Glendale Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Best Online Accounting Programs in Surprise, AZ (2026)
Surprise, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $2,358 to $19,682 per year for indexed programs. Surprise has a population of about 149,519. Median household income is $93,371 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $145,940 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Accounting Schools to Surprise
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer accounting programs near Surprise. Distances are calculated from Surprise city center.
How We Rank Schools
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:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Surprise. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Paradise Valley Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Phoenix-Arizona
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Scottsdale Community College
Published tuition$2,358 - $19,682
Online programsYes
Bryan University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona accounting page.
Accounting Wages Near Surprise
Surprise is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant and Auditor | $80,820 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $78,238 |
| Financial Manager | $145,940 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $141,278 |
| Financial Analyst | $94,700 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $91,675 |
| Budget Analyst | $84,810 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $82,101 |
| Tax Preparer | $44,770 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $43,340 |
| Tax Examiner and Collector | $95,060 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $92,023 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $51,980 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,319 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Surprise at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 149,519 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $93,371 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 31.0% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.3 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Accounting-related employment in Maricopa County | 16,521 workers, 2,876 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Surprise-Area Cities With Accounting Programs
- El Mirage, AZ – 9.5 mi away (35,043 pop)
- Peoria, AZ – 11.4 mi away (164,173 pop)
- Glendale, AZ – 14.8 mi away (245,895 pop)
- Buckeye, AZ – 20.4 mi away (64,629 pop)
- Avondale, AZ – 21.7 mi away (214,235 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited accounting schools are near Surprise, AZ?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Surprise. The closest is Glendale Community College in Glendale, AZ (16.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bryan University (33.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Surprise?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Surprise are: Financial Manager ($145,940), Tax Examiner and Collector ($95,060), Financial Analyst ($94,700). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in El Mirage instead of Surprise?
El Mirage, AZ is 9.5 miles from Surprise and has its own set of local accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Surprise an affordable place to study accounting?
Surprise’s median household income of $93,371 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Surprise while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Accounting Programs
- Accounting accreditation: what to look for
- Accounting concentrations and specializations
- Is a Accounting degree worth it?
- Main Accounting degree guide
- Online Accounting programs in Arizona
- Accounting programs by state
Other Programs Available in Surprise
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Surprise:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
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- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.