Accounting Degrees and 25 Notable Online Programs
Accounting degrees teach you how to keep track of money. A well-known Chicago banker insisted that all his children take an accounting class in college, regardless of their major. Accounting traces the flow of money. It tells us when we are doing well financially or going bankrupt.
In personal life, everyone needs some minimal understanding of accounting. But in business, a high level of accounting is absolutely indispensable. That's why accountants are in hot demand. If you are reasonably good with numbers (you don't have to be a whiz), accounting may be the career for you.
See also: What can I do with an Accounting degree?
Skip to the list of schools or to associate, bachelor, or master degree information.
Job outlook for accounting degree graduates:
| Associate's (Accounting Clerks) | Bachelor's (Accountants & Auditors) | Master's (Financial Analysts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Range (2012): | $21k--$54k | $39k --$111k | $47k--$148k |
| Median Pay (2012): | $35,000 | $63,500 | $77,000 |
| U.S. jobs in 2012: | 1,799,800 | 1,275,400 | 253,000 |
| Projected U.S. Jobs, 2022: | 1,997,780 | 1,441,200 | 293,480 |
| Job growth forecast 2012-22: | 11% | 13% | 16% |
Accounting graduate students can expect favorable job growth due to the fact that graduate degrees are now essentially required for CPA examination. See more below.
Job opportunities for accounting degree graduates:
| Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting assistants | Budget analysts | Financial managers |
| Auditing clerks | Loan officers | Certified Public Accountants |
| Tax preparers | Forensic accountants | Financial advisors |
| Payroll clerks | Tax attorney assistants | Corporate finance or tax associates |
| Billing clerks | Financial managers | Financial Analysts |
| Bookkeepers | Certified Public Accountants | Assurance associates |
The associate's accounting degree:
Consider an AAS (Associate of Applied Science) in Accounting if you want to begin earning income as an accountant quickly without continuing on to a bachelor's degree.
The AA and AS (Associate of Arts and Associate of Science) in Accounting degrees are generally springboards to a bachelor's degree. These degrees can be an excellent way to save money while working toward a bachelor's degrees, at the same time providing valuable work experience and an income.
The bachelor's degree in accounting:
A BS (Bachelor of Science) in accounting allows you to focus entirely on accounting. Instead of it, you may also want to consider a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) with an emphasis in accounting. Besides giving you expertise in accounting, the BBA will give you broader exposure to business courses (such as marketing and entrepreneurship).
For some accounting positions, you will need a license. In the U.S., an accounting bachelor's degree is required in order to sit for licensing exams. The bachelor's degree will prepare you to take the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants exam to become a CPA. In over 40 states, however, 150 credit hours is required to take the exam. Most often the extra hours needed are achieved through a graduate degree.
Many accounting jobs require one to be a CPA, and even those jobs that don't will often prefer a CPA.
The master's degree in accounting:
A master's in accounting is the next step for accounting majors wishing to become CPAs. Currently, 40 states require 150 credit hours for CPA certification (that's an extra year of study beyond the bachelor's).
Larger corporations seek candidates with a master of science in accounting or an MBA with emphasis in accounting. Either degree will help qualify you for executive-level positions and CPA certification exams. The accounting master's degree may not be necessary for such positions, but it provides a competitive edge.
The accounting master's degree makes you particularly attractive for accounting job openings. Accountants with bachelor's degrees have good job placement potential, but in a competitive field, those with higher degrees get more attention.
See also: What can I do with an Accounting degree?
25 Notable Online Accounting Degree Programs:
(25 programs at 15 schools; arranged alphabetically. Consult our College & University Cost Index ($$+) to compare prices.)
| Click any name for details | Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's | Request FREE information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State U–Global | $$ | Get FREE info! | ||
| Colorado Technical U | $+ | $$ | $$+ | Get FREE info! |
| Finger Lakes CC | $ | |||
| Franklin University | $$ | $$ | $$ | |
| Herkimer County CC | $+ | |||
| Indiana Wesleyan U | $+ | $$ | $$ | |
| New England College | $$+ | Get FREE info! | ||
| Penn State University | $$+ | |||
| Strayer University | $$+ | $$+ | ||
| U of Alabama at Birmingham | $+ / $$+ | $$ / $$$ | Get FREE info! | |
| UConn | $$+ | |||
| UMass Amherst | $$ | |||
| U of Minnesota | $$ | |||
| Walden University | $$+ | Get FREE info! | ||
| Western Governors U | $+ |
1. Colorado State University---Global Campus
Online BS in Accounting
($$)
- Colorado State University--Global Campus is competitively priced and guarantees your tuition will stay the same throughout your degree tenure.
- Numerous accounting specializations to choose from, including (but not limited to): Business Administration, Criminal Forensics, Healthcare Informatics, Healthcare Management, Information Technology Management, Marketing, Sales, Project Management, Public Administration, and Small Business Entrepreneurship.
- Credits required: 120.
- Transfer up to 90 credits.
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC).
2.-4. Colorado Technical University
Online AS, BS, & MBA in Accounting
($$)
- BS Accounting degree courses meet the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) standards.
- The BS and MBA prepare students to study for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification exams.
- Courses offered in 11 and 5.5 week sessions.
- Colorado Tech uses a quarter credit system. Required credits shown above have been converted to semester hours. For more details about quarter credits, click here.
- Transfer up to 75% credits toward your BS AP credits and CLEP testing credits may be accepted.
- 86% student satisfaction rating.
- Graduates have earned a 98% employer satisfaction rating.
- Accreditation:North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC).
| Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credits required: | 62 | 122 | 32 |
| Program cost: | $+ | $$ | $$+ |
5. Finger Lakes Community College
Online AAS in Accounting
($)
- An affordable State University of New York (SUNY) degree!
- The AAS is designed to prepare you for work in the accounting field or furthering your education with a bachelor's.
- FLCC has a growing list of schools accepting their transfer credits toward bachelor degrees.
- FLCC's honors program gives you the opportunity to graduate with an Honors Certificate, increasing your appeal to employers and four-year colleges.
- Credits required: 60.
- Accreditation: Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of College and Schools.
6.-8. Franklin University
Online AS, BS or MS in Accounting
($$)
- The BS meets Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and Sarbanes-Oxley industry standards.
- Special subsequent bachelor degree programs save time and money if you have a previous bachelor's degree.
- The BS and MS help prepare you for Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification exams.
- Choose either Financial Operations or Taxation Track in the MS program.
- Franklin has flexible scheduling options of six, twelve, and fifteen week courses, and multiple start dates.
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC), and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).
| Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credits required: | 64 | 128 | 30 |
| Credits transferrable: | 30 | 84 | 8 |
| Program cost: | $$ | $$ | $$+ |
9. Herkimer County Community College
Online Associate in Business: Accounting
($+)
- An affordable State University of New York (SUNY) degree!
- The AAS prepares you for work in the accounting field, or pursuit of a bachelor's.
- HCCC has transfer relationships with several four-year colleges and universities throughout the northeast, including SUNY Institute of Technology, Utica College, SUNY at Oswego, SUNY at Geneseo, SUNY at Plattsburgh, and SUNY Binghamton.
- Credits required: 63.
- Accreditation: Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
10.-12. Indiana Wesleyan University
Online AS, BS, and MS in Accounting
($$)
- IWU is continually growing and climbing higher in national and regional rankings.
- Take a Christ-centered approach to improving your craft in accounting-related professions.
- Excellent foundation for CPA certification.
- If you have 36 to 59 credit hours of previous college coursework with no degree, IWU's Bridge program allows you to start working toward your bachelor's degree.
- For transfer credit information, contact an advisor. The BS program may allow up to 60 hours.
- The program's cost will be divided into several payments spread over the course of the program.
- Rolling admissions -- start anytime.
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC).
| Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credits required: | 62 | 124 | 30 |
| Program cost: | $+ | $$ | $$ |
13. New England College
Online MS in Accounting
($$+)
- A Forensic Accounting specialization is now available.
- Prepare for CPA, Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification exams.
- Enjoy small classes with personal mentoring.
- Credits required: 10 four-hour courses complete the degree.
- Courses begin every 7 weeks; finish in as little as 2 years.
- Transfer up to 6 credit hours.
- GRE and GMAT scores are not required.
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE).
14. Penn State University
Online BS in Business--Accounting
($$+)
- Penn State's Business degree with a concentration in Accounting prepares you to be a the well-rounded, business-minded accountant.
- A top public university and pioneer of distance education, Penn State has proven itself as a provider of valuable online degrees.
- Credits required: 120.
- The Accounting concentration, consists of 18 credit hours in addition to the major's business courses.
- Prices vary. Price points are stratified according to hours per semester and total completed hours. Take more than 12 hours per semester, and pay a lower semester flat rate, which could result in a great value ($$).
- Highly respected, world class faculty design and lead the Business program.
- Graduate and join the Penn State alumni network, over 600,000 people strong!
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
15.-18. Strayer University
Online Bachelor's and Master's in Accounting
($$+)
- Choose a BS or BBA with Accounting concentration, or the MS or MBA with Accounting concentration.
- MS concentrations include: Corporate Accounting, International Accounting, Forensic Accounting, Public Accounting and Taxation.
- Earn your degree at your own pace and schedule.
- Classes start 4 times per year, for 11 weeks with 1-2 week breaks between quarters.
- Strayer uses a quarter credit system. Required credits shown above have been converted to semester hours. For more details about quarter credits, click here.
- Transfer credits are accepted as well as opportunities to test out of courses.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and Strayer's School of Business is accredited by The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
| BS in Accounting | BBA in Accounting | MS in Accounting | MBA in Accounting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credits required: | 120 | 120 | 36 | 36 |
| Program cost: | $$+ | $$+ | $$+ | $$+ |
19. University of Alabama at Birmingham
Online BS and Master of Accounting
($$)
- The BS and M.Ac. degrees prepare you for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) exams.
- BS areas to choose from: Tax Accounting, Financial Accounting, Auditing, Cost/Managerial Accounting, Governmental Accounting, Forensic Accounting, Information Systems.
- Roll credits from UAB's BS into the master's. Fast-track master's program for UAB BS students cuts down time to M.Ac. completion.
- Available M.Ac. concentration in Internal Auditing.
- Cost per program: BS-- $+(residential)/$$+(non-residential);
M.Ac.-- $$(residential)/$$$(non-resident). - Same award-winning faculty teach on-campus and online classes.
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges, and by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International).
- Among only 176 universities worldwide to achieve the AACSB seal of excellence in both business and accounting.
20. University of Connecticut
Online MS in Accounting
($$+)
- UConn's graduate program is a rigorous and highly respected program placing highly in national rankings.
- The MS is designed to help you meet the 150 credit-hour CPA exam requirement.
- Credits required: 30.
- The shorter program duration means overall program cost is lower than other listed programs.
- Complete the program in as little as 8 months (full-time) or 16 months (part-time).
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE), and the business degrees offered are accredited by AACSB International.
21. University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Online BBA--Accounting
($$)
- The BBA–-Accounting is through UMass's prestigious Isenberg School of Management.
- Accounting graduates have found employment in leading firms including: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, KPMG, and Grant Thornton.
- Along with core business knowledge, curriculum embraces the global economy, sustainable and socially responsible decision-making, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
- Credits required: 120.
- Transfer up to 75 Credits, leaving only 45 credits required through UMass Amherst.
- Admissions: Generally around April 15th, and October 1st .
- Isenberg Online shares classes, curriculum, and faculty with the onsite program.
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE), and The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools and Business (AACSB).
22. University of Minnesota, Crookston
Online BS in Accounting
($$)
- Consistently ranked among best colleges by other ranking institutions.
- Small class sizes, meaning more attention to you.
- Ability to take Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification examinations through the Crookston campus.
- Credits required: 120, consisting of 59 within the major.
- Transfer students must complete at least 30 hours at UMC, including 20 within the major.
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC).
23.-24. Walden University
Online MS in Accounting & Management and MBA--Accounting
($$+/$$$)
- Walden's exclusive MobileLearn allows new possibilities to learn when, where, and how you prefer. Download podcasts and videos, and learn anywhere; no more being tied to your computer.
- Get credits for previous graduate-level education and accelerate your MBA completion.
- The MS offers an Accountants as Strategic Managers specialization, or a Self-designed specialization.
- Credits required: MS--30, MBA--36.
- Transfer up to 18 hours.
- 16-week semesters consist of two consecutive 8-week courses, meaning you concentrate on one course at a time.
- Cost: Walden's tuition & fees includes all required textbooks, lessing unexpected costs.
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC), and specialized accreditation for the MBA program by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
25. Western Governors University
Online BS in Accounting
($+)
- WGU is recognized as an innovative institution with the potential to transform the higher education industry.
- Your progress is based on completing assessments that measure your knowledge and skills in subject areas, rather than based on time spent in class -- i.e., course credits.
- Transfer credits or test out of classes based on knowledge you've gained in your career experiences.
- Work with your assigned advisor to personalize your degree plan. Your advisor will mentor you all the way to graduation.
- Each term is a full six months in length. Complete as much of your degree as possible during each term.
- Credits required: 122 Competency Units (credit equivalents).
- Tuition: A low flat rate per six-month terms, making this the best bargain on our list.
- Numerous ways to transfer credits and prior knowledge.
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
