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Get Ready for a Career in a Fast-Growing Field

Gain a solid foundation in business and economics and prepare to sit for the NYS CPA exam.

Accounting Major

Earn a B.S. in accounting supported by a high-quality AACSB-accredited business school at an affordable cost. Our program gives you a strong foundation in accounting and ensures you can integrate your accounting knowledge into the business world. 

What Will I Learn?

  • Our B.S. in accounting program qualifies you to sit for the NYS CPA exam with 120 credits immediately after graduation. 
  • Pursue other professional certifications such as CMA, CIA and CFE — you can seek the certified fraud examiner designation by taking our forensic accounting minor.
  • Our program emphasizes a strong writing, professionalism and career development component to prepare you to achieve your career goals.
  • Learn advanced technical and analytical skills such as Excel, VBA, spreadsheet automation, Power BI, Tableau, SQL and more.

What is Unique About Our Program?

  • Convert your B.S. in accounting degree into the 4+1 accounting/data analytics and accounting B.S./M.S., a NYS certified public accountant (CPA) licensure-qualifying registered program, and earn the remaining 30 credits to meet the 150-credit CPA licensure requirement. You must meet the minimum GPA requirement.
  • You will receive personalized academic and career advising from our dedicated accounting faculty and staff.
  • The School of Business and Economics has a dedicated Office of Internships and Experiential Learning dedicated to making sure you have career planning advice, resources, and internship opportunities to fit your career goals.

What Are My Career Opportunities?

Our Graduates are Successful

Our accounting graduates are not only getting job offers before graduation but commanding competitive starting salaries — according to the 2023 First Destination Survey, our accounting graduates rank near the top in terms of highest average salary for undergraduates at $61,336.

Our alumni are employed by CPA firms such as Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY, Grant Thornton, Bonadio Group, Johnson & Lambert and Gallagher & Flynn. Our graduates also work at multinational corporations and Wall Street firms such as IBM, Nike, GE, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney, Prudential Financial, Merrill Lynch and State Street.

IBM Job Placements and Co-ops

We have created a very strong partnership with International Business Machines (IBM). In the last 10 years, IBM has recruited over 100 SUNY Plattsburgh accounting majors for its nationally recognized co-op program. Our students have been placed at various IBM sites in New York, Vermont and Connecticut. A number of our accounting majors have also won the National IBM CO-OP of the Year Award. Many of our students who complete the co-op program have been offered full-time employment upon graduation.

Recent Accounting Program Graduates

Ken Nardone, Class of ‘17

  • Perella Weinberg Partners

“Similar to many other high school students, I faced the daunting life choice of choosing a college to attend for the next four years. Though this can be overwhelming and stressful, SUNY Plattsburgh stood out the most to me. Campus recruiters visited my high school in Bethpage, and from there, the choice was easy, and the decision was made. Every interaction with the faculty and staff members at SUNY Plattsburgh has been nothing short of amazing and informational.”

Danielle Arpey, Class of ‘16

  • Senior Accountant, Private Sector

“In the accounting field, there is excellent job stability and, with the proper guidance, the ability for significant career advancement. Since graduating from SUNY Plattsburgh, I have been able to experience many different accounting paths, including four years as an auditor and one year in forensic accounting. SBE professors always had my best interest at heart and truly helped me evolve from accounting student to accounting professional through thoroughly thought-out classes, Accounting Club trips to Boston and NYC, meeting with successful Plattsburgh alums and internship programs. SUNY Plattsburgh allowed me to grow to my full potential and I couldn’t be more grateful for all the opportunities it has given me.”

Alisha Ducatte, Class of ‘16

  • Manager at The Siegfried Group, LLP 

“I chose to attend SUNY Plattsburgh because of the affordability and proximity to my home. I’ve always been a numbers person and enjoy accounting and finance-related work. SUNY Plattsburgh was a great school to pursue both majors [accounting and business administration], and I attribute much of my success to the school’s knowledgeable professors and connections to well-positioned alums at large companies. During my senior year, I interviewed with a partner at Grant Thornton, a SUNY Plattsburgh alum. This introduction allowed me to secure my offer at Grant Thornton. I highly recommend attending SUNY Plattsburgh; it’s a phenomenal school that will set you up for continued success.”

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