Last Updated: October 23, 2020
MBA programs are known for producing well-rounded business leaders and lucrative job opportunities. Schools typically offer a variety of MBA concentrations to accommodate individual career goals. Among the most common is the MBA in accounting, which qualifies graduates for top jobs as accountants with expertise in tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services.
MBAs also help qualify students for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam, which is required for CPA licensure in all U.S. states. Earning an MBA in accounting enables students to meet the coursework requirements necessary for CPA licensure. Online MBA programs can offer subsidized tuition, accelerated completion times, and local field experience.
Online accounting programs offer a positive return on investment (ROI).
Accountants and auditors earned a median annual wage of $71,550 as of 2019. The BLS projects accounting and auditing jobs will increase by 4% from 2019-29.
While not required at the entry level, employers prefer candidates with an MBA in accounting for positions such as top executive or finance manager.
The following sections explore the key characteristics of the nation's best online accounting programs.
The 10 Best Online Accounting Degrees
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland, College Park | College Park, MD |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts Lowell | Lowell, MA |
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA |
| 4 | Regis University | Denver, CO |
| 5 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA |
| 6 | University of North Alabama | Florence, AL |
| 7 | University of Scranton | Scranton, PA |
| 8 | University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, KY |
| 9 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY |
| 10 | Creighton University | Omaha, NE |
What Is Accounting?
Accounting, the practice of recording, summarizing, analyzing, and reporting business and financial transactions, dates back to ancient civilizations, which developed counting and measurement systems for finances and traded in their own forms of currency.
As global commerce evolved, the need for accountants in all areas of business crystallized. Established in 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants developed an exam leading to CPA licensure, now required by all states of accountants who file reports through the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The accounting profession has endured throughout the centuries as a dynamic and essential business practice.
Nearly all industries and organizations require the services of accounting professionals, including finance and insurance groups, government entities, and management companies.
Nearly one-quarter of accountants nationwide work in accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and/or payroll services.
By earning an MBA in this specialization, accountants achieve a well-rounded business education. An MBA emphasizes accounting and broad communication, analytical, and organization skills. The degree exceeds entry-level requirements for some accounting jobs; even so, employers often prefer candidates with an accounting MBA, especially if the degree is focused in global business.
The U.S. employs nearly 1.3 million accountants, naturally concentrated in the most populous states including California, Texas, and New York. Nationwide, the BLS projects a 4% job growth from 2019 to 2029 for both entry-level and senior positions. MBA accounting graduates often pursue careers as CPAs but also qualify for positions such as financial analyst, tax consultant, or top executive.
Why Get an Accounting MBA?
Considered the most popular postgraduate degree in the nation, MBAs require a significant investment of time and money. Many students wonder whether an MBA in accounting is worth the effort; however, this degree offers unmatched professional and financial ROI.
Most recent MBA graduates earn 50% more than before they enrolled, and many double their salaries after five years. Additionally, MBAs emphasize a broader skill set for management careers (see below) than nonbusiness online accounting programs. Flexible, accelerated online programs offer additional benefits.
- Adaptable Management Skills: Consistently ranked among the most popular college majors across the U.S., business administration programs develop skills adaptable to a variety of management careers. MBA graduates demonstrate a mastery of skills including communication, leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, and initiative.
- Networking Opportunities: Known for enrolling a diverse group of students, MBAs provide access to an exclusive set of networking opportunities. MBAs often include global business specializations, international experiences, and unique mentorships.
- High Salary Potential: Some reports show MBA graduates earning an average salary of $134,990. Achieving a significant ROI through high salary growth potential makes the MBA especially attractive to career-oriented business students.
Ranking the Top 10 Online MBAs in Accounting, 2020
Students can select their choice of MBA from some of the top schools in the United States. Named the most popular master's program by Fortune and widely available nationwide, MBAs present a long list of options for applicants to consider. According to our unique methodology of eight key criteria, we ranked the top 10 online MBAs in accounting to provide a starting point for choosing the right program.
Our Methodology
Online MBA Today uses eight metrics to grade each school:
- Quality of online programs from U.S. News & World Report
- Midcareer pay from PayScale
- Student review score from Rate My Professor
- Aggregate reputation score from other ranking sites
- Percentage of online programs from the National Center for Education Statistics
- Average SAT scores (NCES)
- Average net price (NCES)
- Retention rate (NCES)
For a comprehensive breakdown of how we categorize and source data, please visit our methodology page.
#1. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
The University of Maryland, College Park has an Online Master of Business Administration program referred to as the Smith Online MBA. The program curriculum is made up of 54 credit hours of coursework, which is broken down among Foundation, Global Study, Residency, and Capstone credits. The program can be completed in as few as 24 months. Foundation courses include Corporate Finance, Financial Accounting, and Leadership and Teamwork. Elective courses can then include courses such as Corporate Venturing, The Impact of Taxation of Business Ethics, or Consumer Behavior. Electives generally relate to a concentration area chosen by the student. Concentrations available in the program include Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Information Systems and Business Analytics. Students can also choose a General Track concentration.
Each concentration requires around three courses. The residency components of the program include two classes, beginning with the opening residency: Introduction to Fundamentals of Business. Students also have a residency component as a part of the capstone process. The residency includes an integrated business simulation, which allows students to apply some of the practical business skills that they have gained through the program. Students who wish to apply to the program must have multiple years of professional work experience, with at least two years of professional work experience highly recommended. There is no set cutoff for GMAT scores, but average scores tend to be from the mid-500s to the upper-700s. The school of business has more than 66,000 alumni members throughout the United States.
Format: Online
#2. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL
The University of Massachusetts offers an online Master of Business Administration program, which can be completed in as few as 18 months. Lowell's degree program includes 30 credit hours of coursework. The required MBA core sequence includes seven courses, including Customers and Markets, Management Information Systems, and Managing Organizational Change. The final three courses – nine credits- are electives. Most students choose electives related to a given concentration. Concentration options in the program are Accounting, Information Technology, International Business, and Entrepreneurship. Not all online elective courses are offered every semester. There are no residency requirements or on-campus visits required as a part of the online program. Students have up to five years to meet the requirements for the degree.
Students can earn a GRE/GMAT waiver if they already have a master's or doctoral degree, eight years of full-time relevant work experience, or meet requisite GPA requirements. Students with a relevant professional certification can also earn a waiver. Students who have not completed foundational coursework related to business will be required to complete up to 12 additional credit hours of coursework before beginning the MBA curriculum. Foundations courses cover topics such as financial accounting, marketing fundamentals, and global enterprise and competition. Other concentration areas not listed above include Managerial Leadership, Marketing, Finance, Healthcare, and Business Analytics. While there are no on-campus visits required by the program, online students do have on-campus resources available to them.
Format: Online
#3. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business is home to a hybrid Master of Business Administration program. The hybrid program offers the same curriculum as CMU's on-campus MBA program. Program courses are divided among Analytics in the Core, Leadership Development, Core courses, and electives. The program is designed to be completed part-time over the course of three years. Core-level courses can include options such as Managerial Economics, Global Economics, and Marketing Management. The program then offers 12 different concentration options, such as Business Technologies, Communications, Operations Research, and Strategy, among others. Students meet in-person during Access Weekends, which are Friday-Sunday sessions in Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Philadelphia, or Silicon Valley. Students attend live classes, take exams, give presentations, visit corporations, and network with alumni and classmates. The Access Weekends are a required part of the program.
The Carnegie Mellon MBA was ranked by U.S. World News & Report as the No. 3 Online MBA program in the country. It was ranked No. 4 in the US by Poets & Quants. There are four rounds of applications to the MBA program. Students will be accepted during each round until the cohort has been filled. If the cohort fills before the final round of applications, students submitting their application will not be accepted. The Part-Time Online Hybrid MBA Class of 2021 included 46 students, 28% of whom were women and entered with an average of 6.1 years of full-time work experience. Students came from professional backgrounds that included Manufacturing, Consulting, Healthcare, and Energy & Clean Tech. The median GMAT score was 665, and the median GPA was 3.4.
Format: Hybrid
#4. REGIS UNIVERSITY
Regis' College of Business and Economics offers an online Professional Master of Business Administration program. It is a 39-credit-hour program, which is divided between 33 hours of required courses and at least six hours of elective courses. There are 11 required courses, such as Ethical and Legal Environment of Business, Operations Management, Strategy Formulation, and Developing Effective Organizations. Students have the option of pursuing a concentration through their elective courses, which requires a total of four courses, meaning that the program requirement will be 45 credit hours rather than 39. Available concentrations in the program include Accounting, Health Industry Leadership, Finance, Marketing, and Strategic Management.
Students not pursuing a concentration may select any two elective courses from any concentration areas in the program. To complete a concentration, students complete four elective courses from within their concentration. Concentrations offer varying numbers of courses, and the Strategic Management concentration divides the required electives between two required courses and an additional subset of electives. Applications to the program are considered on a holistic basis, which includes taking into account factors such as life experience along with GPA, test scores, and work experience. Graduates from the program have gone on to pursue careers such as that of a marketing director, marketing manager, financial analyst, and chief financial officer. Regis offers students the Center for Career and Professional Development, where they have access to resources and training relating to their professional careers during and after the MBA program.
Format: Online
#5. LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
The Liberty Master of Business Administration in Accounting Program can be completed 100% online. The 45 credit hours of coursework take students an average of two years to complete. Courses are delivered in eight-week intervals, with core courses making up the first 33 hours of the degree. The core curriculum addresses subject matter such as Strategic Management Marketing, Managerial Finance, Legal Issues in Business, and International Business. Students pursuing an Accounting concentration through the MBA will then take 12 credit hours from the Accounting Cognate course list. This includes three core courses – Advanced Cost Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, and Tax Research & Jurisprudence – and a choice between a course in Advanced Auditing or in Advanced Financial Accounting Theory. The capstone course for the program is included in the base core curriculum.
Students may transfer in up to 50% of the credit hours required for the degree. In addition to the MBA program, Liberty also has a number of online graduate certificate programs in business. These cover areas such as General Business, Management and Leadership, Marketing, and an Advanced Certificate in Leadership. Each certificate takes around nine credit hours of coursework to complete. Liberty's undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral tuitions have not increased in the past four years. Liberty is a private Christian university located in Western Virginia. Liberty was founded in 1971 by Jerry Fallwell Sr. and Elmer Towns as the Lynchburg Baptist College. Applicants to the program should have at least 15 credit hours of upper-level undergraduate business coursework to be considered.
Format: Online
#6. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA
The University of North Alabama's Master of Business Administration is offered in two forms: as a regular MBA for professionals who are early in their business career or as an Executive MBA program catering to individuals with significant business experience. Both programs require 34 credit hours to graduate. Students pursuing the normal MBA degree have nine different concentration areas to choose from, while the executive degree is its own specialization. Concentration options available in the base program include Accounting, Information Systems, Sales and New Business Development, and Global Business, among others. Students may also create a custom specialization based on their professional goals and interests. There are 28 core credit hours and six elective credit hours in the base MBA program. The Executive MBA curriculum is a completely-preset series of courses, such as Corporate Finance Strategy, Leadership, and Business Ethics and Responsibility.
Applicants to the basic MBA program should have a GMAT score of at least 400 or three years of demonstrated responsibility in professional or entrepreneurial positions. Qualifying positions will require both a bachelor's degree and involve business-related functions – marketing, finance, accounting, etc. Clerical and administrative positions do not count as qualifying experience. Students pursuing the Executive MBA program should have at least five years of professional work experience with increasing responsibility. Other specializations for the base MBA that were not listed above include Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, and Project Management. Students in the Accounting concentration will take two elective courses from a list of options including Controllership, Fraud Examination, and Business Combinations.
Format: Online
#7. UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
The University of Scranton offers an online Master of Business Administration program, which is delivered through a FLEX curriculum of 36 credit hours. The FLEX designation refers to students being able to trade some of the required core courses from the program for advanced electives related to their career specialization. The base program requires students to take seven core courses, three electives, and a capstone course. Students in the FLEX program may trade up to three core courses for advanced electives, allowing them to take up to six elective courses – more than half of the degree! The Accounting Specialization includes elective courses such as Financial Reporting and Research, Advanced Auditing, and Advanced Managerial Accounting. The program does not require students to complete any campus visits or residencies.
Applicants to the program should have a minimum of three years of supervisory or professional work experience to apply. The University of Scranton has a Business & Leadership Resource Center, which allows students to research trends related to their field and understand the benefits of online learning. Graduates from the program who earn a specialization in Accounting have gone on to pursue careers in Analysis Management, Revenue Management, Business Development, and Technical Accounting. The online MBA program is designed to be completed in 24 months, but students can extend this time if they require additional foundation modules. Foundational prerequisites address basic business areas of knowledge, such as Decision-Making Tools and Concepts.
Format: Online
#8. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS
The University of the Cumberlands has an online Master of Business Administration program, which can include a concentration in Accounting. The Accounting program curriculum includes 21 of core courses, along with 15 hours of elective coursework. Some of the core courses from the program are Managerial Accounting, Managerial Finance, Managerial Economics, and Legal, Ethical, and Social Environment. The Accounting Specialization also requires 15 hours of elective courses, with courses such as Taxation of Business Ethics, Advanced Accounting Theory, and Advanced Assurance Services. There is also a one-credit Applied Learning Practicum required, which makes the total requirement for the degree 37 credit hours of coursework. The Applied Learning Practicum allows students the opportunity to apply essential professional applications to their previous academic coursework.
The base MBA program only requires students to complete nine hours of elective coursework; however, each concentration option in the program requires a total of 15 hours of elective coursework. Beyond the Accounting concentration, the Cumberlands MBA program offers five other options for students: Project Management, Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare Administration, and Marketing. Core requirements are the same for each of the concentrations, and every concentration includes the Applied Learning Practicum capstone course. Applicants to the program are required to have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5. Students are not required to submit GRE/GMAT scores for admission, but they should have a current resume highlighting relevant professional experience.
Format: Online
#9. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
Syracuse University is home to an online Master of Business Administration program, which requires 54 credit hours of coursework. The credit requirement is divided between 36 hours of core courses, 15 hours of electives, and 3 credits of global or U.S. residencies. There are three in-person residencies in the program, which are held in major U.S. and international cities, as well as at the Syracuse campus itself. The residencies include hands-on, multi-day experiences, including workshops, panels with prominent business leaders, and explorations of the residency city. The residencies are designed to be similar to a normal business conference, with networking opportunities with local professionals, professors, and peers. Applicants to the program will be asked to submit GRE/GMAT scores as well as to complete a personal interview.
In May 2017, of all graduates from the MBA program, two-thirds of alumni reported having received a raise or promotion during the program or after graduating. Graduate alumni also reported a 92% employment rate across all graduation years. Syracuse offers six different specializations in the program: Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing Management, and Supply Chain Management. Syracuse has a number of different dual-degree programs available for pairing with the MBA program. Students can earn their MBA along with either a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship or Business Analytics or a Master of Science in Professional Accounting.
Format: Hybrid
#10. CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY
The Creighton Master of Business Administration Program is available in a fully-online format as well as a hybrid format that blends online and in-person learning. Creighton's MBA program consists of 33 credit hours of courses, divided between nine hours of core, 15 hours of functional core, and nine hours of electives. Core and functional core courses cover business fundamentals such as Leadership & Organizational Behavior, Economics Analysis for Managers, and Information Systems Management. Students who have an undergraduate degree in business will have the flexibility to tailor the functional core to best meet their professional needs. Creighton offers concentration options for the MBA program, including Finance, Leadership, Business Intelligence & Analytics, Accounting, Financial Psychology & Behavioral Finance, and Personal Finance Planning.
Creighton has a number of graduate certificate programs available in business, covering topics such as Personal Finance Planning, Enterprise Risk Management, and Behavioral Finance. There are also dual-degree programs available, where students may earn their MBA along with a Juris Doctor degree or a Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. Applicants are not required to submit standardized test scores – such as the GRE or GMAT – as a part of the admissions process. Students with cumulative GPAs below 3.0 will be required to submit GMAT scores, as will students who have not received a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. Institution. Creighton is a part of the Jesuit Business Network, a partnership that makes it easier for students to transfer credits from other Jesuit schools or even to augment their degree plan with courses from other schools.
Format: Online
What to Expect From Master's in Accounting Programs
Many schools offer MBAs in accounting, and requirements may vary by program. Timeline expectations, for example, depend on degree type. Most traditional MBAs take two years to complete, though online MBAs in accounting may offer accelerated completion options over 12-18 months. Part-time MBAs take roughly three years to complete. Bachelor's-to-MBA programs may take up to five years.
Curricula also differ between online MBAs in accounting and other online accounting programs. An MBA in accounting requires a core module of business and finance coursework, culminating in a capstone experience or project. Some MBAs also include practicums or global experiences. By contrast, online master's in accounting programs focus on meeting minimum accounting education credits requirements for CPA licensure.
MBA programs typically comprise 36-55 credits. Students may enroll full or part time in traditional or online programs. Online MBAs may deliver courses synchronously, with set class times, or asynchronously, where students watch prerecorded lectures at their convenience. Most MBAs require applicants to hold a bachelor's degree with an average 3.0 GPA and submit GRE or GMAT scores.
Accounting Concentration and Degree Options
Students may pursue a variety of paths leading to an online master's in accounting. While MBAs commonly offer accounting as a concentration, schools may offer other options such as an MS in accounting, a master of accountancy (MAcc), or a master of professional accounting or accountancy.
MBAs in accounting offer students the benefit of a broad business education with a focus in career skills for accountants. The MBA curriculum builds a foundation in core business skills like leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving, emphasizing accounting subjects like financial management and taxation. Graduates can apply their skills in a variety of management positions including financial analyst, business consultant, or chief executive officer (CEO).
Earning an online master's in accounting through an MS or MAcc allows students to specialize in a particular area of accounting and qualify for CPA licensure. Many online accounting programs offer more acute concentrations than an MBA, in areas like financial analysis, forensic accounting, and compliance. These programs may lack the MBA's broad business curriculum, but they prepare graduates for lucrative jobs including IT accountant, managerial accountant, and chief financial officer (CFO).
Popular Accounting Courses
MBAs in accounting provide a well-rounded business education, coupled with acute accounting skills. Individual course requirements may vary slightly by school and program, but most online MBAs in accounting include some form of the following course topics.
Foundational courses include financial and managerial accounting, cost management, and microeconomics. Some programs offer targeted communication courses, such as management-specific communication, as electives. MBAs typically culminate in a capstone.
- Financial and Managerial Accounting: This course introduces students to both financial and managerial accounting, exploring how these skills apply to nearly every aspect of a management career. Specific topics include preparing income statements and balance sheets and budgeting cash flow. This course serves a variety of aspiring accountants and financial consultants.
- Cost Management: Cost management coursework explores broad accounting concepts and practices, applicable in a variety of administrative careers. Learners commonly review case studies to better understand techniques including marketing, strategic, and value-analysis cost management.
- Microeconomics: Integral to an MBA's core curriculum, many programs include both basic and advanced microeconomics coursework. Learners explore concepts including supply and demand, consumer behavior, and competitive market equilibrium. Advanced coursework trains students to apply such strategies in financial management jobs.
- Management Communication: As communication continues to top the list of employers' most coveted job skills, MBAs emphasize coursework in advanced speaking and writing competencies. Students develop persuasive arguments through public speaking simulations and writing assignments.
- MBA Accounting Capstone: Formats differ by school and program, but most accounting MBAs culminate in a capstone experience. Many programs include field work in a local business, such as a tax preparation agency, and require students to review and prepare a set of complex financial documents for their final project.
Financing your Accounting Degree
Like most college programs, MBAs require a sizable investment and serious cost considerations. Most applicants require financial aid to help offset the costs of earning an online MBA in accounting. Undergraduate programs typically require applicants to submit the FAFSA to determine federal financial aid eligibility, but many graduate programs — including MBA programs — emphasize other aid options.
MBA candidates often pursue grants, loans, and scholarships to subsidize the cost of their degree. Students completing their MBA in person may also pursue teaching-assistant positions and work-study jobs on campus. Enrollees might also qualify for employer assistance or tuition reimbursement programs, or they can seek part-time employment.
What Jobs Can an Accounting Degree Get You?
MBAs can lead to top careers and higher salaries in many fields and industries. Online MBA in accounting graduates can apply their unique business skills as bookkeepers, as CFOs, and in other positions in between. Accounting professionals may also pursue specialized jobs in forensic, managerial, or tax accounting, or carve out their own niche as a financial consultant.
The BLS projects a 4% job growth from 2019-29 and a median annual wage of $71,550 for accountants and auditors. Most accountants work in the public, management, and government sectors. They may specialize in the industry in which they work; for example, accountants may provide risk-assessment or tax services for insurance or healthcare organizations.
Earning an online MBA in accounting prepares graduates for high-level executive jobs. While positions such as CFO and management analyst may require only a bachelor's degree, most corporations prefer candidates who hold an MBA in accounting and senior experience. As shown below, such top executives earn a median annual salary exceeding $104,000.
Accountant/Auditor: Accountants prepare financial records and auditors examine them. Accountants may specialize in management or government accounting. Auditors commonly perform either internal or external audits, or they work in information technology auditing. Each state maintains its own CPA licensure requirements. Entry-level jobs may require only a bachelor's; however, most employers prefer an MBA.
- Required Education: Bachelor's degree, MBA preferred
- Job Outlook (2019-29): 4%
- Median Annual Salary: $71,550
Top Executive: Top executives manage all aspects of a business or organization, including the financial and information technology departments. Top executives include positions such as CEO, CFO, and general manager. While some executive jobs require only a bachelor's degree, most nonprofits and large corporations prefer candidates with an MBA and management experience.
- Required Education: Bachelor's degree or MBA
- Job Outlook (2019-29): 4%
- Median Annual Salary: $104,690
Management Analyst: Management analysts, also called management consultants, work with businesses and organizations to improve their productivity. These professionals work closely with the organization's managers to minimize costs, increase revenue, and streamline short- and long-term operations. Entry-level jobs require only a bachelor's degree, but most employers prefer candidates with an MBA.
- Required Education: Bachelor's degree, MBA preferred
- Job Outlook (2019-29): 11%
- Median Annual Salary: $85,260
Selecting Your Accounting MBA Program
Learners should begin with accredited programs in their search for MBAs in accounting. Beyond regional or national accreditation, an MBA program might hold programmatic accreditation from AACSB International, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, or the International Accreditation Council for Business Education. The following list shows some of the most critical considerations for prospective MBAs.
- School Size: Students may prefer larger student networks or more intimate learning environments.
- Student-to-Teacher Ratio: Some learners need smaller classes with personalized attention, while others may not.
- Staff Credentials/Diversity: Many schools employ well-known, experienced business people as MBA professors.
- Cost/Financial Aid: Online accounting programs may offer in-state or set tuition rates.
- Location: Online MBAs can bring global learning experiences to students in any location.
- Concentrations/Specializations: Since MBAs offer so many choices, students may select a school primarily based on whether it offers their desired specialization.
- Program Length: Many online MBAs in accounting offer accelerated programs and shorter completion times.
- Program Culture/Composition: MBAs commonly offer programs with a global business or global commerce focus, connecting students across the world.
- University Resources/Career Services: Career services staff can help MBA students hone their career skills and ensure they meet CPA exam qualifications.
- Extracurriculars: Many MBA students pursue extracurriculars through activities such as student government or volunteer fundraising.
- Prestige/Reputation: Prospective MBAs may prefer a school with a prominent business school or prestigious master's program.
- Earning Potential: Generally, the MBA yields high expectations for graduates, so an especially high earning potential may add incentive.
- Alumni Network: Many schools boast an impressive roster of successful MBA alums.
- Competitiveness/Difficulty/Cost of Admission: The most exclusive programs are often the most expensive, and they may also require high admission fees.
- Required Admission Material/Test Scores: Some schools require the GMAT or GRE for admission, while others may not.
Why Should You Get an Online MBA?
Amid the general prevalence and success of online education, online MBAs in accounting particularly suit the distance learning experience. For example, online MBAs provide adaptable technology skills for the virtual business environment. MBAs also increasingly offer global concentrations in international business markets.
Additionally, online MBAs in accounting can save students time and money over traditional degrees. Many schools offer accelerated MBAs online, which take less than two years to complete. Learners may choose whether to enroll part or full time, or in a dual-degree program. Some schools combine their bachelor's and master's in accounting into a 4+1 online MBA.
Affordable tuition is among the most attractive features of an online MBA. Many schools offer tuition discounts for undergraduate alumni.
Online programs commonly offer in-state tuition or reduced rates for distance learners, regardless of their home state.
Additionally, many online enrollees spend less on tuition by completing accelerated programs, which also save on housing and commuting expenses.
While online learning offers significant benefits, there are also potential drawbacks. Some learners prefer the immersive social environment on campus to independent learning online. Additionally, enrollees pursuing an online MBA in accounting must demonstrate rigorous time management skills. Students should also consider whether they prefer self-led learning or more personalized in-person attention from instructors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is an MBA in accounting worth it?
Yes. Earning an MBA in accounting leads to a high ROI and diverse career opportunities. Students who complete an MBA with an accounting concentration qualify for their choice of high-level management and finance jobs.
What can I do after an MBA in accounting?
Students equipped with an MBA in accounting can enter a variety of management fields involving business, finance, and executive leadership. Many graduates become CPAs.
What kind of accounting degrees are there?
Schools commonly offer MBAs with accounting concentrations, though some feature standalone master's in accounting degrees. Students should consider which degree best suits their unique career goals.
Is it better to have an MBA or master's in accounting?
The MBA and master's in accounting each offers individual benefits. MBAs in accounting offer a broad business curriculum for aspiring accountants, managers, and entrepreneurs. Master's programs emphasize professional accounting skills and CPA exam preparation.
Are accountants in demand?
The BLS projects a 4% increase in job growth for accountants and auditors from 2019-29. While competitive, the job market favors licensed CPAs with a master's or an MBA in accounting. Generally, employers prefer candidates with an MBA in accounting over entry-level bachelor's degree requirements.