Key Takeaways:
- Our #1 ranking school for an accelerated online master’s in accounting is Western Governors University, followed by Liberty University.
- Accelerated master’s programs can be completed in as little as 8 months, allowing students to quickly return to work.
- Programs are ranked based on the cost and speed of completion, providing students with efficient educational value.
Looking for the best accelerated master’s in accounting online programs? This list ranks the top 25 programs that offer great value and a faster path to earning your degree. While more online accounting master’s degrees have become available in recent years, many still take two or more years to finish. The programs we highlight here can be completed in as little as eight months and no more than 18 months, so you can quickly advance your career.
An online master’s degree in accounting is essential for earning top certifications and advancing to the highest levels in the field. Whether you aim to become a CPA, work in finance, or even join the FBI as an investigator, an online accounting master’s degree can open up many opportunities. Investing in a fast, affordable master’s in accounting is a smart move for anyone ready to take the next step in their career.
Featured Programs
Methodology for an Accelerated Accounting Degree Online
This ranking defines value as featuring two components. First, the speed at which the degree can be earned, and second, the cost of the degree. Thus, all the programs ranked here can be completed in under 18 months and have been ranked according to their cost.
Information on the sources used in this article can be found at the bottom of the page.
Reviewing Your Top Accelerated Accounting Degree Online Options
#1. Western Governors University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Not only does WGU offer the flexibility to complete this degree fast, but the faster you complete it, the cheaper the degree. This is because WGU charges by semester, not by credit. Some of the courses in this program are advanced financial accounting, management communication, financial management, governmental and nonprofit accounting, and fraud and forensic accounting.
Tuition: $6,500
#2. Liberty University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Graduates from Liberty University’s ACBSP-accredited online master’s in accounting program have secured positions such as audit accountant, CPA, finance manager, and tax auditor. This degree can be completed in as little as one year.
Students will take classes such as Advanced Business Law for Accountants, Strategic Leadership and Executive Management, Managerial Finance, and International Business.
Tuition: $7,781
#3. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Online Master of Accountancy
Applicants who meet the fast-track requirements for Saint Joseph’s College of Maine’s online master’s in accounting can shave requirements down to 30 credits and complete the program in just one year. Requirements include a 2.5 GPA and undergraduate coursework in financial accounting, managerial accounting, business finance, macroeconomics, and federal income taxes.
Tuition: $8,576
#4. Saint Leo University
Online Master of Business Administration in Accounting
Students in the one-year MBA fast-track program can choose one additional concentration, in addition to accounting, subject to faculty approval. The 36-credit online MBA in accounting program at Saint Leo is split evenly between accounting and MBA courses.
Accounting courses in this program are fraud examination, advanced cost accounting, business law and the accountant, and accounting theory.
Tuition: $8,730
#5. Colorado State University Global
Online Master of Professional Accounting
Instead of tying graduate students to a fixed schedule, CSU Global offers monthly starts for its eight-week terms. Every class is offered every term for maximum flexibility. Students who take two courses per eight-week term can finish the degree in under a year.
Students will take courses such as Advanced Accounting, Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services, and Governmental Accounting.
Tuition: $9,000
#6. Regis University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Regis University’s online accounting master’s degree can be completed in less than one year, taking six credits per 8-week term. Students will take courses like auditing principles and procedures, the ethical and legal environment of business, interpreting accounting information, and financial and managerial accounting.
Tuition: $10,800
#7. University of Scranton
Online Master of Accountancy
The University of Scranton allows students in the AACSB-accredited online Master of Accountancy program to finish the degree in just 10 months. Students will take courses such as Effective Accounting Communication, Applied Accounting Research, Contemporary Managerial Accounting Topics, Advanced Taxation and Regulation, and Accounting Ethics: The Foundation of the Profession.
Tuition: $11,112
#8. California Baptist University
Accelerated Accounting Degree Online Master’s
The average completion time for students enrolled in the ACBSP-accredited online master’s in accounting program at CBU is just 12 months. Students in this program will take courses such as Organizational Behavior and Leadership, Financial Management, Advanced Topics in Managerial Accounting, Taxation for Business Entities, and Ethics and Professional Responsibilities for CPAs.
Tuition: $11,232
#9. Shorter University
Online Master of Accountancy
Shorter University’s accelerated online Master of Accountancy program can be completed in just 12 months. Applicants must submit a GMAT score and have maintained an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 in their last 60 undergraduate credits to be admitted to the program.
Students will take classes like financial statement analysis, corporate and partnership taxation, and business analytics and research methods.
Tuition: $12,000
#10. Davenport University
Online Master of Accountancy
Students in this IACBE-accredited online Master of Accountancy program can choose to concentrate on finance, fraud examination, internal auditing, managerial accounting, or professional accounting.
Students will take courses on advanced financial management, accounting research and communication, accounting information systems, and accounting and financial analytics. The courses can be completed in 15 to 18 months.
Tuition: $12,330
#11. Rutgers University
Online Master of Accountancy in Governmental Accounting
Rutgers University’s AACSB-accredited online Master of Accountancy in governmental accounting program can be completed in under one year. To add value, Rutgers now extends in-state tuition to all online students enrolled in this program.
Students take classes like Government Financial Analysis, Public Sector Forensic Accounting, Applied Public Finance, and Government Accounting in Public Administration.
Tuition: $16,272
#12. Stetson University
Online Master of Accountancy
Stetson University’s accelerated online Master of Accountancy degree can be completed in as little as one year. Many of the courses are designed to prepare for the CPA exam. Some of the courses are advanced auditing, data analytics for accountants, information technology and business strategy, governmental and not-for-profit, and contemporary issues and cases in managerial accounting.
Tuition: $16,336
#13. Southern New Hampshire University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Southern New Hampshire University’s online master’s in accounting program can be completed in just 15 months. Students may choose between concentrations in auditing, forensic accounting, management accounting, and taxation.
Some courses available in this program are the detection and prevention of fraudulent financial statements, federal income tax of corporations and partnerships, and cost accounting.
Tuition: $18,310
#14. Bay Path University
Accelerated Accounting Degree Online Master’s
Bay Path’s accelerated online master’s in accounting program allows students to choose between public accounting, private accounting, and forensic accounting tracks. The 30-credit program is flexible and can be completed in 8, 12, or 24 months.
Applicants are not required to submit GMAT scores. Students will take courses such as Advanced Financial Reporting, Fraud Examination, and IT for Accountants.
Tuition: $20,385
#15. Hartford University
Online Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation
Hartford University offers students an online master’s in accounting and taxation program with concentrations in taxation or financial and assurance services.
Students will take courses such as Taxation of Business Organizations, Advanced Auditing, Advanced Corporate Taxation, Financial Reporting and Analysis, and Advanced Taxation of Pass-Through Entities.
Tuition: $21,801
#16. Southern Utah University
Online Master of Accountancy
The online Master of Accountancy from SUU can be completed in just two semesters. Graduates of this program typically find work in taxation, auditing, and controllership. Students will take classes such as Accounting Practice and Theory, Tax Research and Advanced Topics, Professionalism in Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, and Business Law.
Tuition: $22,088
#17. Western New England University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Western New England University’s 30-credit online Master of Science in Accounting program can be completed in just ten months. This AACSB-accredited program features courses such as Fundamentals of Corporate and Partnership Tax, Business Analysis and Valuation, Accounting Theory and Contemporary Issues, and Municipal and Fund Accounting.
Tuition: $22,482
#18. Sacred Heart University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Sacred Heart University enables accounting students to complete their AACSB-accredited online Master of Science in Accounting in just one year, whether studying on campus or online. Students may specialize in either forensic accounting or international accounting.
Students will take courses such as Advanced Issues in Managerial Accounting, Federal Taxation, and Financial Statement Analysis.
Tuition: $23,125
#19. St. John’s University
Online M.S. in Accounting
St. John’s University offers its whole AACSB-accredited online master’s in accounting degree 100% online.
This one-year online program offers concentrations in Internal Auditing and Risk advisory services, information systems audit and control, enterprise risk management, forensic accounting and fraud examination, controllership, international financial reporting and assurance, financial services industry reporting and analysis, and accounting research.
Tuition: $23,924
#20. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Accelerated Accounting Degree Online Master’s
Of the students who graduate from the AACSB-accredited online Master of Accounting program at UNC, 98% are employed at the time of graduation.
The program can be completed in just one year and features courses such as Financial Reporting, Managerial and Cost Accounting, Tax, Auditing, Business Law, Economics, Governmental Accounting, and Business Analytics.
Tuition: $26,354
#21. Auburn University
Online Master’s in Accounting
Auburn University’s AACSB-accredited online master’s in accounting program has seen graduates take jobs as internal auditors, tax accountants, managerial accountants, financial managers, and government accountants.
Students will take courses like integrated accounting applications, research in accounting, financial analysis and valuation, and security and information assurance.
Tuition: $26,406
#22. University of Massachusetts–Amherst
Online Master of Science in Accounting
The AACSB-accredited online Master of Science in Accounting degree program can be completed in just eight months if students start in the spring or summer sessions.
Some of the courses available in this program include Writing for Accounting, Corporate Real Estate: Transactions and Valuation, Exploring Data Analytics for Accounting Professionals, and Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations.
Tuition: $28,002
#23. George Mason University
Accelerated Accounting Degree Online Master’s
Students in George Mason’s AACSB-accredited online master’s in accounting program can complete the degree in just ten months. However, students can only start this program in the fall. Students with a business degree that is not in accounting can still complete this program in 12 months. Top accounting firm KPMG considers George Mason to be among the top 50 schools from which they hire.
Tuition: $28,448
#24. University of Miami
Online Master’s in Professional Accounting
This AACSB-accredited online accounting program consists of 32 credits, with a standard completion time of 16 months. Students will take courses such as Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation, Advanced Accounting and Financial Reporting, Issues in Accounting, Managing Responsible Behavior in Organizations, and Fundamentals of Finance, Accounting, and Economics.
Tuition: $33,300
#25. Syracuse University
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Syracuse University’s accelerated online master’s in accounting program offers both 12-month and 15-month online tracks. This AACSB-accredited program offers courses such as Principles of Fraud Examination, International Accounting and Reporting, Taxes and Business Strategy, Advanced Topics in Auditing, and Financial Statement Analysis.
Tuition: $33,312
Sources
All information in this article was drawn either directly from each school’s website or the National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator database.
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