If you are interested in going to school for accounting, you can choose between getting an associate's degree, a bachelor's degree or a master's degree. If you're wondering which path you should take to achieve your goal of becoming an accountant, you should know that any of those paths can be a good idea. For some people, starting out by going to school for an associate's degree in accounting is a good first goal for these reasons.

Get Finished More Quickly

One thing that many people worry about is how long they are going to have to go to school before they are able to enter the workforce. This is a legitimate concern, since you might need to enter the workforce as soon as possible. If you don't have years to dedicate to going to school, you can work toward earning your associate's degree in two years or less. Then, once you have earned your associate's degree, you can start looking for jobs as soon as possible. For an adult who needs to work, this might be more realistic than spending four years or more in school before you can get a job.

Keep School-Related Costs Down

Going to college costs money. If you choose an associate's degree instead of a longer program, though, your school-related expenses -- such as tuition and books -- should be kept to a minimum. Then, you can avoid spending more than you can afford or going into a lot of debt with student loans while you're in school, which are common problems for many students who go to school for all sorts of things.

Build on Your Degree Later

Just because you choose to get an associate's degree now does not mean that you can't get a bachelor's degree or master's degree later. You may be able to build onto your associate's degree by continuing to take accounting classes that will help you earn your bachelor's. After that, you can work toward earning your master's degree. An associate's degree can be a great first step, and you can then work on furthering your education later.

If you're hoping to go to school so that you can become an accountant, you might want to look into associate's degree programs for these reasons. Then, when you finish accounting school, you will be qualified for entry-level accounting jobs. This can help you launch into the career path that you are interested in.