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Which MBA major is better Accounting or Finance for a career?

I am in accounting now and working on my MBA in Accounting. I recently thought about changing my major to Finance but I don't know if I will be able to find a job since all of my experience is in Accounting. Which career is the strongest as far as stability and income? I am at a point where I need to make a decision on one path or the other without wasting any money. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

Public Comments

1. MBA in finance
2. I work at the home office for Wal*Mart and we have over 1000 jobs posted and all of the jobs that an accounting environment either require an accounting or finance degree. At the lower levels of management either degree is fine but once you get higher you start to branch off. We have many jobs that are investment analysis that require a finance degree specifically. But we have fewer jobs that require mainly an accounting degree. Seems to me that a finance degree can land more specific jobs while accounting jobs will also take a finance degree. Good luck on your MBA.
3. finance.
4. first, if you get an MBA, in Finance or Accounting, its pretty much the same. Finance, (which I have) is more general towards financial issues and will not emphasise accounting, though there are several accounting courses. If you intend on getting a CPA, then you might want the Finance MBA, so you have touched all bases. When employers see you have an MBA, they may ask your emphasis, but the line between Finance and Accounting is a fine one, and there is not that much difference. By the way, most employers will not ask you GPA for your MBA since they know if you earned it, you put in the work. Related to that most schools will not issue an MBA unless you maintained a B or higher average throughout your program. Continue your work and finish. I did, and received in 2005 and was 47 at the time. Good luck
5. I have to agree with Daniel R. I will finish up my Masters of Accountancy in December, so my opinion may be slightly biased. So let me tell you about my two bosses right now. One of them graduated with a degree in accounting and has his CPA, and the other has an MBA in finance. The accounting grad has more opportunities, higher salary, and a more prestigious job than the finance MBA. And the finance MBA is taking as accounting classes in his spare time so he can qualify for his CPA. I'm very much abbreviating this story -- there are all sorts of other variables that have contributed to their different career situations. But the bottom line of what I want to say is this: If you're comparing an MBA to a MAcc, the MBA carries more clout. If you're comparing an MBA to a MAcc with a CPA, the MAcc/CPA may carry more clout. As far as knowledge and understanding goes, most CPAs can do anything a Finance major could do (but definitely not everything). But most Finance majors cannot do what CPAs know how to do. But when you get down to it, it all depends on what kind of career you're looking for. Because when you actually take your first job, your work experience will become much more important to your career than your degree. I hope that helps. Oh yeah, and as far as stability and income go, Very few companies can rival what the Big 4 accounting firms can offer to their employees -- that is if you can get hired by the Big 4 -- Ernst & Young, Deloitte, PwC, and KPMG. Salaries start out competitive right out of college, but the raises are between $6K and $10K each year. After around 12 years, if you're not incompetent, you can be made a partner with the firm. The partners make OBSCENE amounts of money (national average is around $700K - $800K each year). Even after you retire from the firm (which most partners do around age 55), that salary will continue. If you start out with the Big 4 and find that you don't like it, stick with it for at least 4 or 5 years and then go somewhere else. After 4-5 years with one of them, you will have incredible opportunities within any industry you want -- it looks really good on a resume. My boss that I mentioned above started out with a Big 4 firm, worked there for 5 years, and got hired here as a Controller. I can't really speak for Finance majors, although I'm sure it provides excellent opportunities as well. The impression I get is that a degree in Finance will give you roughly the same stability and income as you might get graduating with any other business degree. In the corporate world, a lot of times you will be in a job, and you have to wait for the guy/girl above you to either quit or die before you will have a chance to advance. Well, like I said, I might be biased, but this is a subject I've thought about a lot. I was being recruited by some great companies (Bain, McKinsey, etc.) but I chose a Big 4 firm for the reasons mentioned above. Good Luck! Sorry I wrote a small novel here.
6. Accounting.
7. i'd say accounting...not that i like the field but practically speaking.. you have more market of employability in accounting compared to finance...