2020 Best Online Master's in Accounting Degree Programs
This list highlights the best 25 colleges with an online Master's in Accounting, in order of highest median starting salary. Seton Hall University is ranked #1, with a median salary of $71,400 for students who graduate with a Master's in Accounting. The University of Hartford offers the lowest median debt on the list, at $20,398. Median salaries for the top 25 schools range from $58,000 to $71,400.
Tuition, median salaries, and median debt were reported by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019. View our methodology for more details about these rankings or read more about the top-ranked schools.
| School | Annual Tuition | Median Debt | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall University | $34,328 | $20,500 | $71,400 |
| Golden Gate University | $19,875 | $47,072 | $69,900 |
| Rutgers University | $34,182 | $37,268 | $67,900 |
| University of Hartford | $15,202 | $20,398 | $67,200 |
| University of Connecticut | $43,174 | $20,757 | $66,600 |
| University of Massachusetts - Amherst | $33,750 | $20,500 | $66,400 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | $12,132 | $45,813 | $66,100 |
| Rider University | $18,594 | $27,288 | $64,800 |
| Western New England University | $17,550 | $20,500 | $64,400 |
| Indiana University - Bloomington | $33,367 | $20,500 | $63,300 |
| Pennsylvania State University | $42,151 | $20,500 | $63,200 |
| St. John's University | $32,083 | $26,801 | $63,100 |
| DePaul University | $22,109 | $31,219 | $63,000 |
| University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign | $32,416 | $28,986 | $62,700 |
| Long Island University | $25,018 | $35,453 | $61,700 |
| The University of Scranton | $11,630 | $34,166 | $61,300 |
| Florida Atlantic University | $18,482 | $35,141 | $60,300 |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | $29,252 | $20,500 | $60,100 |
| Nova Southeastern University | $23,911 | $53,632 | $59,100 |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute | $24,608 | Not Reported | $59,100 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | $22,326 | $28,687 | $58,800 |
| University of Miami | $42,816 | $39,760 | $58,800 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $30,819 | $57,525 | $58,100 |
| Stetson University | $17,703 | $23,319 | $58,000 |
| Roosevelt University | $23,094 | $35,640 | $58,000 |
2020 Best Colleges Highlights
Learn more about the top colleges for a Master's in Accounting degree. You can also read student reviews of each school by clicking on the stars. Although student reviews were not used as a ranking factor in this list, we provide ratings and reviews so students can consider the experience of alumni in their decision-making process.
s
Seton Hall University's online Master of Science in Accounting is designed specifically for students with a limited background in accounting. It prepares students for the CPA exam and sets the foundation for a career in accounting.
This program requires the completion of 30 credits and can be finished in less than two years. 21 of the 30 credits are required courses, and nine are electives. There are two prerequisite courses that cover accounting and legal studies. Both can be completed more quickly online than traditional eight-week courses. Prior coursework, or challenge exams, may allow for these prerequisite courses to be waived.
Golden Gate University offers a Master of Science in Accounting program that can be completed online or on the school's San Francisco campus. The program requires 30 credits and focuses on financial accounting and reporting, forensic accounting, internal auditing, and management accounting.
Foundation course requirements, which include Introductory Financial Accounting and Intermediate Accounting, can be waived for students who passed the U.S. CPA examination. They can also be waived for students who completed comparable courses with grades of "B" or better at regionally accredited degree-granting institutions. The 30 required credits include 18 credits of advanced courses and 12 units of elective courses.
The Master of Accountancy in Governmental Accounting program at Rutgers University can be completed exclusively online without a GMAT requirement. Rutgers provides a good value to out-of-state residents, as they offer them the same in-state tuition fees that New Jersey residents pay.
Students must complete thirty credits and can study part-time to fit a busy lifestyle. Courses include Advanced Topics in Governmental Accounting, Design Development of Information Systems, and Public Financial Management. This master's program can completed in as little as one year.
University of Hartford's Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation degree can be completed full-time in as few as seven months. This program is offered through the Barney School of Business and has a rolling admissions process with six start dates to choose from. Students with undergraduate accounting degrees can add this program as a fifth year of study to meet CPA licensing requirements. Those without an accounting or business undergraduate degree can also complete this program.
This MSAT degree can be completed 100% online, either part-time or full-time. 30 credits are required, as well as multiple prerequisite courses. These prerequisites include Financial Reporting Theory I-II-III, Cost Management, and two semesters of introductory accounting. These courses must have been completed at a four-year, accredited college or university that offers a bachelor's degree in accounting. If not, courses must be completed with a 3.0 GPA minimum at the start of the University of Hartford program.
The University of Connecticut offers an online Master of Science in Accounting through its School of Business. The program is meant both for current accountants who want to grow professionally by increasing their skills and technical knowledge, and also for students who wish to prepare for the CPA exam.
The online curriculum is taught by many of the same professors that teach campus-based accounting classes and is mostly asynchronous, so students can attend classes on their own schedule. In addition to taking core accounting courses, students can select from a range of elective courses, including Global Financial Reporting and Analysis, Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination, and Research for Accounting Professionals. Full-time students can complete the degree in one year by taking 10 classes throughout two or three semesters. Part-time students can complete the degree at their own pace, usually taking up to two classes per semester.