I honestly don't know why I care about getting a CPA or a master's degree. I've got 10 years in with the government. I plan to stay where I'm at until I retire... and then I plan to be a beach bum and live off a 30-year pension, 20 years of deferred comp, and 20 years of a savings plan that gives me a guaranteed return of 4.5%. I'm topped out, and the very few positions above me only require experience to get them... no extra college or a CPA. I'm essentially set for my career. I like my work, and it's a steady, secure job. The hours are unbeatable.
The best reason I can come up with for wanting letters after my name aren't all that great. There's security in knowing I could take those letters and go work for any CPA firm in the state if the government implodes. If my pension fund gets bankrupted 15 years from now, at least I would be a 50-year old professinal licensee rather than just having a really old college degree.
I do have the spare time and energy for school now. Who knows if i will 10 years from now. I also have the opporunity for my job to cover some of the cost, and I feel like I should take advantage of that.
I suspect that it all boils down to vanity, though.
I only need 13 credits. I got my associate degree through my local University and was not impressed. I got my B.S. through University of Phoenix, and still wasn't impressed (but I learned way more at UoP than at my brick and mortar Uni). I do really well figuring things out on my own though, and I'm really good on standardized tests.
I don't know how much the AACSB accreditation matters in the long run for me. If I went for my master's at my local University, I'd have to take 9 extra classes since my B.S. isn't from an AACSB accredited institution... but since I don't plan to go work for the Big Four, does it really matter?
I feel silly putting it all down like this. There's no logical reason to pursue my CPA or MAcc at this time. It's like trying to buy a horse while living in an apartment... works out great for a lot of people, just not the ones in the same apartment-dwelling situation.