Msc Accounting or Finance?

Hi there - happy to share some thoughts based on my own experience. I started my career in audit, later moved into transaction advisory / corporate finance, and eventually transitioned into management consulting. I’ve also lived and worked across North America, Europe, and now the Middle East, so I’ve navigated many of the same decisions and pivots you’re considering.

1. Zurich leans toward Finance in the long run, but Accounting is the easier entry point

Corporate finance, valuation and deals skills stay in demand. But when it comes to sheer ease of getting your foot in the door, especially as a non-Swiss graduate, audit tends to be the most accessible starting point because it hires in volume.

2. Big 4 reality

• Audit: largest hiring classes, structured training, best for breaking in.
• TAS/Corporate Finance: smaller intake, stronger alignment to advisory/consulting, more competitive.

It really becomes a question of security vs acceleration.

3. Moving from Accounting → Finance/Advisory is very realistic

I did it myself, and it’s a common path. After 2–3 years in audit, people frequently transition into TAS, M&A and corporate finance roles. This is because audit gives you the technical foundation and credibility that finance/advisory teams value.

4. Long-term outlook

• Finance gives you broader mobility: consulting, corporate development, strategy roles, international moves
• Accounting provides stability and employability, but you need to be very intentional about pivoting later if you want more strategic roles

5. What Zurich employers value

• ACCA or CPA will be mandatory if you start in audit
• CFA isn’t mandatory for finance roles, but starting CFA candidacy (even Level I registration) makes you stand out immediately
• IFRS know-how is appreciated everywhere regardless of Finance / Accounting roles
• German (B1–B2+) strengthens your profile but isn’t always a blocker at the beginning.
  Financial modelling ability often matters more than the exact name of your degree.

6. Which Master’s makes sense?

If you want the highest probability of landing in Switzerland quickly, accounting is the safer entry. If you want career flexibility, mobility, and the option to pivot into consulting or strategy roles later, finance is typically the stronger choice.

A Finance Master with accounting electives can sometimes give you the best of both worlds.

If it helps, I’m happy to speak directly and guide you through what makes sense both for entering Switzerland and for your long-term career trajectory.

Hi There

Happy to chime in as someone who started their career at KPMG in audit (CPA, CA) - moved to risk advisory and through many other twists and turns ended up in management consulting and now is independent. 

Disclaimer: I cannot speak specifically to the Swiss (Zurich) market but I can speak to accounting, my own career progression and what I have seen in the global industry.

I think before going into specifics on job prospecting and long term thinking, you need to sit with the question of - do you prefer finance or accounting concepts and work more?

It is great that you have in fact studied both already in your joint major. So from that exposure do you prefer the accounting (assessing via frameworks, ensuring everything is properly under regulation, being detail oriented etc.) or finance (using data to make forward looking models etc.) Neither is right or wrong, its more about what you prefer and what those long term career prospects could look like.

A couple considerations that I had when choosing accounting:
 

• Can secure a job before finishing school (this was a big factor - i knew that I could land a full time offer before graduation) so i would never be in the situation of a jobless grad
• Can definitely work internationally as there are audit firms (specifically big 4) everywhere and even have international secondment opportunities
• Getting a CPA designation shows (not only in then accounting field but others) a level of academic rigor and dedication (however this can also be said for CFA)

After obtaining my CPA I didn't choose to do CFA or CBV but many of my colleagues did and swapped into the transaction advisory track at the firm (so essentially as you asked went from accounting into finance).

I really urge you to a) think about the work itself and what you enjoy b) try and do some informal networking to learn about other's career paths.

Happy to chat further if helpful!

Annika

This is a critical strategic pivot, especially given your current zero work experience constraint. For an international candidate targeting the highly competitive Zurich market, your master's degree choice should be optimized for the immediate entry point and local brand recognition, not the ultimate long-term goal.

The reality is that high-end Corporate Finance seats (M&A, high-tier Private Equity) are low-volume, incredibly competitive, and typically reserved for candidates with prior bulge-bracket internships or those coming directly from top local Swiss targets (HSG/ETH) or global feeder schools (LBS, INSEAD). If your primary goal is immediate employability and securing your footing in Switzerland, Accounting is the safer and more reliable option. The Big 4 has massive, constant volume hiring needs in Audit and regulatory compliance Advisory, which gives you a significantly higher chance of securing that initial contract and visa sponsorship.

Think of Accounting as the essential entry ramp. Once you secure the brand name (a Big 4 firm) and the local professional experience (2-3 years), the walls within the organization become permeable. It is a well-established path to transition from a strong Audit background into Transaction Services (TS), specific Advisory practices (Risk, Performance Improvement), or even Corporate Finance roles outside the Big 4. The key is to get your foot in the door first. Choosing Finance risks being filtered out entirely because you lack the internship pedigree that most high-finance roles demand.

To maximize your flexibility, choose the Accounting master’s but strategically lean into certifications early. While you are studying, start preparing for the CFA or deep-diving into specific, marketable technical skills like advanced IFRS or modeling. Once you are hired, the brand on your CV and the local work experience will quickly overshadow the specific master's title, providing you the long-term mobility and growth you seek.

All the best with your decision.

I wouldn't make the decision based on what the market looks like now. 

Nor on how anybody expects the market to change in the next 5-10 years (which is obviously impossible to tell). 

I think you actually need to look into yourself and figure out which one you enjoy more, you're better at, and you see yourself focusing on long-term (regardless of where the market might go). 

If you're still unsure, then try to figure out what are those questions that you'd want to ask in order to get more clarity. Then find more senior people in both industries in Switzerland and have a coffee chat with them. These discussions are going to be priceless.

If you haven't yet done coffee chats, here's a guide on how to approach them:

• • Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

Best,
Cristian

Hey there,

for Zurich, both Accounting and Finance can work, but Accounting tends to be a slightly safer entry point, especially for Big4 and audit roles, and gives solid grounding for advisory later. Finance opens doors to corporate finance, investment, or consulting, but competition is higher. Certifications like CFA, ACCA, or IFRS really boost employability, and switching from Accounting to Finance/Advisory after a few years is realistic if you build relevant skills. Long-term, Finance may offer more flexibility and international mobility, but Accounting gives a structured, stable start.

Best, Alessa :)