Best Accounting Schools Near Atwater, CA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Atwater, California has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs. Atwater has a population of about 32,013. Median household income is $63,945 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 13.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Merced, CA metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $134,170 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Accounting Schools to Atwater

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer accounting programs near Atwater, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Atwater city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Atwater. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 30.5 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $2,818/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 58.3 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,445
Avg net price $25,447/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 60.0 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
41.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,361
Avg net price $8,069/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Stockton, CA 60.1 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,248
Avg net price $5,524/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,500
Out‑of‑state$13,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA 64.4 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,896
Avg net price $13,630/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 70.5 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA 73.6 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $109,183
Avg net price $50,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 82.5 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
79.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,401
Avg net price $9,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,583
Out‑of‑state$20,183
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California accounting page.

Accounting Wages Near Atwater

Atwater is part of the Merced, CA metro area (BLS area code 32900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor $80,420 Merced, CA $81,811
Financial Manager $134,170 Merced, CA $136,490
Financial Analyst $84,440 Merced, CA $85,900
Budget Analyst $99,520 CA statewide $101,241
Tax Preparer $70,030 CA statewide $71,241
Tax Examiner and Collector $74,110 CA statewide $75,392
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk $51,740 Merced, CA $52,635

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.

Atwater at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 32,013 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,945 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 13.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in Merced County 226 workers, 61 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Atwater-Area Cities With Accounting Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Atwater, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Atwater. The closest is Merced College in Merced, CA (6.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Clovis Community College (57.7 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Atwater?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Atwater are: Financial Manager ($134,170), Budget Analyst ($99,520), Financial Analyst ($84,440). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Merced instead of Atwater?

Merced, CA is 7.4 miles from Atwater 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 Atwater an affordable place to study accounting?

Atwater’s median household income of $63,945 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Atwater while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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

Other Programs Available in Atwater

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Atwater:

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Accounting Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)