Why Do Students Choose Accounting as a Major?

• In Event: Education Roundtables

Abstract

As the number of accounting majors declines nationwide (Gabbin, 2020), universities, accounting firms, and accounting associations are considering ways to attract more students to the major. To redirect the current trajectory of accounting majors, it is important to determine decision-making factors that affect students’ college major choice and ultimately career path. My study seeks to analyze student’s perceptions of accounting as a college major by understanding how students rank industry characteristics such as prestige, work environment, and starting salary and what they prioritize when determining a field of study.

I aim to find students motives and deciding factors going into their college major decision. Recognizing what job characteristics are most desired and how those play into current interests or goals can give great insight into the choice these young adults make. I also focus on finding students’ perceptions of the accounting field. I gather and analyze information on the day-to-day tasks, job availability, and position offerings that college students perceive within the accounting industry. I also compare students who are accounting majors to non-accounting majors. This provides insight into the similarities and differences between these two groups of students.

Authors

• Sydney Braxton, East Carolina University

• Linda Quick, East Carolina University