Accounting is a lucrative career that pays well and is in high demand. According to the BLS, the annual median pay for accountants was $77,250 in 2021, and the employment rate is expected to grow 7% between 2020 and 2030.
If you’re considering a career in accounting or bookkeeping, or just want to learn some new skills to help you manage your finances, take a look at this list of the top online accounting courses.
Introduction to Financial Accounting by Wharton, University of Pennsylvania (Coursera)
Duration: 4 weeks, 5-6 hours per week
The Introduction to Financial Accounting course offered by Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania is an excellent course to get your accounting education started. By the end of the course, you’ll know how to comfortably read the three most common financial statements: the balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows.
The course allows for flexible deadlines, so you can make progress according to your schedule, and since the class is self-guided, you can enroll at any time. At the end of the course, you’ll receive a shareable certificate, so you can add it to your LinkedIn page and resume.
ShutterstockFinancial Accounting Fundamentals by University of Virginia (Coursera)
Duration: 5 weeks, 2-3 hours per week
The University of Virginia offers a Financial Accounting Fundamentals course through Coursera. The course uses a combination of videos, example financial records and hands-on learning activities.
Like the previous course we discussed, this class focuses on the three major financial statements: the balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. You’ll learn how to prepare these documents and analyze them to draw conclusions about an organization’s financial well-being.
No prior experience is needed to take this course, and it’s entirely self-guided, so you can enroll and start at any time.
ShutterstockFundamentals of Accounting Specialization by University of Illinois (Coursera)
Duration: 5-7 months, 3-4 hours per week
The University of Illinois offers its Fundamentals of Accounting Specialization course on Coursera. While this class is an introductory course, it goes deeper than a standard beginner’s course. You’ll learn vital financial statements, how to analyze them and how to draw conclusions about where a business stands financially. During the course, you’ll be positioned to think like a business owner and learn how to create a business plan, forecasts and budgets, as well as how to make informed business decisions.
This course is always open, so you can register and start at any time.
ShutterstockMicroMasters® Program in Accounting by Indiana University (edX)
Duration: 9 months, 8-12 hours per week
The MicroMasters Program in Accounting offered by Indiana University on edX is a three-course program that includes classes in:
- Financial Reporting
- Managerial Accounting and Corporate Control
- Taxes and Decision-Making
This program is instructor-led, which means you can only enroll at specific times, and the assignments and exams must be completed on precise dates.
After completing all three courses, you’ll receive a certificate. Individuals who receive the MicroMasters program certificate can go on to apply for admission to several master’s programs. If accepted, the MicroMasters certificate will count as nine credits for a 30-credit master’s program in accounting.
ShutterstockIntroduction to Finance, Accounting, Modeling and Valuation (Udemy)
Duration: 4.5 hours on-demand video
Udemy offers a course called Introduction to Finance, Accounting, Modeling and Valuation. This course provides an introduction to fundamental accounting concepts while also branching out to other important areas of finance for businesses.
Students will learn how to:
- Analyze and understand a balance sheet
- Create financial models for income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements
- Analyze financial statements using profitability ratios and debt and inventory formulas
- Analyze and compare the financial health of differing companies
The course is self-led, as the videos are available on-demand, and plenty of additional resources are available to help guide you along the way.
ShutterstockFinancial Accounting Part 1 & Part 2 (LinkedIn Learning)
Duration: 6 hours, 46 minutes
LinkedIn Learning’s platform has plenty of excellent courses, and our top picks are the Financial Accounting Part 1 and Part 2 courses.
These two courses give students the skills they need to leverage financial data and make strategic decisions. Part 1 covers assets, liabilities, net income, cash flow, balance sheets, income statements, journal entries and more, while Part 2 focuses on ratio analysis, forecasting and business valuation.
These courses are designed as MBA-level classes and use case studies and real-life examples to bring the academic concepts into the real world.
ShutterstockAccounting and Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training (Udemy)
Duration: 3.5 hours on-demand video
Udemy’s Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training teaches essential accounting skills to help students enter the field.
Students will learn:
- How to create a balance sheet and income statement
- How to understand and analyze financial reports
- Important accounting ratios (liquidity, solvency, profitability and growth ratios)
- How to perform vertical and horizontal analysis
This self-guided course can be taken at your own pace. It includes more than 43 downloadable resources, and students have full lifetime access to the class.
If you complete this course, you’ll earn six National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) CPE credits.
ShutterstockFinancial Accounting by Brigham Young University (Udemy)
Duration: 24.5 hours on-demand video
This Financial Accounting course is produced by the number one accounting university in the world (as rated by the London Financial Times) and taught by self-made millionaire Norm Nemrow, the recipient of an outstanding teaching award from the President of the United States.
As an introductory accounting class, the course covers:
- The accounting cycle and the accounting equation
- The difference between accrual accounting vs. cash accounting
- Sales revenue and inventory (LIFO, FIFO and average cost, etc.)
- Long-term assets, stocks, bonds and dividends
This is the first course of a five-course program. The other courses in the program are:
- Course 2: Introduction to Managerial Accounting
- Course 3: Advanced Financial Accounting
- Course 4: Advanced Managerial Accounting
- Course 5: Accounting Capstone
ShutterstockAccounting: Principles of Financial Accounting by University of Navarra (Coursera)
Duration: 4 weeks, 2-4 hours per week
Coursera has partnered with the IESE Business School from the University of Navarra to offer its online course, Principles of Financial Accounting.
This class is relatively short and straightforward, making it the perfect starting point for those who have no prior experience in accounting. Students will learn to understand and analyze financial statements for improved business diagnosis and decision-making.
The course focuses on a different concept every week:
- Week One: The Balance Sheet
- Week Two: The Income Statement
- Week Three: The Cash Flow Statement
- Week Four: Accrual Accounting
This course has flexible deadlines, so you can enroll and start at any time.
Source: ShutterstockAccounting: From Beginner to Advanced (Udemy)
Duration: 6 hours on-demand video
The popularity of Udemy’s Accounting: From Beginner to Advanced course stems from how quickly it takes students through basic accounting fundamentals. In just six hours, you can have a good grasp on the most critical accounting basics, such as:
- How to read crucial financial statements (income statement, statement of retained earnings and balance sheet)
- Understanding critical accounting regulations
- How to prepare a trial balance and adjusted trial balance
- How to prepare a bank reconciliation
- How to track inventories (FIFO, LIFO, average cost)
- The process of depreciation, amortization and disposal of assets
You can enroll in this course at any time and complete the work according to your schedule.
ShutterstockThe Basics of Business Accounting (Skillshare)
Duration: 2 hours, 31 minutes
Skillshare’s course, The Basics of Business Accounting, is geared toward beginners who want an overview of the basic accounting fundamentals without investing too much time.
The course covers vital financial documents, including balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements and shareholder equity statements. Students also learn about the accounting equation and other vital accounting concepts, such as depreciation, revenue recognition, accrual accounting, cash flow and more.
This course requires a Skillshare membership, but students can sign up for the free14-day trial.
ShutterstockGet Started in Accounting Today
If you’re considering making a career shift into accounting, it’s a great idea to start by taking a fundamental course. These courses can give you some insight into whether accounting interests you and is a subject you can easily grasp.
Accounting courses are available through many online institutions, and many of them are offered in partnership with credible colleges. After completing a few introductory courses, you can get started in this field as a bookkeeper.
Those who would like to further their studies and become full-fledged accountants will need to get a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field from an accredited university.
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