Accounting Classes Near Me

Accounting is the systematic and comprehensive recording of financial transactions of a business and the process of summarizing, analyzing, and reporting these transactions to oversight agencies and tax collection entities. It offers a variety of career paths for Certified Public Accountants, Forensic Accountants, Auditors, Financial Analysts, and Management Accountants. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 6% growth in jobs for accountants and auditors from 2021 to 2031 because it is an almost indelible fixture in every industry. Learning accounting is valuable as it provides essential skills in financial management, decision-making, and strategic planning, which are critical for personal and professional life. It is an invaluable tool for anyone seeking to understand and make prudent decisions within the business world.

Top In-Person & Virtual Accounting Classes

Accounting Courses at NYC Career Centers

NYC Career Centers is a dedicated technology and programming training center that provides students with professional development resources and hands-on skills training. When enrolled in an NYC Career Center course, students can learn skills ranging from basic computer literacy to in-demand technical proficiencies, like Python, machine learning, web design and development, and graphic design. In addition, students will receive career development support, including intensive interview coaching and job placement assistance, to increase employability and facilitate successful career transitions.

Intro to Financial Accounting

• Price: $325
• Duration: 6 hours
• Locations: NYC, Live Online

The Intro to Financial Accounting course at NYC Career Centers offers students a solid grounding in understanding and interpreting financial statements, which include balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. Taught by industry professionals, this comprehensive course will acquaint students with the basics of accounting, specifics of revenue recognition, and comprehension of accounts receivable and payable.

Accounting Courses at Training the Street

Training The Street offers practical, hands-on, instructor-led financial training programs for students to enhance their skills in corporate valuation, financial modeling, and related fields. The courses are designed to transform theoretical knowledge into real-world expertise, preparing the students for their roles in the finance industry, particularly in investment banking, private equity, portfolio management, business development, and corporate finance.

Financial Statement Analysis/Accounting

• Price: $3,750
• Duration: 3 days
• Locations: NYC

In the Financial Statement Analysis/Accounting course at Training the Street, students will learn valuable techniques to decipher financial statements, critically interpret financial results, understand the nuances of accounting policies, and comprehend the valuation implications. This comprehensive course equips students to evaluate company performance beyond simple ratios, allowing them to understand the economic realities of businesses and make better investment decisions.

Accounting Courses at NYIM Training

NYIM Training is a New York-based computer technology training center that aims to provide students with practical, hands-on lessons. At NYIM Training, students are offered a unique opportunity to learn from experts in various fields, such as finance, business, design, and technology. With a focus on mastering practical skills, NYIM Training hosts in-person and online classes that are custom-designed to meet the specific needs of each learner, making it an ideal destination for individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and develop their professional competencies.

Intro to Financial Accounting

• Price: $325
• Duration: 6 hours
• Locations: NYC, Live Online, NJ, CT

The Intro to Financial Accounting at NYIM Training is a comprehensive course designed to give students a solid understanding of basic accounting principles, focusing on financial statement preparation and interpretation fundamentals. Participants will learn how to prepare balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, apply the rules of GAAP, calculate financial ratios, assess profitability, and understand the concept of accruals, all skills integral to financial accounting.

Accounting Courses at UCLA Extension

UCLA Extension is an esteemed program dedicated to professional development and personal growth within the University of California, Los Angeles community. Offering various dynamic courses from business, arts, and engineering to public health, it encourages students to enrich their professional knowledge, explore new interests, and stay ahead of emerging trends in their respective fields.

Accounting for Non-Accountants

• Price: $765
• Duration: 11 weeks
• Locations: Several (see school website)

Accounting for Non-Accountants at UCLA Extension is a practical foundational course designed to offer essential accounting concepts and procedures to business professionals without a background in this field. Throughout the course, students will learn how to apply basic accounting terminologies, understand income statements and balance sheets, interpret financial reports, and make informed business decisions based on financial information.

Principles of Financial Accounting

• Price: $765
• Duration: 5 weeks
• Locations: Several (see school website)

The Principles of Financial Accounting course at UCLA Extension offers a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals necessary for developing a well-rounded understanding of financial reporting. Students will delve into the accounting cycle, income determination, asset valuation, liabilities, equities, and financial statement analysis, ensuring they're well-equipped for real-world financial capacities.

Financial Statement Analysis

• Price: $765
• Duration: 11 weeks
• Locations: Several (see school website)

The Financial Statement Analysis course at UCLA Extension equips students with the essentials of analyzing the financial statements of corporations for financial management, investment, and lending purposes. The course imparts critical skills such as understanding the nature and purpose of financial statements, interpreting industry statistics, evaluating company performance, estimating future company earnings, and performing a valuation of companies and stocks.

Accounting Certificate

• Price: $8,345
• Duration: 6 months (full-time), 1 year (part-time)
• Locations: Several (see school website)

The Accounting Certificate at UCLA Extension is an extensive course offered by UCLA Extension that provides students with solid groundwork in accounting principles and practices. Over 12 required courses, budding accountants learn to manage financial records, navigate tax laws, understand business law, and handle audit and assurance services, equipping themselves with all-encompassing skills for professional accounting careers.

Accounting Courses at The Knowledge Academy

The Knowledge Academy is an educational platform designed to equip students with comprehensive training in diverse professional and technical skills. Known for their versatility, they offer a variety of courses ranging from project management and IT service management to cyber security and data protection, aiming to develop well-rounded individuals ready to meet the demands of the evolving job market.

Bookkeeping Training

• Price: $1,095
• Duration: 1 day
• Locations: Several (see school website)

The Bookkeeping Training course equips students with a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of bookkeeping, including handling financial documentation, managing accounts and ledgers, preparing final accounts, and conducting financial reporting. As a rigorous, two-day training program, it's professionally designed to give students technical proficiency in the financial transactions and reporting methods fundamental to effective business management.

Introduction to Payroll

• Price: $1,095
• Duration: 1 day
• Locations: Several (see school website)

The Introduction to Payroll course at The Knowledge Academy offers an immersive learning experience to demystify the complexities of payroll systems, laws, and calculations. The course equips students with critical skills such as understanding pay-as-you-earn legislation, efficiently processing payrolls, and managing voluntary and statutory payments, effectively preparing them for a professional role in finance and accounting.

Accounting Courses at City Lit

City Lit, based in London, is an adult education institution offering over 5,000 unique short courses, both in-person and online, throughout the year. Catering to various interests and abilities, the establishment provides learning opportunities in various disciplines, such as performing arts, languages, visual arts, music, history, digital media, and more.

Introduction to business accounting

• Price: $219
• Duration: 15 hours
• Locations: Several (see school website)

The Introduction to Business Accounting course at City Lit is designed for individuals who want to gain a solid foundation in accounting principles and practices for business finance. Students will learn to prepare financial statements, analyze financial performance, and understand key concepts like budgets, cash flows, and profit and loss accounts.

Key Information about Learning Accounting

When studying Accounting, one delves into various topics, including financial reporting, cost accounting, auditing, taxation, and managerial accounting. Beginners can indeed learn accounting, albeit it is a challenging field. It requires devotion, patience, and a logical mindset. The time taken to learn accounting highly depends on the individual's pace of learning, with most undergraduate degrees taking about four years. Before starting to learn accounting, having a grasp of basic arithmetic, proficiency in Microsoft Excel, and an understanding of economic theory can be advantageous. Before beginning, students must also equip themselves with a good computer system and relevant software like Quickbooks or Tally, which can be downloaded from their official websites.

Career Paths & Job Outlook for Accounting

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the accounting sector is expected to grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031. The number of open positions in accounting is continually growing, with the BLS reporting over 1.44 million jobs in 2019. Per Payscale, the average salary for an entry-level accountant is around $56,000 annually. However, with more experience, the salary can increase significantly, with senior-level accountants earning an average of $73,000 annually. These accounting skills are used in various roles, such as financial analysts, who use accounting to analyze a company's financial health, and budget analysts, who use accounting to help organizations plan their finances effectively.

What Can You Do With Accounting?

In the field of accounting, an individual can perform a variety of tasks. They can manage and analyze a company's financial transactions using accounting software, such as QuickBooks or Excel, to produce financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. These statements provide a comprehensive view of an organization's financial situation and are essential for decision-making and strategy planning. 

Additionally, accountants can use advanced statistical tools and financial modeling techniques to forecast financial trends based on historical data. This involves leveraging quantitative analysis skills and programs like SPSS, SAS, or R programming for statistical computing. Furthermore, they can perform budgeting and cost control by tracking revenues and expenditures. Accountants often use budgeting tools like Oracle Hyperion or IBM Cognos TM1, which use variance analysis to directly compare actual financial performances against the estimated budget. This helps organizations stay financially organized and operate within their financial means. 

Moreover, accountants have an essential role in audit and compliance. They ensure that the financial transactions and statements conform to the current laws and regulations. They might use auditing frameworks like COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) and risk assessment tools. 

Notably, accountants can use their deep understanding of accounting principles and tax laws to minimize a company's tax liability. They use tax preparation and filing software, like TurboTax, to assist businesses with their tax planning and compliance. 

Lastly, accountants are proficient in using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as SAP, Oracle Financials, or Microsoft Dynamics, which integrate various aspects of a business, including accounting, into one complete system. This helps in efficient and real-time data processing, insights, and reporting. Accountants need critical thinking, analytical, problem-solving, numerical, and technological skills to achieve all these tasks. They also need a good understanding of accounting principles and regulations and proficiency with the latest accounting software and tools.

Top Accounting Tools For Beginners

1. Microsoft Excel lets users analyze, visualize, and share information through simple to complex formulas and functions like pivot tables and graphs. It streamlines the calculation and reporting process traditionally done manually.
2. QuickBooks: This small business accounting software offers payroll, sales, and reporting tools. It enables you to manage income and expenses, track your financial health, and speed up tasks like organizing receipts, tracking sales, and customer invoices.
3. Zoho Books: This simple online accounting software enables businesses to manage their finances, automate business workflows, and work collectively across departments. It helps manage cash inflows and outflows, automate bank feeds, and create business reports.
4. FreshBooks: This is cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses. It includes invoice management, expense tracking, time tracking, and online payment capabilities.
5. Xero: This is an online accounting tool for small businesses. It offers bank reconciliation, invoicing, bookkeeping, payroll management, and finance reporting.
6. Sage50 Accounting: This desktop software aims to accommodate small and medium-sized businesses. It helps you manage cash flow, invoicing, inventory, taxes, etc.
7. Wave Accounting: This is free accounting software for small businesses. It includes tools for invoicing, receipt scanning, and payroll capabilities and offers a dashboard that provides real-time insights into business performance.
8. TurboTax: This is tax preparation software. It guides users through their tax returns step-by-step and helps them claim every tax deduction and credit they are eligible for.
9. ADP: Known for its payroll and human resources software, ADP is a popular tool for streamlining payroll, tracking employee attendance, handling benefits, and more.
10. Tally: This accounting software is popular among small and medium enterprises for accounting, GST, inventory management, payroll, etc. Tally organizes business operations in a manner that is manageable and effective.

Accounting Comparison to Other Tools & Fields

Fields related to accounting include finance, economics, business administration, and statistics. People in these fields use similar analytical and quantitative skills as those in accounting, but the application of these skills may vary. For example, while accounting primarily involves recording and reporting financial transactions, finance focuses on managing resources and investment decisions, and economics broadly studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Additionally, programming languages such as SQL, Python, and R are increasingly used in accounting for data analysis and automation, showcasing the growing intersection between technology and traditional business disciplines.

Accounting Advantages

Accounting offers the advantages of a solid, steady career as its skills are always in high demand across industries, providing ample opportunities for growth and development. Understanding complex financial information and economic trends enhances critical thinking and decision-making skills. Moreover, accounting provides a platform to interact with various departments and levels in a business, making it a significant tool for strategic planning and management.