Best Online Accounting Programs in Monterey, CA (2026)

Monterey, California has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $1,404 to $12,050 per year for indexed programs. Monterey has a population of about 29,772. Median household income is $104,110 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Salinas, CA metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $153,370 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Accounting Schools to Monterey

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer accounting programs near Monterey. Distances are calculated from Monterey 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 Monterey. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Monterey Peninsula College

Monterey, CA 0.2 miles from Monterey BOC Score34.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#2

Hartnell College

Salinas, CA 13.0 miles from Monterey BOC Score59.4
Published tuition$1,404 - $12,050
Online programsYes

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#3

Central Coast College

Salinas, CA 14.7 miles from Monterey BOC Score56.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#4

Cabrillo College

Aptos, CA 27.6 miles from Monterey BOC Score51.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Gavilan College

Gilroy, CA 31.4 miles from Monterey BOC Score46.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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


Accounting Wages Near Monterey

Monterey is part of the Salinas, CA metro area (BLS area code 41500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$83,810Salinas, CA$76,890
Financial Manager$153,370Salinas, CA$140,706
Financial Analyst$104,780Salinas, CA$96,128
Budget Analyst$103,970Salinas, CA$95,385
Tax Preparer$63,060Salinas, CA$57,853
Tax Examiner and Collector$74,110CA statewide$67,991
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$59,180Salinas, CA$54,294

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.


Monterey at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,772Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$104,110Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+54.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)109.0 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in Monterey County595 workers, 167 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Monterey-Area Cities With Accounting Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Monterey, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Monterey. The closest is Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, CA (0.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Gavilan College (31.4 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Monterey?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Monterey are: Financial Manager ($153,370), Financial Analyst ($104,780), Budget Analyst ($103,970). 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 Seaside instead of Monterey?

Seaside, CA is 4.0 miles from Monterey 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 Monterey an affordable place to study accounting?

Monterey’s median household income of $104,110 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Monterey 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 Monterey

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

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.