Accounting is one of those professions where your school\u2019s reputation really matters. As you weigh your education options, you need to know which schools your future prospective employers think highly of when it comes to recruiting.<\/p>\n
Our list of the top 10 accounting degree programs draws from national rankings, achievements and reputations to present you with everything you need to know about the best accounting schools in the United States. The list includes public schools to private schools, institutions with various religious affiliations, and schools at every price point from $5,000 to $50,000 per year. Each of these colleges and universities is accredited and highly accomplished, so the real question is, which school is right for you?<\/p>\n
One of the largest universities in the United States holds the distinction of being the nation\u2019s best accounting school, according to U.S. News & World Report<\/a>. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution that has repeatedly earned recognition from publications like Forbes<\/a> and Kiplinger for providing a great education at a great value \u2013 especially for in-state students. It\u2019s held the top spot on U.S. News & World Report\u2019s undergraduate accounting programs list for seven years now.<\/p>\n Not only are UT\u2019s accounting programs ranked the best in the nation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, but its undergraduate and graduate business programs as a whole earned high marks, too. The accounting department at the University of Texas at Austin\u2019s McCombs School of Business offers degree programs at the bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s and Ph.D. levels.<\/p>\n The typical undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree. Through a minimum of 21 credits of accounting coursework, this program prepares students for work in the private sector or with government agencies. Students in this program take undergraduate accounting classes<\/a> in accounting foundations and fundamentals, managerial and financial accounting, financial statement analysis, auditing, taxation and accounting career options. They can also conduct independent research and gain hands-on experience through practicum and internship opportunities. The school also offers a finance degree program that includes an emphasis in accounting, with both corporate and financial institution tracks available. Beyond the undergraduate degree, students can pursue a Master in Professional Accounting<\/a> (MPA) degree or a Ph.D.<\/p>\n Location: Austin, TX<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 39,523 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $10,738 in-state or $38,126 out-of-state<\/strong><\/p>\n Another public institution, the University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign, takes the second-in-the-nation spot on U.S. News & World Report<\/a>\u2019s rankings, and on our top 10 list. The College of Business<\/a> at the University of Illinois offers four accounting degrees at various levels of study:<\/p>\n All programs offered under the University of Illinois Department of Accountancy emphasize a number of factors, such as:<\/p>\n The four-year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy program includes coursework in subjects such as:<\/p>\n For students who aspire to take the certified public accountant (CPA) exam, the one-year Master of Accounting Science (MAS) program provides the required fifth year of study and expands students\u2019 foundational accounting knowledge. MAS students can choose a concentration to pursue in detail, such as finance, taxation, supply chain management, business and public policy, corporate governance and information technology.<\/p>\n Location: Champaign, IL<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 32,579 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $15,636 in-state or $30,796 out-of-state<\/strong><\/p>\n The school that ranks third on U.S. News & World Report<\/a>\u2019s undergraduate accounting rankings list also happens to be the most affordable of the top 10 schools. Brigham Young University at Provo is a private, religious institution. The school\u2019s affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its strict honor code mean it\u2019s not the right fit for every student. However, an annual tuition rate of just $5,150 for members of the Mormon Church and $10,300 for non-members makes the university a great value.<\/p>\n The BS Accountancy program at Brigham Young University is part of the Marriott School of Management<\/a> and, more narrowly, the School of Accountancy<\/a>. Students in the undergraduate accounting program take courses in accounting, business, management and economics, such as:<\/p>\n For graduate students, Brigham Young University also offers a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program. Students of this program can choose from a variety of emphasis options, including Professional Stem or Tax Stem, an Accounting Information Systems track, a Ph.D. prep program and a dual degree option that awards a Juris Doctor (law school degree) along with the MAcc.<\/p>\n Location: Provo, UT<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 26,674 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $5,150 for members of the Mormon Church or $10,300 for non-members<\/strong><\/p>\n Another private, religious institution with a top-ranked accounting program is the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. The school, tied for fourth place on U.S. News & World Report<\/a>\u2019s undergraduate accounting programs list, is known for its Catholic affiliation and \u201cFighting Irish\u201d sports teams, particularly football. Bloomberg Businessweek<\/a> has repeatedly ranked the University of Notre Dame\u2019s undergraduate business program the best in the nation.<\/p>\n Accountancy<\/a> is one of five majors offered by Notre Dame\u2019s Mendoza College of Business<\/a> and one of 65 total undergraduate majors. Accounting students take introductory through advanced courses in accounting, including classes like:<\/p>\n A unique Decision Processes in Accounting course helps students develop their problem-solving skills. Students also attain hands-on work experience preparing tax returns as part of the school\u2019s Tax Assistance Program for low-income individuals. Besides the technical, analytical and business skills necessary for accounting success, the accountancy program at Notre Dame also emphasizes soft skills necessary for success, including communication, teamwork and professional responsibility. Despite it being a four-year program, the majority of Notre Dame undergraduate accounting students are able to strategically use \u201cAP credits and overloads\u201d to meet the 150 semester hours requirement to attain a CPA license without<\/em> having to spend another year in school.<\/p>\n If you begin your education at Notre Dame, chances are good that you\u2019ll want to stay their throughout your studies. The school has a 98 percent freshman retention rate, U.S. News reported, which means very few students transfer to another school or drop out. The University of Notre Dame also had one of the best six-year graduation rates of all schools on the list, with 96 percent of students attaining their degrees.<\/p>\n Location: Notre Dame, IN<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 8,448 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition and fees: $47,929<\/strong><\/p>\n Tied with Notre Dame for fourth place on U.S. News & World Report<\/a>\u2019s accounting rankings list is the University of Pennsylvania. This Philadelphia-based Ivy League school known for its famous founder, Benjamin Franklin, is another institution with extraordinarily high freshman retention and six-year graduation rates \u2013 98 and 96 percent respectively.<\/p>\n Accounting studies at the University of Pennsylvania fall within the territory of the Wharton School<\/a>, which happens to be the first collegiate business school in the world<\/a>. Students at the Wharton School graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree. Instead of \u201cmajors,\u201d students pursue \u201cconcentrations<\/a>\u201d within that broader economics program, which they usually don\u2019t declare until the end of their sophomore years of study. Students in the accounting concentration<\/a> complete coursework in subjects such as:<\/p>\n If this school sounds like the right choice for you, make sure your application shines. The University of Pennsylvania happens to be the most selective school in the top 10 accounting programs list, accepting just 10.4 percent of applicants. This selectivity allows the school to have a faculty to student ration of just five to one, which translates to personal attention and small class sizes for non-lecture hall courses.<\/p>\n Location: Philadelphia, PA<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 10,406 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition and fees: $49,536<\/strong><\/p>\n The University of Southern California (USC), sixth on U.S. News & World Report<\/a>\u2019s undergraduate accounting programs list, is another school with a high freshman retention rate \u2013 97 percent. Accounting students at the private research university are part of the Leventhal School of Accounting, itself part of the Marshall School of Business. The curriculum emphasizes technical proficiency, real-world style teamwork and communication, critical-thinking and analytical skills. Students can learn about global business practices both in the classroom and, if desired, through study abroad opportunities.<\/p>\n For ambitious students who already know they want to go to grad school, USC\u2019s Progressive Master\u2019s Degree program allows undergraduate students to get a head start on earning advanced degrees. In a total of five years, they can graduate with both their bachelor\u2019s degree in accounting and either a Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree or a Master of Business Taxation (MBT) degree.<\/p>\n Besides its top-notch accounting program and its status as top national university, most innovative school and best value school, USC is known for its extracurricular activities. More than 3,500 students take part in Greek life in one of the 60+ fraternity and sorority chapters. All told, the school boasts more than 700 student organizations<\/a> of various kinds, so there\u2019s something for every student and every interest.<\/p>\n Location: Los Angeles, CA<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 19,000 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $49,464<\/strong><\/p>\n In spite of the odds, Indiana schools actually snagged two spots on the top 10 list. The Indiana University at Bloomington placed seventh on U.S. News and World Report<\/a>\u2019s rankings. With in-state tuition at just $10,388 a year, the school is an especially great value for Indiana residents.<\/p>\n Indiana University is home to more than 550 degree programs<\/a> at every level from bachelor\u2019s to doctoral. All of the university\u2019s five accounting programs \u2013 the B.S., M.S., M.B.A., M.P.A. and D.B.A. degrees \u2013 are part of IU’s\u00a0Kelley School of Business<\/a>. At the heart of a business education at Indiana University is the Integrative Core<\/a> (I-Core), a group of four courses taken over the course of one semester that emphasize the interrelated aspects of business, real-world decision-making and intensive teamwork experiences. Accounting<\/a> students, in particular, will take introductory through advanced classes in subjects such as:<\/p>\n If the Indiana University accounting curriculum sounds like the right choice for you, there\u2019s good news. This university had the highest acceptance rate of any school in the undergraduate accounting top 10, admitting 76.1 percent of applicants.<\/p>\n Location: Bloomington, IN<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 38,364 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $10,388 in-state and $33,740 out-of-state<\/strong><\/p>\n Eighth on the U.S. News & World Report<\/a> undergraduate accounting rankings is another school with an extraordinary record of retaining its freshmen students. The University of Michigan has been around since 1817. In addition to being ranked among the top public schools and the most innovative schools, the university prides itself on small class sizes, with a 15-to-1 faculty to student ration and fewer than 50 students in 84 percent of undergraduate classes.<\/p>\n Undergraduate accounting students at the University of Michigan will graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration<\/a> (BBA) degree from the Ross School of Business<\/a>. However, core courses in accounting concepts and financial and managerial accounting provide students with a strong background. Students can then choose to use their elective courses to delve deeper into specific tracks<\/a> like public accounting, consulting, finance and general management.<\/p>\n As if the highly-ranked academics aren\u2019t enough of a reason to consider the University of Michigan, students are also drawn to what\u2019s outside the classroom. The school is home to upwards of 1,000 research opportunities for students in various fields. There are also 60 sororities and fraternities and more than 1,400 total organizations on campus for students to take part in. Then there\u2019s the location. Ann Arbor is \u201cone of the best college towns in the country,\u201d according to U.S. News & World Report.<\/p>\n Location: Ann Arbor, MI<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 27,027 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $13,856 to $15,602 in-state and $43,476 to $46,528 out-of-state<\/strong><\/p>\n Ninth in the nation on U.S. News & World Report<\/a>\u2019s undergrad accounting list is New York University, the largest private college in the country. Located in the heart of the Manhattan, the school gives students a taste of what it\u2019s like to live and learn in a bustling city like the Big Apple.<\/p>\n NYU\u2019s Leonard N. Stern School of Business<\/a> houses its undergraduate accounting program. Students in this program choose either a general accounting track<\/a> or a CPA track<\/a>. Students who complete the CPA track meet all education requirements necessary to sit for the CPA examination in New York.<\/p>\n Regardless of which track they pursue, undergrad accounting students at NYU take fundamental and advanced coursework<\/a> in subjects such as:<\/p>\n Accounting students at NYU often choose to double major or co-major in related fields like finance and information systems. Graduates of the NYU undergraduate accounting program find work<\/a> in the public and private sectors, including with the \u201cBig 4\u201d accounting firms Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young LLP, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.<\/p>\n Location: New York, NY<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 24,985 undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition: $48,282<\/strong><\/p>\n Rounding out the top 10 undergraduate accounting programs in the nation is the University of Florida. Besides being the oldest university in the state, the school is also known for its size. The 2,000 campus houses more than 900 buildings, 170 of which contain classrooms and laboratories. With an in-state tuition of just $6,310, this school is a particularly great value for Florida residents.<\/p>\n Accounting is one of more than 100 undergraduate majors available to University of Florida students. The Fisher School of Accounting<\/a>, which hosts the undergraduate program as well as four graduate-level options of study, is part of the University of Florida\u2019s Warrington College of Business<\/a>. After four years of study, students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting (BSAc) degree. They will take a combination of accounting, business core, general education and elective courses<\/a>.<\/p>\n Required business core classes include coursework in subjects like:<\/p>\n Classes required for the accounting major include:<\/p>\n Students who want to attain a graduate education can speed up the process of earning their degree with the University of Florida\u2019s \u201c3\/2 Program.\u201d This program allows students to begin their graduate studies early and earn both a bachelor\u2019s and a master\u2019s degree in just five years. Students in the 3\/2 Program can choose from auditing, taxation and generalist accounting tracks as they pursue their Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree.<\/p>\n Location: Gainesville, FL<\/strong><\/p>\n Enrollment: 33,720<\/strong> undergraduate students<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuition and fees: $6,310 in-state and $28,588 out-of-state<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Accounting is one of those professions where your school\u2019s reputation really matters. As you weigh your education options, you need to know which schools […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":46206,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"mobius_hide_qdf":false,"mobius_hide_el":false,"mobius_limit":"","mobius_degree":"bachelors","mobius_category":"business-and-management","mobius_subject":"accounting","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,9,120,86,130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accounting","category-business","category-college-selection","category-finance-2","category-undergraduate-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n2. University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign<\/h3>\n
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3. Brigham Young University–Provo<\/h3>\n
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4. University of Notre Dame<\/h3>\n
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5. University of Pennsylvania<\/h3>\n
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\u00a0<\/strong>6. University of Southern California<\/h3>\n
7. Indiana University–Bloomington<\/h3>\n
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8. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor<\/h3>\n
9. New York University<\/h3>\n
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\u00a010. University of Florida<\/h3>\n
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