Accountant education requirements

Q: Is a master's in accounting worth it?

Yes, a master's in accounting is worth it. A master's in accounting can increase pay and boost your opportunities for different career paths. Generally, the higher positions in accounting require the additional specialization and skill that comes with completing a master's in accounting.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an accountant. Accountants usually study accounting, business, or finance. 71% of accountants hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 107,439 real accountant resumes to see exactly what accountant education sections show.

The most common colleges for accountants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online accountant courses to help get the education required to be an accountant.

There are certain accountant certifications that you should consider. These accountant certifications include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

What education do you need to become an accountant?

What degree do you need to be an accountant?

The most common degree for accountants is bachelor's degree, with 71% of accountants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 12%.

Bachelor's, 71%

Associate, 12%

Master's, 12%

High School Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an accountant?

You should major in accounting to become an accountant. 56% of accountants major in accounting. Other common majors for an accountant include business and finance.

Accounting, 56%

Business, 24%

Finance, 7%

Economics, 2%

Other Majors, 11%

Most common colleges for accountants

Accountants often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Houston, and Strayer University. Here are the most common colleges for accountants in the US based on their resumes.

Accountant common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	22.92%
University of Houston	8.82%
Strayer University	6.22%
DeVry University	5.51%
California State University - San Bernardino	4.87%

Show more common accountant colleges

Best majors for accountants

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	55.6%
2	Business	24.2%
3	Finance	7.3%
4	Economics	2.0%
5	Management	1.4%

Show more common accountant majors

Best colleges for accountants

The best colleges for accountants are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

An accountant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for accountants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become accountants.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

20 best online courses for accountants

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Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

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4.5

(875)

Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...

7. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course

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(1,604)

Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...

8. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

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20. Accounting Made Easy: A Quick Guide to Financial Accounting

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Top 10 most affordable universities for accountants

The most affordable schools for accountants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for accountants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for accountants.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for accountants

The hardest universities for accountants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for accountants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for accountants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for accountants

The easiest schools for accountants to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an accountant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for accountants.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

8. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average accountant salary by education level

Accountants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $62,344 annually. With a Master's degree, accountants earn a median annual income of $60,892 compared to $56,183 for accountants with an Bachelor's degree.

Accountant education level	Accountant salary
Master's Degree	$60,892
Bachelor's Degree	$56,183
Doctorate Degree	$62,344

Accountant education FAQs

Is a master's in accounting worth it?

What is the best college for Accountants?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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