Accounting Technology
Program Description, Mission, and Objectives
The mission of the Accounting Technology Program is to prepare students for entry-level employment or advancement in the accounting field through a series of experiences provided in fundamental accounting principles and procedures, cost accounting, income tax procedures, payroll accounting, and the use of microcomputers. The Accounting program awards Associate of Applied Science – Business Administration Option 1 – Accounting Technology and the Short Certificate in Accounting Technology.
The accounting program is designed to teach, through a sequence of experiences, the skills necessary for a student to develop cognitive knowledge of the accounting process and to be able to apply this knowledge in a practical manner.
Career Opportunities
The Accounting Technology Program provides the training necessary to become a financial record keeper. Areas of training will include computing, classifying, recording and verifying numerical data to maintain accurate financial records. Graduates of the Accounting Technology Program may become employed as an Accounts Payable Clerk, Inventory Control Clerk, Accounts Receivable Clerk, Bookkeeping Clerk or Auditing Clerk.
Additional information is available from the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Skills Needed
A successful Accounting Clerk must have knowledge of database and computerized accounting software, ability to work in an office environment and above average interpersonal skills.
Expected Earnings/Salary
Earnings for Accounting Clerks as reported by the 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook are as
follows:
- The median annual earnings of payroll and timekeeping clerks is $32,510.
- The highest 10 percent earn more than $49,260 annually.
Types of Programs Offered
Click here to view the courses required for each certificate or degree option.
Costs for Program
| Program Name |
Type of Program |
Number of Credit Hours |
Est. Tuition and Fees for program |
Est. Book Cost |
Estimated Total Cost |
| ACT (Accounting Technology) |
Associate Degree |
75 |
$9,825.00 |
$1,800.00 |
$11,625.00 |
| ACT (Accounting Technology) |
Career Entry Certificate |
60 |
$7,860.00 |
$1,500.00 |
$9,360.00 |
|
ACT (Accounting Technology)
|
Career Skills Certificate |
26 |
$3,406.00 |
$600.00 |
$4,006.00 |
*Estimates for costs based on Fall 2011-2012 Tuition and Fees rate. Subject to change without notice.
Advisory Committee
Ms. Bonnie Banks
Acting Chair, Department of Accounting
Alabama A&M University
Mr. Ron Childress
Owner, Childress Accounting LLC
Ms. Linda Hemingway
Chair of Accounting, Athens State University
Ms. Beth B. Martin
Market President - Madison, Progress Bank
Ms. Barbara Reeder
CEO, SEKTYR International, Inc.
The varied levels of certification allow each student to customize the amount of training he/she desires based on individual career goals. The basic Career Skills certificate may be utilized as a means for immediate entry into the workforce or serve as a starting point for the Career Entry Certificate. In most cases, the credits received from one certificate level will transfer to a program of a higher level.
Drake State has established articulation agreements with Alabama A&M University and Athens State University to assist students who desire to pursue a baccalaureate degree upon completion of an Associate Degree in Applied Technology from Drake State. For more information contact the Accounting Technology Program or call 256.551.3155.