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Key takeaway: Online accounting degrees are offered at the certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s level by accredited schools nationwide, and accounting is the most common academic route to the CPA credential. Graduate earnings rise with credential level – from a median $43,492 four years after a certificate to $93,465 after a master’s (College Scorecard)1 – and related occupations pay a median $50,670 to $166,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025)2. Compare accredited programs below.
An online accounting degree teaches how organizations record, analyze, report, and verify financial information, with coursework spanning financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, accounting information systems, and business law. Accredited online programs deliver the same curriculum and degree titles as campus programs, and state boards of accountancy evaluate transcripts by credit hours and subject coverage, not delivery format. Programs accredited by AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE meet recognized standards for business and accounting education.
These accredited schools offer online programs, report accounting completions, and are ordered by our independent BOC Score. Request information to compare programs, costs, and formats.
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Can You Get An Accounting Degree Online? explains how accredited online accounting programs work, including specializations, cost, and salary outcomes.
Browse accounting programs by state ->
Online accounting programs cover financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, accounting information systems, and business law.
Common levels include undergraduate certificates, an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree (BS or BBA in Accounting), and a master’s degree (Master of Accountancy or MS in Accounting). Certificates typically require 15-30 credits, associate programs 60-64 credits, bachelor’s programs 120 credits, and master’s programs 30-36 credits.
According to College Scorecard data, accounting bachelor’s graduates earn a median $53,818 one year after graduation and $72,638 four years after graduation. Master’s graduates earn a median $68,141 at one year and $93,465 at four years1.
Yes, as long as the school holds recognized institutional accreditation and the coursework satisfies your state board’s requirements. Every U.S. jurisdiction requires 150 semester hours of education for CPA licensure, which most candidates reach with a bachelor’s degree plus a master’s degree or additional credits.
Yes. Accredited online accounting programs follow the same curriculum standards and award the same degree titles as campus programs, and transcripts typically do not distinguish between delivery formats. College Scorecard data shows 71.6% of schools offering an accounting bachelor’s provide it through distance education1.
Each step up in credential level corresponds to higher median earnings, and at every level median 4-year earnings exceed median federal debt by a wide margin.
| Credential | Schools | Online | Median earnings (1 yr) | Median earnings (4 yrs) | Median federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 950 | 53.5% | $31,996 | $43,492 | $10,864 |
| Associate | 939 | 54.0% | $37,120 | $48,906 | $18,343 |
| Bachelor’s | 1,195 | 71.6% | $53,818 | $72,638 | $22,890 |
| Master’s | 616 | 53.1% | $68,141 | $93,465 | $25,674 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data for accounting (CIP 52.03). Earnings are medians 1 and 4 years after completion; debt is median federal loan debt at graduation.
Tuition varies widely by institution type – public in-state programs are typically far less expensive than private nonprofit programs – and many online programs charge the same per-credit rate regardless of residency. For lower-cost options and the full value discussion, see Affordable Accounting Programs and Is an Accounting Degree Worth It.
Core coursework progresses from financial accounting and intermediate accounting (the technical core, usually a two- or three-course sequence) through managerial and cost accounting, auditing and assurance, taxation, accounting information systems, and business law and ethics. Data-analytics skills increasingly appear on the CPA exam. Most programs let you focus through a concentration – taxation, auditing, forensic accounting, or managerial accounting – before your first job or certification.
See the full breakdown on the Accounting Curriculum and Accounting Concentrations pages.
Accounting skills apply across public accounting firms, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits. Bookkeeping and tax-prep roles are accessible with a certificate or associate degree; accountant and analyst roles generally require a bachelor’s; financial-manager positions typically require a bachelor’s plus experience and often a CPA or CMA.
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | 170,000/yr |
| Accountant and Auditor | 124,200/yr |
| Financial Manager | 74,600/yr |
| Financial Analyst | 25,100/yr |
| Tax Preparer | 10,400/yr |
| Tax Examiner and Collector | 4,300/yr |
| Budget Analyst | 3,100/yr |
| Occupation | Projected job growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Financial Manager | 14.8% |
| Financial Analyst | 5.7% |
| Accountant and Auditor | 4.6% |
| Tax Preparer | 4.5% |
| Budget Analyst | 1.0% |
| Tax Examiner and Collector | -1.8% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | -5.8% |
| Career | Median annual wage (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Financial Analyst | $102,740 |
| Budget Analyst | $91,640 |
| Accountant and Auditor | $83,680 |
| Tax Examiner and Collector | $62,370 |
| Tax Preparer | $54,920 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. National median annual wages.
The CPA is the accounting profession’s signature license – required to sign audit opinions and widely expected for advancement in public accounting. It has three pillars: 150 semester hours of education (about 30 credits beyond a standard bachelor’s), passing the Uniform CPA Examination, and supervised experience (commonly one to two years). Most candidates reach 150 hours with a bachelor’s plus a master’s in accounting, a graduate certificate, or an integrated five-year program.
Beyond the CPA, the CMA (managerial accounting), CIA (internal audit), EA (IRS tax representation, no degree required), and CFE (fraud examination) each match a specific track – and several do not require 150 credit hours.
Accounting coursework is cumulative – principles before intermediate, intermediate before audit and tax – so structured online formats with weekly deadlines tend to work well. A full bachelor’s-to-CPA path runs about 5-6 years; accelerated terms or transfer credit can compress it.
Accounting or business administration? Choose accounting for a defined technical specialty with a licensure pathway; choose business administration for broader management, marketing, and operations coverage before specializing.
Compare programs by level or specialty:
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data for accounting (CIP 52.03). ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. National median annual wages. ↩︎
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