What are the differences between Finance and Accounting? Do you know which one is better? I heard accounting deals more with numbers.

I'm asking because I don't know what to major in so clueless lol

Thanks for the responses

finance is more advnace but than accounting i think ti would b easier 2 get employment if its me i would choose finance cos it more interesting n i dont really like wat accountants do

Finance and accounting are two very closely related subjects. Accountants pretty much prepare the statements that financial analysts base their analysis on. Accountants generally have lower pay, but more steady employment. It would recommend majoring in accounting because you're required to complete accounting units to take the CPA exam whereas the CFA exam does not require formal schooling in that field. If you complete an accounting major, you should definitely be ready to take the CPA exam and the CFA material shouldn't be too difficult to pick up.

As for your career, if you like high risk and high reward, finance would be the better choice. If you prefer steady income and less stress, accounting is the way to go. Beware of tax season though, 10-12 hour work days, 6 days a week. -____-

I'm trying to major in finance and minor in accounting. The difference between the two of how I look at it is: finance has to do with investments and stock markets, there is probably more to that but those are the main ones. accounting can be for business or personal use, calculations of incomes.

Pick accounting. Work for one of the big four. Take the CPA exam. Get your license. Then you can be the Controller of any company. This will get you high in the corporation ladder.

hmm.. if i am not mistaken...finance is something to do with analyzing the current market and research on the market...tat's mean if u work as a finance manager, you job is to make an analyze bout a company and the market, whether it is worthwhile to do an investment in this and that....as for accounting, your task is to do financial report or financial statement of the company and so on...

erm..in short, finance need more critical thinking and accounting need you to apply ur accounting knowledge on how to anaylze the financial report and decision making for future.

i personally like finance because it is more fun and wont need to be tied up by lots of format and formula... but very weird, i major in accounting bcoz of better job opportunities..

i dont have the experince before but i heard most of them study accounting than finance....

I'm doing commerce...

Accounting has several strands

1) Financial Report Preparers....preparing financial statements, disclosures and notes according to accounting and legislative standards.
2) Management Accountants....preparing/ controlling budgets, business strategies/goals, performance indicating, evaluating
3)Tax Agents....tax deductions, strategic corporate structuring etc...
4) Auditing....analysing the financial statements to see if they are 'true and fair view'

Finance is more like valuating shares, estimations and forecasting

Personally I find finance more interesting but harder than Accounting

contradicting to what people here said, if you look at the pay, accountants get more pay than finance investment bankers. If you are the top of the finance graduate, you get the best job. If not and you don't have an accounting major to back up, say hello to the crappiest office jobs around.... 10 years in accounting would get you possibly more money than an average solicitor (or at the very least equal!) my friend in Ernst and Young (accounting firm) got her salary raised twice least than half year.....you have to factor in the consideration whether one can last that long in accounting as the turn over rate is high

Accountant's job is more regular 8am- 5 pm average, more stable (3 years from junior accountant to senior) and more flexible (if you finish your work it's ok) whereas for finance grad looking into investment banking firms the shift is average 12 hours day or night

It is way easier to get a job in large accounting firms like Ernst and Young and Price Water House Coopers than for Investment Banking Firms. It takes 2 interview progess and team work activity day for accounting firms, average 4 interview process with Investment banking firms. And for investment banking firms they are looking for Distinction (A) student.

Overall, even if you major in Accounting, you need to get chartered accountant qualification to practice so you need the Accounting major. For work in investment banking you don't need a finance major, you can just have accounting/ science (friend got in with that)/law

If you want to make some crazy dollars, I think finance is a good way to go. Accounting is much more stable and easy to find jobs. With finance degree you can find jobs that are very rewarding. Investment firms hire people from finance, While accounting( audit,tax etc.) hire from accouinting

Accounting=you make the data (preparing financial statements)
Finance=you make sense or make use of the data

this is what i have learn back in school

yeah... accounting is everything... while finance is one of the field in accounting! Accounting is just vage! what i mean by that is that it consist of so many different fields combined... then comes the different fields that you could specialize in! Finance... Auditing... Etc....

you should really have an undergrad major in accounting, and work towards the field in accounting that will make you the happiest (MONEY!) finance is one of them, because you can work for a big bank and trade equities, like my cousin.

Just to clarify, Finance is not a stream from accounting

and studying for finance does not automatically qualify you a job in Big investment banks (well similarly for everything I guess) but to get accepted by leading investment banks is still much harder than getting accepted by leading accounting firms (since accountants are declining).

and as to which one earns more money....my finance lecturer says it's the accountants on overall average...unless you're some finance genuius of course and your investment portfolio is bringing you sweeping cash. If you stick by in accounting for 10 years in a decent firm you would definitely get that dream european car....if your grades are average or less in finance with no accounting back up...your jobs are fairly limited unless you have a good second major to fall back on....

well, finance deal more with the stock and interest and stuff. accounting more with financial reports and budgets.
i know for sure finance make more money than accounting, which i am majoring rite now.
but then again, finance is not for everyone. i have a few friends who drop finance to do something else.
then again you can choose corporate finance and accounting which consist of both accounting and finance.

accountin is easier and not everyone can handle finance. depends wat interest u reli

accouting and finance both deal with numbers. I think accounting mostly deals with the GAAP, General ledger, financial statements, which there are set of rules you need to follow. As for finance, you need to be somewhat creative need to know what you do to put together presentation, business case, NPV/ROI analysis, and you don't have rules to follow. I do think accouting is pretty straight forward and can be boring to some people like me, i like finance because i don't have to follow any guidelines

I find finance a lot better because it deals more with investment which carries thinking and risk. Accounting is mostly just working with budget (unless you're an auditor) and that's boring.


Nope, you don't need CA to practice accounting. Just not auditing.

I'm thinking of taking both at University. I prefer Accounting though. It's like math, just with many theories to memorise. (:

Accounting are not theories, but standards. Finance is more analytical and opinionated.
I am currently majoring in both.
Take different classes, and see what you're more interested in.