accountants do sometimes try to become an economist. It’s possible to become an accountant with an economic degree. All you need to have is a PHD in accounting to be an economist with an accounting degree.

In brief, an accountant can be an economist if the individual has both degrees or the aspiring economist is willing to have a doctoral degree in accounting. The professional usually try not to mix these two fields as they are not closely related even though both accounting and economics both deal in financial matters.

Can an Accountant Become an Economist? - Gage and Company (2024)

FAQs

Can accountants become economists? ›

They can, they just don't have the easiest path. To be an economist, for all practical purposes you need a graduate degree in economics. Possibly a master's, but more likely a PhD.

Which is harder accounting or economics? ›

The difficulty of either field will depend on the individual's strengths and interests. Some people may find accounting to be more challenging due to its focus on detail-oriented tasks, while others may struggle with the abstract concepts in economics.

Can you become an economist with a business degree? ›

You can decide to pursue one of three degrees to become an economist—a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Master of Arts (MA) in economics or a Master of Science (MS) in economics. Each of these degrees offers its own specialized benefits that can help you advance your career.

Who is qualified to be called an economist? ›

A career as an economist has two main requirements. First, economists generally hold advanced degrees, such as a Ph. D. or a master's degree. The typical entry-level education for an economist is a master's degree. Second, economists typically develop an area of specialization where they focus their research efforts.

What is better accounting or economics? ›

Accounting can set you up nicely for a job right out of university. While economics gives you the framework to understand politics, finance and decision making. Helping you in many careers you may decide upon and giving you more freedom to move careers later on.

Can you do a masters in economics with an accounting degree? ›

Answer: Yes, you can pursue a Master's degree in Economics with a bachelor's degree in accounting, banking and finance.

Does economics pay more than finance? ›

The earning potential and salaries are comparable between the finance and economics fields. While the professions are related to one another, they're also very diverse, and salary can range based on the type and level of the job. As candidates gain more experience, they can typically negotiate for higher salaries.

Is it better to major in finance or economics? ›

A finance degree might be more suitable if you are interested in managing investments, financial planning, or business finance. An economics degree might be more appropriate if you are engaged in economic research, policy analysis, or public service. Ultimately, the decision is yours.

Is accounting stressful or boring? ›

There is variety of work in accounting

One of the biggest misconceptions about accounting is that it's all about crunching numbers and staring at spreadsheets all day, basically that accounting is incredibly boring. But that's not the case. Accounting is a varied profession that involves a range of skills.

What degree do most economists have? ›

Economists typically need at least a master's degree to enter the occupation. However, some economists—primarily in government—qualify for entry-level positions with a bachelor's degree.

How many years does it take to become a economist? ›

The educational commitment for becoming an economist is extensive; many jobs in the field require a master's degree or PhD. As a result, it can take anywhere from four to twelve years to complete your schooling.

Is economist an accountant? ›

Accounting and economics both involve plenty of number-crunching. But accounting is a profession devoted to recording, analyzing, and reporting income and expenses, while economics is a branch of the social sciences that is concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of resources.

When can I call myself an economist? ›

You are likely to require an undergraduate degree in economics or a related subject, such as statistics, mathematics, business studies or finance and accounting. Some employers may require you to hold a postgraduate master's degree in economics.

Is economist a BA or BS? ›

A Bachelor of Economics (BEc or BEcon) is an academic degree awarded to students who have completed undergraduate studies in economics. Specialized economics degrees are also offered as a "tagged" BA (Econ), BS (Econ) / BSc (Econ), BCom (Econ), and BSocSc (Econ), or variants such as the "Bachelor of Economic Science".

Do accountants understand economics? ›

Financial Decision-Making: Economics provides the foundational principles and theories that underlie financial decision-making. Accountants need to understand economic concepts such as supply and demand, market structures, and pricing to assess the economic environment in which their organizations operate.

Is economics harder than finance? ›

As a finance degree heavily depends on financial analysis and modeling, students may find the material more difficult if they struggle with mathematical concepts. However, students seeking an economics degree might have difficulty understanding abstract ideas like economic theory and policy analysis.

Is economics and accounting a good double major? ›

Why Economics and Accounting? This degree provides students with a strong background in both economics and accounting. It is an excellent degree for students intending to pursue a career in business or to prepare for an MBA.

Can accountants become millionaires? ›

It also requires saving and investing money wisely, obtaining certifications and specializations, and exploring other career opportunities, such as actuarial science. By following these steps, accountants can achieve their financial goals and join the millionaire club.

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