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Forensic accountant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a forensic accountant. Forensic accountants usually study accounting, business, or finance. 71% of forensic accountants hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 327 real forensic accountant resumes to see exactly what forensic accountant education sections show.
The most common colleges for forensic accountants are the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
There are also many online forensic accountant courses to help get the education required to be a forensic accountant.
There are certain forensic accountant certifications that you should consider. These forensic accountant certifications include Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
What education do you need to become a forensic accountant?
What degree do you need to be a forensic accountant?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a forensic accountant?
- Accounting, 54%
- Business, 20%
- Finance, 9%
- Economics, 2%
- Other Majors, 15%
Most common colleges for forensic accountants
| Forensic accountant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 9.38% |
| Florida Atlantic University | 9.38% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.81% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.25% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 6.25% |
Best majors for forensic accountants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accounting | 54.2% |
| 2 | Business | 19.6% |
| 3 | Finance | 8.8% |
| 4 | Economics | 1.9% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 1.9% |
Best colleges for forensic accountants
The best colleges for forensic accountants are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A forensic 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 forensic 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 forensic 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 forensic accountants
Advertising disclosure
1. Forensic accounting, fraud investigation and fraud analytics
The 14 hour course(50casestudies) helps to understand fraud examination, forensic audit,financial crime, data analytics...
2. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
3. Audit - Financial Statement
Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...
4. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...
5. Company Valuation & Financial Modeling
Learn comprehensive financial modeling, forecasting and business valuation techniques for Finance professionals...
6. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily
Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...
7. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow
How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement...
8. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction
Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...
9. Financial Modelling, Financial Planning and DCF Valuation
How to create a startup or existing company financial model from scratch and carry out the DCF Valuation...
10. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles
In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...
11. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
12. Financial Modeling & Valuation in Excel - Complete Course
Complete package of excel, accounting, ratio analysis, financial modeling, forecasting and business valuation techniques...
13. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course
Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...
14. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
15. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries
Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...
16. Introductory Financial Accounting
Learn the basics of Accounting including: the accounting cycle, inventory, depreciation, receivables, and more!...
17. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.
Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...
18. Digital Forensics Masterclass: Forensic Science 2023 DFMC+
Learn digital forensics and be computer forensics investigator / Certificate after completing course / DFMC+ / DFIR 2023...
19. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course
Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...
20. Financial Modeling in Excel: Masterclass w/ Financial basics
Financial Modeling in Excel - Master the art, covering all the Financial and Accounting basics for Financial Modeling...
Top 10 most affordable universities for forensic accountants
The most affordable schools for forensic accountants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for forensic 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 forensic 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 forensic accountants
The hardest universities for forensic accountants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for forensic 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 forensic 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
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
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 forensic accountants
The easiest schools for forensic 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 a forensic 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 forensic 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 forensic accountant salary by education level
| Forensic accountant education level | Forensic accountant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,442 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,080 |
| Doctorate Degree | $80,078 |
Forensic accountant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025