- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: LSU Finance/Accounting Alumni, how has your Degree treated you? What's your yearly salary?
Posted on 5/17/26 at 6:17 pm to Chastains
Posted on 5/17/26 at 6:17 pm to Chastains
I was a finance major. Eighty to ninety percent of your success will come as a result of your attitude and what you are made of. If you are a grinder, motivated, and get up twice as fast when you are knocked down, you will do well. Far too many young adults today feel entitled, are weak, and don't look inward. When knocked down, get up fast and move forward! 
0
Posted on 5/17/26 at 6:27 pm to Jim Rockford
Interesting because that’s the path I took and it seems very unconventional. It definitely wasn’t the plan from the get go.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 7:22 pm to Chastains
2012 finance grad. Was always an A/B student. Part of the finance academy. Interned at Merrill Lynch my final year and a half of undergrad because I knew I wanted to be an FA. Did half the CFP curriculum at LSU. Moved to NYC after graduating to work for a mutual fund company and get licensed for a couple years while getting my MBA at night. Finished the CFP. Moved to FL to be an advisor at Merrill and did so for 6 years. Moved to a competitor about 5 years ago and it was a great move.
Many years of being 6 figure but not ballin. Finally hit the curve last year,
LSU finance prepped me very well with profs like Morales, Sanders, Kirby, Lawrence, Mason, O’Connor (stock picking class using part of the endowment). Several other profs that were great and I just don’t remember the names of.
Was very well prepped for CFP, MBA, and life in finance thanks to LSU. Highly recommended for someone also willing to do the work.
Many years of being 6 figure but not ballin. Finally hit the curve last year,
LSU finance prepped me very well with profs like Morales, Sanders, Kirby, Lawrence, Mason, O’Connor (stock picking class using part of the endowment). Several other profs that were great and I just don’t remember the names of.
Was very well prepped for CFP, MBA, and life in finance thanks to LSU. Highly recommended for someone also willing to do the work.
This post was edited on 5/17/26 at 7:26 pm
Posted on 5/17/26 at 8:02 pm to Copernicus
Graduated LSU in accounting in 2016. Started with Big 4 and just got promoted to Director at a ~$1B firm.
My personal advice, don’t go in to core tax services or audit. It’s miserable for a decade minimum. My cohort that is still mostly Senior Managers are still return monkeys working a shite ton of hours during busy season.
Go into M&A, automation, valuation, specialty tax services, etc.
Overall, accounting, public at least, is a great career. Benefits are great - tons of time off, lax in office policies, paid for meals and events. And I personally like to “grind,” I stay stimulated at work instead of being some corporate drone doing the same thing day after day, quarter after quarter, year after year.
Private equity is boning younger folks but that’s not firm or even industry specific in my opinion.
My personal advice, don’t go in to core tax services or audit. It’s miserable for a decade minimum. My cohort that is still mostly Senior Managers are still return monkeys working a shite ton of hours during busy season.
Go into M&A, automation, valuation, specialty tax services, etc.
Overall, accounting, public at least, is a great career. Benefits are great - tons of time off, lax in office policies, paid for meals and events. And I personally like to “grind,” I stay stimulated at work instead of being some corporate drone doing the same thing day after day, quarter after quarter, year after year.
Private equity is boning younger folks but that’s not firm or even industry specific in my opinion.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 8:38 pm to Chastains
BS Acct ‘99 LSU. CPA ‘03.
Two years public for regional Louisiana firms. 25 years Corporate rat race in Houston for O&G, Manufacturing, Engineering, HVAC, and Renewables. Mostly Controller roles for mid sized companies reporting up through International Parents.
Hoping to move into consulting in two years.
Two years public for regional Louisiana firms. 25 years Corporate rat race in Houston for O&G, Manufacturing, Engineering, HVAC, and Renewables. Mostly Controller roles for mid sized companies reporting up through International Parents.
Hoping to move into consulting in two years.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 8:57 pm to danilo
quote:
In my opinion getting into Big 4 after graduation is the best route to go when getting a degree in Finance.
Yeah, getting into high finance with an LSU business degree is a real crapshoot.
The ceiling for most at SEC schools is big 4 accounting (which honestly seems like hell).
I’d take notes from the folks that leveraged their business degrees in this thread. At the end of the day, if you are good at what you do degrees mean nothing.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 9:01 pm to Chastains
Are you able to twerk and do you drive a charger? If so, you'll do well at LSU
Posted on 5/17/26 at 9:15 pm to TigahsOnTop
quote:
At the end of the day, if you are good at what you do degrees mean nothing.
Agree but getting into Big 4 as a entry point open the doors to your next job, I think
Posted on 5/17/26 at 9:21 pm to Chastains
I'm an 08 accounting grad and have done better than I ever expected, but I fully attribute a lot of that to being in the right place at the right time
I have zero clue on the current state of either program at LSU so I'll keep it generic
- Grades matter but only to an extent
- build a network with your professors and the firms and banks that recruit; they all talk to each other
- participate in any business sponsored competitions where you get the opportunity to present
If you want to go big, especially coming out of lsu, you need to work your arse off for 4-5 years at a big shop in a major metro area outside of LA. Keep networking and soak up as much intel on your clients and their business as you can. If youre a finance major, be prepared to go back and get your mba somewhere that will give you pedigree (not lsu).
I have zero clue on the current state of either program at LSU so I'll keep it generic
- Grades matter but only to an extent
- build a network with your professors and the firms and banks that recruit; they all talk to each other
- participate in any business sponsored competitions where you get the opportunity to present
If you want to go big, especially coming out of lsu, you need to work your arse off for 4-5 years at a big shop in a major metro area outside of LA. Keep networking and soak up as much intel on your clients and their business as you can. If youre a finance major, be prepared to go back and get your mba somewhere that will give you pedigree (not lsu).
Posted on 5/17/26 at 10:11 pm to armytiger96
Wealth managers can do well but its not easy to build a book.
Posted on 5/18/26 at 4:35 am to Chastains
What are y’all‘s thoughts on AI impact within accounting? my son will be a junior in LSU accounting major with a concentration in data analysis.
This post was edited on 5/18/26 at 4:37 am
Posted on 5/18/26 at 5:11 am to Chastains
quote:We have to have a serious conversation about getting rid of tops or making kids pay it back who are planning on leaving the state immediately
Did you have trouble finding a job outside Louisiana?
Posted on 5/18/26 at 5:34 am to Kolbysfan
quote:
What are y’all‘s thoughts on AI impact within accounting? my son will be a junior in LSU accounting major with a concentration in data analysis.
I’ve been doing systems implementations and data work for a decade and am currently in an AI pilot with my firm.
In my opinion, commercial AI programs are still essentially useless. All they can do at this point is administrative tasks. They absolutely can save time, but they aren’t taking our jerbs anytime soon. Where I’ve personally seen the most increase in capacity is OCR, products have finally gotten decent at pulling information off out PDFs and scans. Until 2 or 3 years ago, if a document wasn’t pdf generated, OCR was useless as the information you often need is extremely specific so if it’s not perfect, it’s not usable.
Firms are heavily invested in AI like everyone else, so we’ll see, but it’s still pretty shite to be honest. Now, if you’re a bookkeeper or AP clerk, yeah, you probably have something to worry about. But if you have real skills, you’ll be fine. Computers were going to kill jobs. Then it was ERPs. Then it was machine learning. Etc. etc. The profession will adapt and different skills will be valued, but accountants and CPAs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon (and if they are, we’re all screwed so whatever)
This post was edited on 5/18/26 at 5:35 am
Posted on 5/18/26 at 9:25 am to Chastains
quote:
How was your 4 years there? What was your courseload like? Did you have trouble finding a job outside Louisiana?
Pros, Cons, etc.
Average Salary $500K per year - am I doing this right?
Posted on 5/18/26 at 9:27 am to Chastains
quote:
Finance/Accounting Alumni,
Posted on 5/18/26 at 9:39 am to Jim Rockford
quote:
IDK what they teach now but most everything I learned is no longer applicable.
WTF, how does that happen?
Posted on 5/18/26 at 9:45 am to Chastains
Accounting:
Spent about 10 years in audit/advisory, 5 years in consulting and now in industry
Did big 4, regional firms, all that. Now working at a mid size tech company out east and enjoying it. frick public. Get your CPA, there’s a shortage. Old boomer partners starting to realize that and you can use it for leverage if your firm is working on a succession plan that doesn’t involve selling out to PE
Spent about 10 years in audit/advisory, 5 years in consulting and now in industry
Did big 4, regional firms, all that. Now working at a mid size tech company out east and enjoying it. frick public. Get your CPA, there’s a shortage. Old boomer partners starting to realize that and you can use it for leverage if your firm is working on a succession plan that doesn’t involve selling out to PE
This post was edited on 5/18/26 at 9:47 am
Posted on 5/18/26 at 9:45 am to Chastains
Know some early-mid career alums. Most without an MBA or CPA are selling insurance, mortgages, or are lower-level accountants/bookkeepers. One with an MBA is high up in a prominent company. CPAs usually make it to a managerial level pretty easily.
It's not worth the headache of all the math courses unless you're going to sit for CPA and/or get your MBA after undergrad, IMO.
If I was advising kids these days, I'd recommend an undergrad in technology with a minor in business, cybersecurity, or AI, then follow up with an online MBA from a different school than LSU. That will get you into a lot of attractive jobs.
It's not worth the headache of all the math courses unless you're going to sit for CPA and/or get your MBA after undergrad, IMO.
If I was advising kids these days, I'd recommend an undergrad in technology with a minor in business, cybersecurity, or AI, then follow up with an online MBA from a different school than LSU. That will get you into a lot of attractive jobs.
This post was edited on 5/18/26 at 9:54 am
Posted on 5/18/26 at 9:54 am to The Pirate King
quote:
It's not worth the headache of all the math courses unless you're going to sit for CPA and/or get your MBA after undergrad, IMO.
How many math classes does a business major take? Probably just calculus 1?
Posted on 5/18/26 at 10:00 am to GeauxTigers123
quote:
How many math classes does a business major take? Probably just calculus 1?
Depends on what you did in high school or test out of. It could include algebra, calculus, and in addition to that, many math adjacent courses like Econ. The course requirements may have changed, I'm just going off what I know from awhile back.
I also despise math, so I'm probably more sensitive to it than some.
Page 2 of 4
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News