New Jersey students can choose between approximately 45 institutions offering accounting degrees at all levels.
The prestigious New Jersey accounting schools at Rutgers University in Newark and New Brunswick are at the top of the list. Furthermore, the state has been ranked as the 25th best Master’s program by the Public Accounting Report.
Moreover, U.S. News listed the Rutgers Business School as the 60th in the country, with Businessweek awarding it 61st place. Other highly regarded accounting schools in New Jersey include Seton Hall University and Ramapo College.
Essentially, New Jersey is a terrific place for aspiring accounting professionals! With one of the highest average accounting salaries in the country, This New York City neighbor provides accounting graduates with ample possibilities for success.
It All Starts With a Great Education
In a demanding field requiring advanced qualifications and great responsibility, you have to shine in order to succeed.
The accounting school you choose can help you stand out through excellent skills, experience, and academic results. This may well be the most important decision of your career, so make sure you set your goals and inform yourself carefully.
Firstly, remember that a program with a rigorous curriculum and tough assessment will get you farther than an easy program.
Look at the accolades received by the school and its faculty, at student evaluations and CPA exam pass rates to gauge the quality of a degree program. Make sure that you will be taught by qualified instructors with excellent records.
Moreover, an accounting program should prepare you not only for the CPA exam or for your first job, but for your entire accounting firm career. A good program will offer you plenty of opportunities to acquire experience in real-world accounting through:
- student organizations
- field study
- consulting projects
- volunteering
- business competitions
- networking
Moreover, you should find yourself in a good position to start your career upon graduation: look at graduate employment rates, starting salaries and top recruiters for the program you are considering before you make your decision.
What You’ll Need to Learn
Great analytic and financial skills along with a flair for business make accountants indispensable in a dynamic economy. Are you interested in public accounting, forensic accounting, auditing, or entrepreneurship? If so, an accounting background is bound to get you far in your career!
Facing financial complexities and difficult decisions on a daily basis aren’t easy. Therefore, it’s no surprise that accounting requires years of university education.
You’ll need a four-year relevant degree to work in accounting, such as a Bachelor’s degree. However, if you wish to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) you’ll have to complete 150 credits of college education (or 120 semester hours). Usually, this can be completed in five years.
Basically, there are many advantages to becoming a CPA. With numerous highly compensated job opportunities to choose from, you’ll be part of an elite group.
You will have to pass the four-section CPA exam and to acquire one or two years of accounting experience before you can be granted licensure. The strict requirements ensure that a CPA license remains a valuable asset in the field of accounting.
How to Qualify in New Jersey
The New Jersey state accountancy board allows candidates to sit for the CPA exam prior to completing 150 credits of college education, provided that they have 120 credits including at least 24 credits in accounting.
However, in order to be granted a CPA license, you will need to earn a 150-credit graduate degree from an accredited accounting school. Business degrees are also accepted if they include 24 hours in undergraduate accounting or 15 hours in graduate accounting courses.
Candidates with a baccalaureate degree may apply for a license if they have completed 30 hours in accounting and 24 hours in business courses.
Furthermore, New Jersey candidates need to pass all sections of the CPA examination and to acquire one year of accounting experience before applying for a CPA license.
New Jersey CPA Salary Among the Highest
New Jersey is the 3rd highest-paying state in accounting, with a mean annual wage of $83,930, much higher than the U.S. average of approximately $65,000. The number of accountants employed here is also one of the highest, with over 35,000 professionals.
Moreover, the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Division (New York – White Plains – Wayne) is the highest paying metropolitan area in the country, with a whopping annual mean wage of $93,480.
The Newark – Union Metropolitan Division and the Camden area also rank among the most lucrative regions for accountants. In such thriving business areas, salaries can soar as high as $150,000 for the most highly paid 10% of accountants.
| New Jersey Accounting Jobs | |
|---|---|
| Big4 Accountant | |
| Senior Corporate Accountant | |
| Property Accountant | |
| Tax Accountant | |
| Bookkeeper |
Best Accounting Programs in New Jersey
Seton Hall University
Ranked 128th in the country by U.S. News, Seton Hall University provides a well-regarded alternative for prospective accounting students.
The AACBS-accredited Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University offers a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, as well as a top-quality Master of Science in Accounting.
Undergraduate students at Stillman School benefit from an innovative curriculum that equips them with technical competence as well as managerial skills and expertise in information systems.
At the graduate level, the Master of Science in Accounting allows students to qualify for the CPA exam and boasts one of the highest CPA exam pass rates in New Jersey. Students can also opt for a joint degree program combining the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Professional Accounting.
Opportunities for hands-on experience abound at Stillman School. 80% of students have participated in at least one internship in 2013 and 86% of them having received a job offer from their internship employer.
Moreover, the school reported a graduate employment rate of 84% in 2013, with an average starting salary of over $50,000.
These academic and professional results recommend the Stillman School of Business as an excellent start to a successful New Jersey accounting career.
| New Jersey Accounting Schools | Address |
|---|---|
| Bloomfield College | 467 Franklin Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003 |
| Centenary College | 400 Jefferson St, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University – Madison | 285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University – Teaneck | 100 University Path, Hackensack, NJ 07601 |
| Georgian Court University | 900 Lakewood Ave, Lakewood Township, NJ 08701 |
| Kean University | 1000 Morris Ave, Union, NJ 07083 |
| Monmouth University | 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764 |
| Montclair State University | 1 Normal Ave, Montclair, NJ 07043 |
| New Jersey City University | 2039 John F Kennedy Blvd W, Jersey City, NJ 07305 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | 141 Summit St, Newark, NJ 07103 |
| Ramapo College – New Jersey | 505 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ 07430 |
| Rider University | 2083 Lawrenceville Rd, Lawrence, NJ 08648 |
| Rowan University | 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028 |
| Rutgers University – Camden | 303 Cooper St, Camden, NJ 08102 |
| Rutgers University – New Brunswick | 57 US Highway 1, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 |
| Rutgers University – Newark | 249 University Ave, Newark, NJ 07102 |
| Saint Peter’s College | 2641 John F Kennedy Blvd W, Jersey City, NJ 07306 |
| Seton Hall University | 400 S Orange Ave, South Orange, NJ 07079 |
| The College of New Jersey | 2000 Pennington Rd, Ewing Township, NJ 08618 |
| William Paterson University | 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470 |
| Community Colleges | Address |
|---|---|
| Atlantic Cape Community College | 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, NJ 08330-2699 |
| Bergen Community College | 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652-1595 |
| Brookdale Community College | 765 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ 07738 |
| Burlington County College | 601 Pemberton Browns Mills Rd, Pemberton, NJ 08068 |
| Camden County College | Blackwood, NJ 08012-0200 |
| Cumberland County College | 3322 College Dr, Vineland, NJ 08362 |
| Essex County College | 303 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102 |
| Hudson County Community College | 70 Sip Ave, 4th Fl, Jersey City, NJ 07306 |
| Mercer County Community College | 1200 Old Trenton Rd, Trenton, NJ 08690 |
| Middlesex County College | 2600 Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ 08818-3050 |
| Ocean County College | College Dr, Toms River, NJ 08754-2001 |
| Passaic County Community College | One College Blvd, Paterson, NJ 07505 |
| Raritan Valley Community College | Route 28 & Lamington Rd,Somerville, NJ 08876 |
| Rowan College at Gloucester County | 1400 Tanyard Rd, Sewell, 08080 |
| Sussex County Community College | One College Hill, Newton, NJ 07860 |
| Union County College | 1033 Springfield Ave, Cranford, NJ 07016-1598 |
Rutgers University
Ranked 15th in the world for research productivity by Accounting and Finance, the Accounting and Information Systems department at Rutgers University offers undergraduate students an accounting major with specializations in:
- public accounting
- tax accounting
- auditing
- cost accounting
- budget
- government accounting
Graduate students have a few choices. Here’s a brief rundown of a few:
- Accounting MBA (Master of Business Administration)
- Professional Accounting MBA
- Financial Accounting Master of Accountancy
- Government Accounting Master of Accountancy
- Taxation Master of Accountancy
The school also offers Ph.D. programs in Accounting and Accounting Information Systems.
The Master’s degree programs at Rutgers University are innovative and tailored to specific career goals.
Truthfully, the MBA in Professional Accounting creates skilled business leaders. Alternatively, the Master of Accountancy in Financial Accounting prepares students for the CPA examination while allowing them to pursue their career at the same time. Moreover, their unique online Master of Accountancy in Governmental Accounting is rated as the 27th best online graduate business program in the country by U.S. News.
With a wide range of study options and great graduate placement opportunities, Rutgers University will equip you with specialized expertise bound to get you the job of your dreams.
References:
https://www.shu.edu/academics/business/bs-accounting/index.cfm
https://www.shu.edu/academics/business/ms-programs.cfm
https://www.shu.edu/offices/career-center/highlights.cfm
https://business.rutgers.edu/ais/academic-programs
https://www.njscpa.org/index/students/cpa-exam/requirements