Accounting/office manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an accounting/office manager. Accounting/office managers usually study accounting, business, or finance. 47% of accounting/office managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,642 real accounting/office manager resumes to see exactly what accounting/office manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for accounting/office managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online accounting/office manager courses to help get the education required to be an accounting/office manager.

There are certain accounting/office manager certifications that you should consider. These accounting/office manager certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA).

What education do you need to become an accounting/office manager?

What degree do you need to be an accounting/office manager?

The most common degree for accounting/office managers is bachelor's degree, with 47% of accounting/office managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 30% and associate degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 47%

Associate, 30%

High School Diploma, 10%

Master's, 7%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become an accounting/office manager?

You should major in accounting to become an accounting/office manager. 44% of accounting/office managers major in accounting. Other common majors for an accounting/office manager include business and finance.

Accounting, 44%

Business, 31%

Finance, 3%

Psychology, 2%

Other Majors, 20%

Most common colleges for accounting/office managers

Accounting/office managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Houston, and Northeastern University. Here are the most common colleges for accounting/office managers in the US based on their resumes.

Accounting/office manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	35.87%
University of Houston	6.38%
Northeastern University	4.86%
Strayer University	4.26%
Monroe College	3.95%

Show more common accounting/office manager colleges

Best majors for accounting/office managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	44.1%
2	Business	30.6%
3	Finance	3.1%
4	Psychology	2.5%
5	Management	1.9%

Show more common accounting/office manager majors

Best colleges for accounting/office managers

The best colleges for accounting/office managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University.

An accounting/office manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for accounting/office managers. 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 accounting/office managers.

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 Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Enrollment

14,629

10. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville

Morrisville, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,670

Enrollment

2,758

20 best online courses for accounting/office managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for accounting/office managers

The most affordable schools for accounting/office managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for accounting/office managers 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 accounting/office managers.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

8. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for accounting/office managers

The hardest universities for accounting/office managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University.

Some great schools for accounting/office managers 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 accounting/office managers 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

9. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

10. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for accounting/office managers

The easiest schools for accounting/office managers to get into are D'Youville College, gwynedd mercy university, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an accounting/office manager 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 accounting/office managers.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

7. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

8. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

9. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

10. Lewis-Clark State College

Lewiston, ID • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,009

Average accounting/office manager salary by education level

Accounting/office managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $72,667 annually. With a Master's degree, accounting/office managers earn a median annual income of $67,601 compared to $59,383 for accounting/office managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Accounting/office manager education level	Accounting/office manager salary
Master's Degree	$67,601
High School Diploma or Less	$49,993
Bachelor's Degree	$59,383
Doctorate Degree	$72,667
Some College/ Associate Degree	$51,851

Accounting/office manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Accounting/Office Managers?

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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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