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The 89 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting

Rankings of online master's in accounting programsAn online master’s in accounting can build more upward mobility (and a higher salary!) into your career as an accountant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the median annual pay for accountants is already over $73,000, the top ten percent in the field can earn more than $128,000 a year! With only a 7% projected outlook for these in-demand employees, the field remains competitive. But an online accounting master’s degree can make all the difference to the average CPA. Not to mention, many virtual business programs open the door to more global opportunities, chances to network with other professionals, and they provide more flexible scheduling options to the working adult student.

Accounting professionals are the unsung heroes in corporations all over the world. But the price of a degree may be a defining factor in actually pursuing an online master’s in accounting. Make sure to run the numbers before enrolling—there is a 500% difference between the cost of the most affordable and most expensive schools!

GetEducated compared 171 master’s programs in accounting from 134 regionally accredited online schools to create this ranking. Below is our editorially independent list of the 89 Best Buys for an affordable online master’s in accounting degrees. Each program costs less than the national average.

ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide

Average Cost (In-state): ~$26,300
Least Expensive: University of Montana ~$10,106
Most Expensive: University of Miami ~$70,916

Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There’s no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest online master’s in accounting. The online accounting degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.

Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting

RankSchool / DegreeStatePriceNote
1
University of Montana
(MT)
$10,106.00
$19,406.00
In-State
Out-of-State
2
Union College
(KY)
$10,250.00
All Students
3
Emporia State University
(KS)
$10,890.00
All Students
4
University of West Florida
(FL)
$11,538.00
$31,327.20
In-State
Out-of-State
5
Texas A & M University-Texarkana
(TX)
$11,842.55
$27,540.50
In-State
Out-of-State
6
Eastern Washington University
(WA)
$12,600.00
All Students
7
Marshall University
(WV)
$12,780.00
All Students
8
The University of Texas Permian Basin
(TX)
$12,815.64
All Students
9
University of Houston-Victoria
(TX)
$14,084.16
$26,324.16
In-State
Out-of-State
10
Northern State University
(SD)
$14,113.50
All Students
10
University of South Dakota
(SD)
$14,113.50
All Students
12
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(TX)
$14,216.60
All Students
13
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
(LA)
$14,400.00
All Students
14
Dominican University
(IL)
$14,430.00
All Students
15
American Public University System
(WV)
$14,450.00
$9,350.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
16
Southern Utah University
(UT)
$14,550.00
All Students
17
Colorado State University-Global Campus
(CO)
$15,000.00
All Students
18
Wilmington University
(DE)
$15,220.00
All Students
19
SUNY College at Old Westbury
(NY)
$15,270.00
$30,030.00
In-State
Out-of-State
20
University of North Alabama
(AL)
$15,750.00
All Students
21
Mississippi State University
(MS)
$15,937.50
All Students
22
Shorter University
(GA)
$16,125.00
All Students
23
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
(NC)
$16,172.20
$24,870.40
In-State
Out-of-State
24
Boise State University
(ID)
$16,375.00
All Students
25
Kent State University
(OH)
$16,440.00
$16,740.00
In-State
Out-of-State
26
University of Wyoming
(WY)
$16,500.00
All Students
27
Lindenwood University
(MO)
$16,775.00
All Students
28
University of South Alabama
(AL)
$16,965.00
All Students
29
Georgia Southern University
(GA)
$17,370.00
All Students
30
Texas A & M University - Commerce
(TX)
$17,376.00
$32,064.00
In-State
Out-of-State
31
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
(NY)
$17,604.18
$20,706.18
In-State
Out-of-State
32
Averett University
(VA)
$17,675.00
All Students
33
University of the Potomac
(DC)
$17,750.00
All Students
34
Weber State University
(UT)
$17,782.40
$18,646.50
In-State
Out-of-State
35
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
(ME)
$17,805.00
All Students
36
Plymouth State University
(NH)
$18,030.00
$23,130.00
In-State
Out-of-State
37
Liberty University
(VA)
$18,046.00
$8,350.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
38
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
(IL)
$18,375.90
All Students
39
Bemidji State University
(MN)
$18,522.30
All Students
40
University of Maryland Global Campus
(MD)
$18,734.00
$24,314.00
In-State
Out-of-State
41
Pennsylvania Western University
(PA)
$18,768.00
$20,358.00
$15,258.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Military
42
University of Colorado Denver
(CO)
$18,780.00
$21,930.00
In-State
Out-of-State
43
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
(MA)
$19,020.00
All Students
44
Kansas State University
(KS)
$19,278.00
All Students
45
Colorado Christian University
(CO)
$19,350.00
All Students
46
Gardner-Webb University
(NC)
$19,550.00
All Students
46
Adrian College
(MI)
$19,550.00
All Students
48
Keystone College
(PA)
$19,600.00
All Students
49
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
(MA)
$19,770.00
All Students
50
Post University
(CT)
$19,850.00
All Students
51
Northern Kentucky University
(KY)
$20,070.00
All Students
52
Indiana Wesleyan University
(IN)
$20,124.00
$15,093.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
53
Franklin University
(OH)
$20,185.00
$16,165.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
54
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
(MN)
$20,250.00
$18,225.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
55
Ottawa University
(KS)
$20,265.00
All Students
56
Clarion University of Pennsylvania (part of Pennsylvania Western University)
Master of Science in Accounting AACSB,14
(PA)
$20,298.00
$23,103.00
In-State
Out-of-State
57
Thomas Edison State University
(NJ)
$20,338.00
All Students
58
Northwest Nazarene University
(ID)
$20,575.00
All Students
59
University of Memphis
(TN)
$20,730.00
All Students
60
Cambridge College
(MA)
$20,810.00
$16,320.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
61
Merrimack College
(MA)
$20,890.00
All Students
62
Caldwell University
(NJ)
$21,190.00
All Students
63
California Baptist University
(CA)
$21,570.00
All Students
64
Minnesota State University-Mankato
(MN)
$22,666.80
All Students
65
Southern New Hampshire University
Master of Science in Accounting / Auditing ACBSP,14
Master of Science in Accounting / Forensic Accounting ACBSP,14
Master of Science in Accounting / Taxation ACBSP,14
Master of Science in Accounting / Management Accounting ACBSP,14
(NH)
$22,722.00
$17,070.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
66
Regent University
(VA)
$22,900.00
$17,837.50
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
67
Edgewood College
(WI)
$22,920.00
All Students
68
Cabrini University (School Closed)
Master of Accounting 14
(PA)
$23,005.00
All Students
69
Saint Leo University
(FL)
$23,010.00
All Students
70
New England College
(NH)
$23,040.00
All Students
71
Bellevue University
(NE)
$23,060.00
All Students
72
Brenau University
(GA)
$23,490.00
All Students
73
University of New Haven
(CT)
$23,760.00
All Students
74
University of Nevada - Reno
(NV)
$23,885.00
All Students
75
Fontbonne University (School Closing)
Master of Science in Accounting ACBSP,14
(MO)
$24,000.00
All Students
76
Utica University
(NY)
$24,030.00
$21,705.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
77
Franklin Pierce University
(NH)
$24,140.00
All Students
78
University of Hartford
(CT)
$24,540.00
All Students
79
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
(MA)
$24,707.00
All Students
80
Curry College
(MA)
$24,750.00
All Students
81
Florida Atlantic University
(FL)
$24,999.90
All Students
82
University of Akron
(OH)
$25,000.00
All Students
83
Stevenson University
(MD)
$25,020.00
All Students
84
Nichols College
(MA)
$25,350.00
All Students
85
University of Missouri-Columbia
(MO)
$25,623.00
All Students
86
Bay Path University
(MA)
$25,650.00
All Students
87
California State University-San Bernardino
(CA)
$25,815.28
$38,883.28
In-State
Out-of-State
88
University of Michigan-Flint
(MI)
$25,905.50
$32,055.50
In-State
Out-of-State
89
California State University-Sacramento
(CA)
$26,292.00
$38,964.00
In-State
Out-of-State
NOTE: The following schools did not make our Best Buy ranking but are also great online options.
School / DegreeStatePriceNote
Southern New Hampshire University
Master of Science in Accounting & Finance ACBSP,14
(NH)
$26,484.00
$19,890.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
University of Scranton
(PA)
$26,850.00
All Students
Northern Illinois University
(IL)
$27,116.76
All Students
Western Governors University
(UT)
$27,180.00
All Students
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(IL)
$27,200.00
All Students
Walsh College
(MI)
$27,270.00
All Students
Auburn University
(AL)
$27,315.00
All Students
Albertus Magnus College
(CT)
$27,360.00
All Students
University of Connecticut
(CT)
$27,750.00
All Students
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
(TX)
$28,124.00
$67,660.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Portland State University
(OR)
$28,340.00
$35,585.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Maryville University
(MO)
$28,450.00
All Students
University of Delaware
(DE)
$28,500.00
All Students
Western New England University
(MA)
$28,500.00
All Students
Davenport University
(MI)
$28,520.00
All Students
Pennsylvania State University
(PA)
$28,530.00
All Students
Ohio University
(OH)
$28,620.00
$29,190.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Florida International University
(FL)
$29,414.00
All Students
Regis University
(CO)
$29,740.00
All Students
University of New Haven
(CT)
$30,300.00
All Students
University of Arizona
(AZ)
$30,632.00
All Students
Rider University
(NJ)
$30,650.00
All Students
National University
(CA)
$30,740.00
All Students
Fairleigh Dickinson University
(NJ)
$30,878.00
All Students
Stetson University
(FL)
$31,500.00
All Students
Nova Southeastern University
(FL)
$31,980.00
All Students
Florida Atlantic University
(FL)
$32,000.10
All Students
University of Oklahoma
(OK)
$32,505.00
All Students
University of Cincinnati
(OH)
$33,000.00
$33,450.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Golden Gate University
(CA)
$33,140.00
$14,690.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
Loyola University Maryland
(MD)
$33,150.00
All Students
Pennsylvania State University
(PA)
$33,630.00
All Students
Roosevelt University
(IL)
$34,068.00
All Students
Saint Joseph's University
(PA)
$34,200.00
All Students
Rutgers University
(NJ)
$34,220.00
$34,070.00
In-State
Out-of-State
George Mason University
(VA)
$34,740.00
All Students
Norwich University
(VT)
$37,725.00
All Students
Golden Gate University
(CA)
$37,940.00
$14,690.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
Rutgers University
(NJ)
$38,840.00
All Students
Suffolk University
(MA)
$38,961.00
All Students
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
(NC)
$39,020.94
$69,891.67
In-State
Out-of-State
Seton Hall University
(NJ)
$40,500.00
All Students
Pace University
(NY)
$41,490.00
All Students
St. John's University
(NY)
$42,500.00
All Students
St. John's University
(NY)
$43,860.00
All Students
University of Denver
(CO)
$44,064.00
All Students
Villanova University
(PA)
$46,500.00
All Students
University of Alabama at Birmingham
(AL)
$48,720.00
All Students
Northeastern University
(MA)
$49,200.00
All Students
DePaul University
(IL)
$50,692.00
All Students
Syracuse University
(NY)
$52,020.00
All Students
Bentley University
(MA)
$52,750.00
All Students
DePaul University
(IL)
$52,896.00
All Students
American University
(DC)
$54,520.00
All Students
University of Southern California
(CA)
$62,927.00
All Students
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(NC)
$69,425.00
All Students
University of Miami
(FL)
$70,916.00
All Students

Accreditation & Program Notes

To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.

14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
AACSB  AACSB International
IACBE  International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
ACBSP  Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs

Rankings Note

These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter 2021 review of regionally accredited online master’s in accounting. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online master degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.

The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.

Editorial Note

Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a master’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.

These rankings of the cheapest online schools for accounting may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best online master’s in accounting for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.

Career Guide: Online Master’s in Accounting

An online master’s in accounting is the perfect choice for anyone who wants an engaging career supported by a high-quality, reliable education. These programs are not only convenient and affordable, they lead to world-class careers that bring a high income from a stable industry.

What to Expect from an Online Master’s in Accounting Program

Accounting is simply the process of recording and summarizing a business or individual’s financial activity. Accounting can certainly be a difficult field to study, but it’s also one of the most in-demand careers in the entire job market.

These programs are master’s degrees, which means you’ll need the appropriate bachelor’s degree to gain entry. You’ll need to have completed an accounting to be eligible for a master’s program. Accounting, however, may not be the only option. Some of these master’s programs may accept students who have bachelor’s degrees in finance or even a business degree with an accounting major. If your undergraduate degree is not in accounting, talk with the school’s enrollment office to see if your previous education will qualify.

There are a variety of accounting-related courses you will take in these programs, but they are all intended to deepen your understanding of money, budgeting, taxes, and record keeping. Many of the course will driven by learning hard skills and facts about accounting. Classes like advanced auditing and corporate tax law, for example, will build specific skills. Other classes may be more theoretical and open to interpretation. Financial-reporting theory and accounting ethics, for example, help you think about accounting in a deeper level.

Why Not Just Stop with a Bachelor’s in Accounting?
As we will discuss below, many accounting and finance careers only require a bachelor’s degree. So why bother with more education? Why take the extra two years to complete a master’s degree? Because these programs take a deep dive into accounting. They build your understanding of accounting practices, giving you more ways to boost your critical thinking and analytical skills.

Is this is Same as Finance?
“Finance” and “accounting” are two similar but distinct academic areas. Both, of course, deal with money and involve the recording of financial activity. Accounting, however, focuses on creating an accurate record of financial activity and presenting this information. Finance, on the other hand, focuses on long-term financial planning, fiscal forecasts, and planning strategy. In a simplified explanation, accounting records the past, while financing plans for the future.

Best Careers With an Accounting Education

Accountant

  • Salary: $73,560
  • Education: Bachelor’s
  • Experience: None

In this career, you will be responsible for preparing and examining financial records. You’ll review statements for accuracy, compute taxes, inspect accounting books, and perform many other tasks that ensure financial records are accurate.

The median pay, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $73,560, which is well above the national median. However, with a master’s degree, you can likely expect a larger salary. The top 10% in this career earn over $128,000 a year, and accountants with a master’s degree have a better chance at earning these higher incomes.

Financial Advisor

  • Salary: $89,330
  • Education: Bachelor’s degree
  • Experience: None

While a degree in finance may seem like the appropriate education for this career, an online master’s in accounting would certainly be a good path as well. This career helps people plan for their future, allowing them to create strong financial foundations that provides a comfortable retirement. These professionals are often self-employed, so the income potential is limited only by how hard (and how much) you want to work.

An online master’s in accounting provides a reliable path to this career, but you may need classes in financial planning, insurance, investments, and other financial topics. Combined with the skills of an accountant, these classes could make you an important advisor for numerous businesses and individuals.

Licensing & Certification Requirements for Accountants

Many business careers don’t require state licensing. To be a company manager, for example, you don’t need to be licensed. Accounting and financial careers, however, are an exception. Take accounting as an example; if you are going to work as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you will need to be licensed through the state where you work. This certification will come through the state’s board of accountancy.

Financing careers often need financing as well. If you are going to be a financial advisor who buys and sells investments on a client’s behalf, or sells insurance to clients, you’ll need specific licensing.

Certification, while not always required, can boost your career. Certification through programs like the the Institute of Internal Auditors for accountants or the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards for advisors could increase your career options and earnings.