Accounting Concentrations
Many accounting programs offer concentrations, sometimes called specializations or elective tracks. Concentrations keep the same accounting core – financial accounting, audit, tax, and systems – and add targeted coursework in a specific practice area.
Accounting concentrations map unusually cleanly to career tracks and professional credentials: taxation to tax practice and the Enrolled Agent (EA), auditing to assurance work and the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), forensic accounting to fraud examination and the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and managerial accounting to corporate finance and the Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
At a Glance
- Concentrations add specialized courses on top of the accounting core.
- Career mapping is direct: each track aligns with a recognized professional credential.
- CPA flexibility: all four tracks remain compatible with CPA licensure.
- Structure varies: formal concentrations at some schools, elective tracks at others.
- Tip: choose based on the daily work you want – compliance deadlines (tax), fieldwork and testing (audit), investigation (forensic), or internal analysis (managerial).
For a full overview of this program area, start with: Accounting Program Guide
How concentrations typically work
A concentration is usually built from electives within an accounting degree. Programs may require three to five courses in the chosen track, often completed after intermediate accounting.
What to compare when reviewing tracks
- How many courses are required for the concentration
- Whether the courses are fixed or elective based
- Whether the track’s credits also count toward your state’s CPA accounting-hour requirements
- Whether a capstone, case sequence, or applied project is part of the track
- Whether the concentration is available fully online
To understand how concentrations fit into coursework overall, review: Accounting Curriculum
Concentrations
Choose a track to see what it commonly includes:
Comparing concentrations
| Concentration | Best For | Key Courses | Aligned Credential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxation | Rules-based research and planning | Corporate tax, pass-through entities, tax research | CPA, Enrolled Agent (EA) |
| Auditing | Skeptical, evidence-driven work | Advanced audit, internal audit, IT audit | CPA, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) |
| Forensic Accounting | Investigation and litigation support | Fraud examination, forensic analytics, interviewing | Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) |
| Managerial Accounting | Internal analysis and business partnering | Cost management, budgeting, performance measurement | Certified Management Accountant (CMA) |
Salary context across the destination occupations: accountants and auditors earn a median $83,680, budget analysts $91,640, financial analysts $102,740, and financial managers $166,570 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025)1.
How to choose an accounting concentration
A practical way to choose is to match the track to the daily work you want, not just the title.
- Decide between external-facing work (tax compliance, external audit) and internal-facing work (managerial analysis, internal audit).
- Ask whether you prefer recurring deadline cycles (tax season, audit busy season) or project-driven work (forensic engagements, budgeting cycles).
- Check which professional credential you would pursue – EA, CIA, CFE, or CMA – and pick the track that feeds its exam content.
- Confirm the track’s courses count toward your state board’s CPA accounting-hour requirements if licensure is the goal.
If you are still deciding between degree levels, these pages can help:
Concentrations and online formats
All four accounting concentrations translate well to online delivery – coursework is problem-set, case, and research based. Availability can depend on term schedules, so plan course order if a track has few sections per year.
To compare how course schedules work online, see:
Admissions and accreditation considerations
Concentration choice does not change admissions requirements or accreditation standards. Verify institutional accreditation first, then confirm concentration requirements and course scheduling.
Helpful pages:
For program options beyond this silo, browse the online colleges guide.
FAQ
What is an accounting concentration?
A concentration is a set of courses or electives focused on a specific accounting practice area – such as taxation, auditing, forensic accounting, or managerial accounting – added on top of the standard accounting core.
Do accounting concentrations affect CPA eligibility?
No track disqualifies you. All four concentrations remain compatible with CPA licensure; confirm that concentration courses count toward your state board’s required accounting hours.
Which accounting concentration pays the most?
Our data files track occupations rather than concentrations. Among destination occupations, financial managers earn the highest median at $166,570, followed by financial analysts at $102,740, budget analysts at $91,640, and accountants and auditors at $83,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What credentials align with each concentration?
Taxation aligns with the Enrolled Agent (EA), auditing with the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), forensic accounting with the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and managerial accounting with the Certified Management Accountant (CMA). The CPA spans all four.
Do all accounting programs offer concentrations?
No. Availability depends on the institution and degree level. Some programs offer formal concentrations, while others provide focus through elective coursework.
Can accounting concentrations be completed online?
Often, yes. Tax, audit, forensic, and managerial coursework is problem-set and case based, which translates well to online formats. Confirm course scheduling, since tracks with few sections may require careful planning.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. National median annual wages. ↩︎