30 Most Affordable Master’s in Accounting Online: Private Colleges in 2021

30 Most Affordable Master’s in Accounting Online: Private Colleges in 2021

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Updated June 25, 2021

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In this article, we profile the 30 most affordable private non-profit colleges for online master's in accounting degrees.

Certified public accountants and auditors are some of the highest paid business occupations. To become licensed, individuals must receive 150 hours of schooling and pass the professional certification exam. In recent years, online master's in accounting programs were only offered by a few universities. But times have changed. Today, affordable online options are offered by some of the nation's top private institutions. These online master's programs are accredited and serve as preparation for eligibility to sit for the national CPA exam.

30 Most Affordable Online Master's in Accounting Programs from Private Colleges in 2021

  1. Culver-Stockton College
    Location

    Canton, MO

    Tuition

    $6000

    Culver-Stockton College's online master's in accounting degree programs include the online MBA in accounting. This uniquely designed MBA program consists of 33 credit hours and adds a specialization in accounting and finance to the graduate business degree. Classes are delivered online and include data analysis for decision making, financial reporting and analysis, global marketing strategy, global strategy, investment analysis, legal environment, managerial accounting decisions, not for profit accounting and finance, and strategic financial management. To graduate, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. U.S. News and World Report ranks Culver-Stockton as the 37th best regional college in the Midwest and the 24th best value school. According to raw affordability, Culver is our #1 pick for private non-profit colleges for online master's in accounting degrees.

  2. Gardner-Webb University
    Location

    Boiling Springs, NC

    Tuition

    $7772

    Gardner-Webb University's online master's in accounting degree program is designed to accommodate working students and busy professionals with little time to attend traditional daytime classes. The program is fully online and provides courses that meet the North Carolina State Board of Public Accountancy's 150-hour requirement for the CPA certification exam. A total of 30 semester credit hours are required. These classes include advanced auditing, advanced federal income tax, federal income tax, government and not-for-profit accounting, and managerial accounting. Major publications like U.S. News and World Report rank Gardner-Webb as a top national university in the country. Also, the online graduate business programs are ranked #75 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  3. Liberty University
    Location

    Lynchburg, VA

    Tuition

    $8430

    Liberty University offers an accredited master's in accounting online degree that can be completed 100% online. This ACBSP-accredited degree is designed to help students meet the 150 hours required to sit for the CPA examination. The program consists of 30 credit hours with courses taught and delivered completely online. Some of the required courses include auditing, corporate governance and fraudulent financial reporting, financial statement analysis, managerial finance, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic leadership and management. Admission requirements include a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and official transcripts. Major publications like U.S. News and World Report rank Liberty as a top national university Also, the online graduate business programs (including accounting) are ranked #92 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  4. Saint Joseph's College
    Location

    Standish, ME

    Tuition

    $16710

    The accredited online master of accountancy program at Saint Joseph's College is designed to prepare individuals who are seeking a career in accounting at any stage. The 30-credit program prepares future CPAs by offering classes that satisfy the 150-hour requirement for certification and licensure as a CPA. Courses run ten weeks in length and are offered in five terms. These courses include accounting information systems, advanced topics in disclosure and financial reporting, international accounting, legal environment and business law ethics, corporate financial management, and research for accounting professionals. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university with at least a 2.5 GPA. St. Joseph's is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the 136th best regional university in the North.

  5. Virginia International University
    Location

    Fairfax, VA

    Tuition

    $9344

    Virginia International University offers one of the cheapest online accounting degree programs on our list. The online master's in accounting degree consists of 36 credits and an optional CPA professional preparation course. Some of the online courses include accounting information systems, auditing, business ethics and law, financial reporting and decision-making, managerial accounting and finance, and trading and risk management. Admission to the program requires an official bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, two official recommendations from professionals who can speak to the candidate's academic abilities, and a statement of purpose. The school is accredited and offers one of the most affordable online master's in accounting programs on our list.

  6. Concordia University
    Location

    Ann Arbor, MI

    Tuition

    $10290

    Concordia University's online accounting programs include the MBA in accounting. This program is designed to prepare students for careers as CPAs by offering courses that serve as preparation to sit for the national CPA exam. A total of 39 credits are required to complete the degree. Classes are delivered online and include a series of MBA core and accounting courses. Some of the required accounting courses include advanced auditing, database management, fraud management, government and not-for-profit accounting, mergers and acquisitions accounting, and statutory accounting. The school is IACBE-accredited and ranked with major publications like U.S. News and World Report. In fact, U.S. News ranks the institution as the 51st best regional university in the Midwest and the 59th best value school.

  7. Bellevue University
    Location

    Bellevue, NE

    Tuition

    $10335

    Bellevue University's master's in accounting online degree program is designed to equip graduates for careers in accounting. Also, all courses count toward the 150 credit hours required for the CPA exam. Courses are delivered online and taught by experienced Bellevue instructors. These courses include accounting information systems, accounting theory, advanced accounting problems, financial auditing, international accounting, and taxation of business entities. There are three required MBA courses that also must be taken. These classes include business analysis for decision making, financial management and strategy, and operations and logistics in the value chain. Bellevue is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a top regional university in the Midwest.

  8. Indiana Wesleyan University
    Location

    Marion, IN

    Tuition

    $10937

    Indiana Wesleyan University offers one of the cheapest online accounting degree programs on our list. Classes meet online and are taught by instructors with professional experience and academic credentials. The program is designed for students to earn their master's in accounting degree in just 18-26 months. Classes include accounting information systems and control, advanced auditing, advanced tax theory and research, critical thinking and business communications for accountants, ethics and business law for accountants, financial accounting theory and issues, and forensic accounting and fraud examination. Admission requires a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or better. U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as the 29th best regional university in the Midwest and 64th best value school in the country.

  9. National University
    Location

    La Jolla, CA

    Tuition

    $11232

    National University's online master of accountancy program prepares students for a wide range of accounting-related career paths. Courses are delivered entirely online and are based on the specifications of the Uniform CPA Exam. Some of the required courses include accounting for government and not-for-profit entities, accounting information systems, advanced financial accounting, cases in accounting and auditing, cost accounting, financial accounting, foundations of financial accounting, and taxation of business and other entities. Admission requires an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, as well as a completed application. Major publications like U.S. News and World Report rank National University as a top regional university in the West. Also, the online graduate business programs are ranked #89 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  10. Regis University
    Location

    Denver, CO

    Tuition

    $11250

    Regis University's online accounting programs include the accelerated master's in accounting, designed for working and busy professionals. This program is also ideal for those interested in preparing to sit for the CPA examination. The program offers CPA exam review courses that may be taken at a discount while earning an online master's in accounting degree. All classes are delivered online and include accounting for non-profit and government organizations, accounting information systems, advanced auditing, case studies in management accounting, controllership, income tax research, and tax influence on business decision making. To apply, students must hold an undergraduate degree or have completed required coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the most recent 30 hours of accredited coursework. In some cases, GMAT or GRE score requirements may be waived. U.S. News and World Report ranks Regis as the 27th best regional university in the West and the 28th best value school. Also, the online business programs have earned recognition.

Our Methodology, Explained

Grad School Hub compiles rankings based on public data released from educational, commercial, and government databases. Sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics play a significant role in how we source our educational data. After collecting insight for each institution, we organize information into five weighted categories.
Metric Data Used Percentage
Academic Quality Full-time faculty percentage, student-to-faculty ratio, student retention and graduation rates 30%
Affordability Tuition rates, median student debt, and financial aid 10%
Reputation Admission and enrollment rates 30%
Program Offerings Number of program options 20%
Online Enrollment Score Portion of learners taking at least one online course 10%
A more comprehensive evaluation of how each category is determined and scored is accessible on our Ranking Methodology page.

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Accredited Online Master's Programs

These accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master’s or PhD programs.

This concludes our list of the 30 most affordable private non-profit colleges for online master's in accounting degrees.

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GradSchoolHub.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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