Professional Associations – Accounting
Professional associations are organizations that provide their members opportunities for learning, advocacy, and networking. Their membership is typically comprised of individuals in a particular profession, folks who work in the same industry, or people who share a common identity—similar to the student organization’s here in the College of Business, like Society for Human Resource Management, Real Estate Club, or Latinx Business Association.
Joining a professional association (even as a college student!) provides numerous benefits worth considering.
One of the biggest reasons to join a professional association is to build relationships with people in your industry or role. Connecting to a community of professionals while you’re in college can help you gain career insights, access to possible mentors (many associations have membership directories), and build a foundation of professional contacts that will be helpful as you begin your post-grad career.
Many professional associations have LinkedIn pages or groups you could join, too!
Attending conferences, webinars, and meet-ups hosted by a professional association will allow you to keep up with trends, knowledge, and skills necessary to be successful in your future career. You can dive deeper into niche topics, or even earn a credential, which will set you apart from other soon-to-be graduates. There may even be opportunities to volunteer on a committee or gain leadership experience, which can bolster your resume.
Apart from networking with members and professionals who may have job or internship opportunities to share, many professional associations have job boards (some are open, some require membership to access) or job announcements they send out to members.
As a membership benefit, professional associations may send out a newsletter, industry journal, or provide access to other resources to their members, again providing you the opportunity to learn from other professionals and stay on top of current news and trends.
Some professional associations offer scholarships and funding opportunities to make attending conferences and events, or earning credentials, more financially feasible for students. Associations often offer discounted student membership pricing you can take advantage of, too.
Below is just a sample of professional associations related to the Accounting concentration. For a more comprehensive list visit CareerOneStop, linked below, where you can search a database of hundreds of organizations by industry and/or role.
*Check association websites for up-to-date membership information and pricing.
Accounting
Professional Associations
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
AICPA membership provides technical insights, quality CPE, partner offers, volunteer opportunities and advocacy. When you join the AICPA, you also become a member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants® which amplifies your career and connects you to 689,000 accounting and finance professionals globally.
🎓 Free student affiliate membership!
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
CIMA is the world’s largest professional body of management accountants offering the most relevant accounting qualification for a career in business. If you are considering a career in business and finance, the CIMA qualification will open doors with employers all over the world.
🎓 Student membership options and resources!
Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance
The mission of the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance is to enable women in all accounting and finance fields to achieve their full personal, professional and economic potential and to contribute to the future development of their profession.
🎓 Discounted student membership!
CPA Firm Management Association
CPA Firm Management Association is the one representative voice of the profession. The Association leads CPA firm management by empowering all CPA firms to thrive while expanding knowledge, sharing experiences, achieving through collaboration, influencing leadership and envisioning possibilities.
Association of Government Accountants
AGA is the association that connects and empowers professionals who support government, from financial management to IT, human resources, cybersecurity and more, to advance good government initiatives, grow their expertise and accelerate their careers.
🎓 Free student membership!
The Institute of Internal Auditors
The Institute of Internal Auditors supports the profession and prepares internal auditors worldwide with a real community, relevant resources, and professional development to mitigate current and future risks, provide assurance, add real value, and elevate the impact of their organizations.
Institute of Management Accountants
With more than 140,000 members in 150 countries, IMA is one of the largest and most respected associations focused on advancing the management accounting profession. Our vision is to empower and connect business professionals to build a positive future.
🎓 Discounted student membership!
National Association of Black Accountants
NABA, Inc. is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for Black Business Leaders in accounting, finance business, and entrepreneurship. Representing more than 10,000 Black Business Leaders in these fields, NABA advances people, careers, and the mission by providing education, resources, and meaningful career connections to professional and student members.
🎓 Discounted student and new professional memberships!
Association of Practicing Certified Public Accountants
The Association of Practicing Certified Public Accountants (APCPA) is a non-profit organization focused to the needs of small to medium sized local CPA firms. Our mission is to provide a forum for continuing professional education, to be a voice in accounting and tax matters and to encourage our members to network – all in an effort to better serve their clients and the general public as well as their own firms.