Advanced accounting degrees signal expertise. They also help you qualify and prepare for the Uniform CPA Examination and other certification tests. Given these factors, an online master's in accounting may help boost your career.
Graduate degrees create appealing paths to strong returns on your educational investment. Payscale data from December 2024 cites an average base salary of $81,000 per year for professionals with a master of accounting. You can further improve your return on investment (RO) by specifically seeking an affordable program.
Start by considering average graduate school tuition rates. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the typical graduate student paid the following tuition amounts during the 2021–22 school year:
- $29,931 at private nonprofit institutions
- $14,161 at private for-profit institutions
- $12,596 at public institutions
This guide introduces multiple online master's programs in accounting with appealing affordability profiles relative to these averages. Use it to launch your search for a budget-friendly degree that may help you reach your professional goals.
Popular Online Accounting Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Cheapest Accounting Master's Programs
#1 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
UNC's online master of accounting program is open to students of all backgrounds and combines experiential learning with academic rigor. The curriculum builds managerial, communication, and leadership skills by incorporating behavioral science perspectives into its technical accounting, finance, and quantitative analysis coursework.
Students can personalize their learning by pursuing one of three concentration options: taxation, auditing, and financial analysis and reporting. All three areas are covered in the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination. Electives offer further specialization and customization opportunities.
Highlights
- Open to applicants from non-accounting backgrounds
- Reduced curriculum requirements for undergraduate accounting majors
- Offered through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB(-accredited Kenan-Flagler Business School
Considerations
- Third-highest tuition of the programs in this ranking
- Non-accounting students may need up to 36 months to complete the program
- Orientation requirement applies
Percent Online Enrollment
25%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#2 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Edinburg, TX
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
UTRGV's online master of accountancy program offers an accelerated and relatively affordable learning experience. Students pay $472 per credit for the 30-credit program, which takes graduation in 12 months.
Of the 30 required credits, 18 credits cover electives in taxation, wealth management, auditing, and fraud examination. The three-course core focuses on data analytics, professional ethics, and accounting information systems.
Program graduates meet Texas state requirements for taking the CPA exam, even for learners who did not major in accounting as undergraduates.
Highlights
- Customizable specialization opportunities
- Compact seven-week course lengths
- Accredited by AACSB
Considerations
- Failing even a single course leads to automatic dismissal
- Required capstone course carries oral and written requirements
- Leveling courses apply to students with non-accounting undergraduate majors
Percent Online Enrollment
68%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#3 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
The University of West Florida
- Pensacola, FL
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
UWF's online master of accountancy offers rigorous preparation for the CPA exam while opening doors to career paths in accounting, business, and finance. The program's track record includes the highest first-time CPA exam pass rate of any public institution in Florida and the third-highest in the entire United States.
Students also benefit from four specialization paths, with each concentration focusing on a relevant area of the CPA exam. Options include analytics, business analysis and reporting, information systems, and taxation.
The program supplements practical applied training with soft skills development. Graduates emerge with well-rounded communication skills and a strong grasp of advanced technical accounting.
Highlights
- Accredited by AACSB
- Military tuition discounts available
- All courses integrate communication and presentation skills
Considerations
- Does not meet F1 visa requirements
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 required across all upper-division undergraduate coursework
- Out-of-state students not eligible for waivers pay much higher tuition
Percent Online Enrollment
79%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#4 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
Florida International University
- Miami, FL
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
FIU's online master of accounting program uses an intensive immersion model to deliver an innovative curriculum with two concentration options. Students can choose from tracks in taxation and assurance. Both paths emphasize technical accounting skills and analytical thinking.
The 30-credit, 12-month program uses a cohort model to promote collaboration and networking, with online students gaining full access to extensive resources offered through FIU's business career services. Learners take two courses at a time, with each course lasting eight weeks.
Highlights
- Accredited by AACSB
- Built-in access to Becker CPA exam prep course
- Curriculum accommodates working professionals
Considerations
- Requires an undergraduate major in accounting or business
- Additional prerequisites and higher costs apply to non-accounting majors
- Highest tuition of any program in this ranking
Percent Online Enrollment
67%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#5 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
The University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson, TX
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
The internationally focused UT Dallas online MS in accounting program takes a multidisciplinary approach that develops accounting, financial analysis, research, and communication skills. Coursework emphasizes accounting for both the public and private sectors, with a strong focus on accounting software, assurance, internal auditing, and taxation.
Students can choose from a two-year cohort structure, or UT Dallas' self-paced "Accounting Flex" model. Both options include extensive specialization and degree customization options, including dual-degree opportunities and more than 30 available accounting electives.
Students local to the UT Dallas campus can also pursue consulting placements, which offer valuable networking and experiential learning opportunities.
Highlights
- Program aligned with Institute of Certified Public Accountants proficiency standards
- Supports CPA, certified management accountant, and certified internal auditor licensure/certification
- Lowest-cost program featured in this ranking
Considerations
- Cohort program offers fall admissions only
- Students with non-accounting undergraduate degrees have limited concentration options
- Must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all coursework to qualify for graduation
Percent Online Enrollment
36%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#6 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
California State University, San Bernardino
- San Bernardino, CA
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
CSUSB's online MS in accountancy covers 33 semester credits, including core and elective requirements, plus a three-unit culminating experience. This structure builds skills in financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and accounting information systems while supporting extensive customization options.
For the culminating experience, students can choose from a capstone-style project or a comprehensive accounting examination. The latter option offers particularly relevant preparation for licensure and certification-track accounting exams.
CSUSB considers applicants from diverse academic backgrounds. However, program candidates must submit GMAT/GRE scores or transcripts from an AACSB-accredited bachelor's program.
Highlights
- Self-designed concentrations available through independent study courses
- Extensive built-in CPA exam prep requirements
- Waivers available for relevant professional experience
Considerations
- Up to eight prerequisite courses may be required
- "C" grade or better required in all courses
- Cannot retake a failed culminating experience without a successful academic petition
Percent Online Enrollment
72%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
#7 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Champaign, IL
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
UIUC's iMSA program has a strong analytics focus and develops technical skills through hands-on learning. Delivered through a Coursera partnership, the program emphasizes fundamentals, including financial accounting, auditing, reporting, and taxation.
Students can also build microcredentials into their degrees. Options include a concentration in accounting analytics, plus any of UIUC's graduate accounting certificate pathways.
Highlights
- Self-paced coursework
- Qualify for advanced standing in a UIUC MBA program
Considerations
- Synchronous delivery model
- Tuition costs vary depending on selected electives
- Time commitment of 10-15 hours per class per week
Percent Online Enrollment
62%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Higher Learning Commission
#8 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
California State University, Sacramento
- Sacramento, CA
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
The CSUS online MS in accountancy trains students in all areas covered on the CPA exam. It also offers flexibility: Students take one six-week course at a time, proceeding the curriculum in an asynchronous fully online format. This accelerated structure leads to graduation in 18 months.
CSUS uses a variety of innovative multimedia tools to enhance learning, supplementing traditional didactics with external learning materials, live instructor availability, and online skills assessments. With a total tuition of $22,000, the program is also comparatively affordable and positions graduates for strong returns on their educational investment.
Highlights
- All courses available year round
- Accredited by AACSB
- Open to non-accounting, non-business undergraduate majors
Considerations
- Merit-based scholarships no longer available to new students
- Professional accounting experience recommended (but not required)
- Minimum "B" grade required in pre-accounting foundational course
Percent Online Enrollment
62%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
#9 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Raleigh, NC
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
What You Should Know
NC State Online's master of accounting program delivers a professionally oriented learning experience in a self-guided, self-paced format. The program's core curriculum offers specialization tracks in business and industry or public accounting, plus additional specializations in information technology, risk management, and tax strategy.
The 31-credit curriculum was specifically designed for early-to-mid-career business professionals from accounting or non-accounting backgrounds. Students can graduate in one year or as many as six years. NC State offers summer and fall start dates.
Highlights
- Above-average first-time CPA exam pass rate (74% vs. 53% nationally)
- Personalized, goal-oriented career counseling available
- Convenient prerequisite program for non-accounting majors
Considerations
- GMAT scores required
- Information technology, risk management, and tax strategy specializations each require 2-3 additional courses
- Highly competitive admission process
Percent Online Enrollment
46%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#10 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Programs 2025
Northern Illinois University
- Dekalb, IL
- 4 years
- Online
What You Should Know
NIU's online master of accountancy program is specifically designed for learners with bachelor's degrees in non-accounting fields. Students take two courses per semester and proceed through coursework at their own pace. The part-time program offers a path to graduation in two years. Graduates meet Illinois educational requirements for taking the CPA exam.
Twenty-seven of the program's 33 required credits cover fundamental core requirements in financial reporting, accounting information systems, taxation, assurance, and analytics. As a result, alumni pass the CPA exam at rates that exceed both Illinois and national averages.
Highlights
- Accredited by AACSB
- Ideal for career changers and advancement-minded professionals
- Access accounting career fairs attended by recruiters from more than 50 employers
Considerations
- $834 per credit makes this one of the costlier programs featured in this ranking
- No concentration options
- GMAT or GRE scores required for applicants with undergraduate GPAs below 2.75
Percent Online Enrollment
67%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Higher Learning Commission
Accounting.com ranks the best accounting degrees using reputable sources such as the U.S. Department of Education. We build our rankings with four main metrics in mind: academics, cost, reputation, and program availability. We also consider subfactors like retention rate, federal aid amounts, and return on investment to help you find the right program for you.
This ranking is from 2025. Learn more about our process by visiting our school rankings methodology page.
What Factors Into an Accounting Master's Affordability?
Tuition influences a program's affordability. However, you should also consider metrics including financial aid, school location, and course delivery formats. These factors can significantly impact a program's overall costs.
This breakdown explains further:
Tuition
Graduate schools often calculate tuition on a per-credit basis. However, some charge flat rates per semester or academic year.
Both models offer certain cost advantages. The per-credit model gives you more flexibility when pacing your budget. With the flat-rate model, you might be able to save by overloading your full-time study schedule.
When comparing tuition rates, you can use NCES data as a guideline. According to the NCES Data Lab, the average annual cost of a graduate business program at a school offering fully online instruction was $6,289 in 2020. This figure covers both tuition and required fees.
Enrollment Status
By studying part time, especially in a flexible online program, you may find it easier to work while in school. Having a steady source of income will always help your budget.
However, part-time enrollment extends your graduation timeline. In addition to keeping you paying tuition longer, this delays your entry into the professional accounting workforce and the handsome salaries that can accompany it.
You may find it easier to optimize the cost benefits of working while studying part time if your school calculates tuition on a per-credit basis. Flat-rate tuition models usually look only at your enrollment status without considering the actual number of credits in your schedule. In some cases, you can end up paying more per credit by minimizing your course load.
Location
School location has many budget impacts. First, note that some (but not all) public schools offer uniform rates to all students in fully online accounting programs, regardless of location. If a public institution charges variable rates, in-state learners almost always pay significantly less.
Hybrid programs balance face-to-face with online learning, creating a flexible blend some students enjoy. However, hybrid programs prevent you from fully escaping commuting and/or parking costs.
By doing your master's in accounting online, you can avoid some of the most significant costs associated with campus-based attendance. You gain access to a much larger set of program options without the need to physically relocate. This alone could save you thousands of dollars compared to what you would pay if you moved to complete the same program in a face-to-face format.
Delivery Format
Online delivery formats offer a level of scheduling flexibility not available in traditional face-to-face learning. You can maximize these benefits by choosing a program with asynchronous course delivery. Asynchronous courses feature pre-recorded lectures, allowing you to choose where and when to engage with your learning content.
However, if you do your master's in accounting online, you may miss out on valuable experiential learning opportunities.
For instance, many accounting programs feature internship programs. Internships afford you a chance to apply your developing skills in a real-world setting while building your personal and professional networks.
Financial Aid
Private institutions usually charge higher tuition rates than their public counterparts. Using NCES data from the 2021–22 academic year, graduate students paid 238% higher tuition fees on average to attend a private nonprofit school than a public school.
However, there's more to that data than meets the eye. Private schools are known for offering generous financial aid programs, which can dramatically reduce the net price of attendance when that aid comes in non-repayable forms. In some cases, net pricing can make private schools one of the more affordable study options.
Non-repayable aid options include scholarships, fellowships, and grant programs. Repayable aid like federal and private loans creates debt, so use these financing sources as a last resort. Non-repayable aid often comes from the program or college itself, while loan awards are often tied to FAFSA completion, which may have enrollment requirements.
How Can You Pay for a Master's in Accounting Online?
If you need help paying for your online master's in accounting, start by seeking scholarships. Check to see if your chosen program or school offers specific endowments or scholarships. Then, take a look at the scholarships we've assembled here.
These non-repayable gifts reduce your education costs without creating debt, making them an ideal financing vehicle.
Many philanthropic organizations, charities, corporate programs, and private donors operate scholarship programs. The following list introduces a few of the many such funding sources available to graduate accounting students:
Scholarships for Accounting Students
PCPS George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship & Internship
- Requirements: Offered through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), this scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate accounting students. To be eligible, you must come from a diverse ethnic, racial, or cultural background and plan to pursue CPA licensure.
- Award: Up to $10,000
AICPA John L. Carey Scholarship Award
- Requirements: This AICPA scholarship program is for non-business liberal arts degree-holders who plan to study accounting at the graduate level. It is specifically designed to support non-traditional accounting graduate students who intend to pursue professional licensure as a CPA.
- Award: $5,000
Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program
- Requirements: The Deloitte Foundation offers this scholarship to students in advanced accounting programs. Eligible programs include both general accounting master's programs and graduate accounting degrees with concentrations in auditing, financial advising, or taxation. Awards cover 100% of each recipient's tuition fees for the academic year.
- Award: Varies
Making Cheap Master's Degrees Even Cheaper
Cost-conscious students can use many budgeting strategies to control their education expenses. Getting your master's in accounting online can deliver significant savings on its own. However, you can help your cause even more by pairing e-learning with other ways to save.
Explore these additional ways to reduce the costs of your college experience:
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Consider an Accelerated Program
Some graduate schools offer accelerated online master's degrees in accounting with compressed, fast-paced learning schedules. These efficient programs lead to faster graduation. Spending less time in school means you will also spend less money earning an advanced degree that could lead to a high-paying job.
-
Overload Your Schedule
As an alternative to an accelerated program, you may have the option of overloading your schedule. If your school charges flat per-semester or per-year rates, you can add courses on top of the standard full-time course load without paying extra tuition fees. This functionally reduces your per-credit rate, saving you money.
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Maximize Your Tax Advantages
Graduate degrees qualify for the federal government's Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) program. You qualify for the credit by paying tuition fees at an eligible accredited institution. The LLC program offers up to $2,000 per year in tax savings, and you can claim it an unlimited number of times.
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Rent Your Textbooks
Textbooks can cost students hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. You can reduce these costs by renting your required books instead of buying them. Similarly, you can also look for used rather than new copies of the books you need; they will cost far less.
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Consider Tuition Reimbursement
Many graduate students already hold a bachelor's degree in the field. If you do, and if you are working in a relevant job, check to see if your employer offers a tuition reimbursement program. Some employers subsidize or cover the cost of their staff members' degree upgrades as part of their benefits packages.
Will Getting Your Accounting Master's Pay Off?
By earning your master's in accounting online, you may put yourself in a position to reap career-long rewards. As the CPA Journal reports, candidates with master's degrees have "significantly" higher exam pass rates on the Uniform CPA Examination.
Payscale data from December 2024 cites an average base salary of $100,000 per year for CPAs in the United States. Meanwhile, Payscale reports that working professionals with a bachelor's degree in accounting earn an average of $81,000 per year. Over a 20-year career, that equates to about $380,000 in extra earnings without factoring in the pay raises that typically accompany advancing seniority.
You can also use other data points to estimate the potential ROI of a master's in accounting. For example, you might consider:
- The ratio of the salary increase you could secure with a master's degree and the debt you would accrue in graduate school
- Ratio relationships between your career-long earning potential and the upfront cost of your master's program
- Average salaries earned by alumni of your school's graduate accounting program, if available
Finally, consider that an advanced accounting degree could unlock access to high-level management and executive roles not normally open to professionals with only a bachelor's degree. If a career as a comptroller, treasurer, finance manager, or chief financial officer appeals to you, consider earning a graduate degree.
Common Questions About Accounting Master's Programs
It depends on your career goals. If you plan to become a CPA, a general master's degree will provide versatile coverage of essential topics. If you would rather become a specialist, choose a relevant concentration. Common options include management accounting, forensic accounting, auditing, and data analytics in accountancy.
A master's degree in accounting opens an expanded set of professional roles. You may be better prepared for the exams that lead to valuable professional certifications. Some employers also prefer candidates with advanced degrees when filling high-level, accounting-focused management and executive roles.
No. A master's in accounting exclusively covers accounting methods and professional practices. MBA degrees may include some accounting coursework, but they focus more generally on business management and administration principles.
However, note that some business schools offer MBA degrees with accounting concentrations. These programs offer stronger integration of accounting topics.
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