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Income auditor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an income auditor. Income auditors usually study accounting, business, or finance. 59% of income auditors hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 968 real income auditor resumes to see exactly what income auditor education sections show.

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

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

There are certain income auditor certifications that you should consider. These income auditor certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA).

What education do you need to become an income auditor?

What degree do you need to be an income auditor?

The most common degree for income auditors is bachelor's degree, with 59% of income auditors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Associate, 24%
  • Master's, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become an income auditor?

You should major in accounting to become an income auditor. 36% of income auditors major in accounting. Other common majors for an income auditor include business and finance.

Most common colleges for income auditors

Income auditors often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Johnson & Wales University, and Florida International University. Here are the most common colleges for income auditors in the US based on their resumes.
Income auditor common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix14.89%
Johnson & Wales University9.57%
Florida International University8.51%
University of Central Florida6.38%
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus6.38%

Best majors for income auditors

Best colleges for income auditors

The best colleges for income auditors are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

An income auditor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for income auditors. 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 income auditors.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

8. SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,369

Enrollment

5,229

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

10. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

20 best online courses for income auditors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for income auditors

The most affordable schools for income auditors are USF Sarasota-Manatee, suny farmingdale, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for income auditors 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 income auditors.

1. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

10. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for income auditors

The hardest universities for income auditors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

Some great schools for income auditors 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 income auditors 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 Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

8. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

9. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

10. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for income auditors

The easiest schools for income auditors to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an income auditor 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 income auditors.

1. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

9. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

10. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

Average income auditor salary by education level

Income auditors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $59,879 annually. With a Master's degree, income auditors earn a median annual income of $56,874 compared to $49,770 for income auditors with an Bachelor's degree.
Income auditor education levelIncome auditor salary
Master's Degree$56,874
Bachelor's Degree$49,770
Doctorate Degree$59,879

Income auditor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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