Grant accountant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a grant accountant. Grant accountants usually study accounting, business, or finance. 68% of grant accountants hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,026 real grant accountant resumes to see exactly what grant accountant education sections show.

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

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

There are certain grant accountant certifications that you should consider. These grant accountant certifications include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Resume Specialist: Accounting and Finance (CRS+AF).

What education do you need to become a grant accountant?

What degree do you need to be a grant accountant?

The most common degree for grant accountants is bachelor's degree, with 68% of grant accountants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 12%.

Bachelor's, 68%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 12%

High School Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a grant accountant?

You should major in accounting to become a grant accountant. 51% of grant accountants major in accounting. Other common majors for a grant accountant include business and finance.

Accounting, 51%

Business, 28%

Finance, 6%

Management, 2%

Other Majors, 13%

Most common colleges for grant accountants

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

Grant accountant common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	22.06%
Strayer University	11.03%
Pace University	4.41%
University of Toledo	4.41%
University of Maryland - College Park	4.41%

Show more common grant accountant colleges

Best majors for grant accountants

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	50.6%
2	Business	27.8%
3	Finance	6.4%
4	Management	1.9%
5	Economics	1.5%

Show more common grant accountant majors

Best colleges for grant accountants

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

A grant 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 grant 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 grant 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 grant accountants

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(781)

Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

6. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily

4.5

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Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...

7. Principles of Financial Accounting

4.5

(875)

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

8. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

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16. Become an External Auditor - External Audit Process Level 1

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External Audit Process : Financial Statement Accounting : Business Valuation Methods : Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...

17. Accounting for Corporations - Financial Accounting

4.8

(281)

Demystifying Corporate Accounting: An In-depth Exploration of Financial Transactions in Corporations...

18. ACCA: FA (F3) Financial Accounting

4.5

(1,302)

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19. Financial Accounting - Closing Process

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20. Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial Analysis (Accounting)

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(521)

Accounting & Bookkeeping Basics. Accounting & Financial Analysis Concepts. Learn Accounting & Bookkeeping...

Top 10 most affordable universities for grant accountants

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

If the best universities for grant 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 grant 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 grant accountants

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

Some great schools for grant 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 grant 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 grant accountants

The easiest schools for grant 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 grant 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 grant 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 grant accountant salary by education level

Grant accountants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $66,465 annually. With a Master's degree, grant accountants earn a median annual income of $65,111 compared to $60,694 for grant accountants with an Bachelor's degree.

Grant accountant education level	Grant accountant salary
Master's Degree	$65,111
Bachelor's Degree	$60,694
Doctorate Degree	$66,465

Grant accountant education FAQs

What is the best college for Grant 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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