Best Online Accounting Programs in San Carlos, CA (2026)

San Carlos, California has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs. San Carlos has a population of about 29,797. Median household income is $233,333 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 68.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $216,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Accounting Schools to San Carlos

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer accounting programs near San Carlos, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from San Carlos 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 San Carlos. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Foothill College

Los Altos Hills, CA 12.2 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 61.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,072
Avg net price $7,653/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Skyline College

San Bruno, CA 14.2 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 70.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,702
Avg net price $1,738/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 51.6 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 61.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,170
Avg net price $4,669/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 69.7 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 145.2 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 41.3
  • 4 year
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: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Feather River Community College District

Quincy, CA 183.3 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 43.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,142
Avg net price $10,800/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Shasta College

Redding, CA 216.2 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 60.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,269
Avg net price $2,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA 233.2 miles from San Carlos BOC Score 24.0
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,291
Avg net price $14,621/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Accounting Wages Near San Carlos

San Carlos is part of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area (BLS area code 41860). 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$110,730San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$95,787
Financial Manager$216,150San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,981
Financial Analyst$130,520San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$112,907
Budget Analyst$117,360San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$101,522
Tax Preparer$84,240San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$72,872
Tax Examiner and Collector$110,780San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$95,830
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$65,530San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$56,687

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.


San Carlos at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,797Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$233,333Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+68.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)115.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in San Mateo County3,521 workers, 367 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other San Carlos-Area Cities With Accounting Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near San Carlos, CA?

Accredited schools offering accounting programs near San Carlos are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near San Carlos?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near San Carlos are: Financial Manager ($216,150), Financial Analyst ($130,520), Budget Analyst ($117,360). 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 Belmont instead of San Carlos?

Belmont, CA is 1.9 miles from San Carlos 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 San Carlos an affordable place to study accounting?

San Carlos’s median household income of $233,333 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Carlos 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 San Carlos

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

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.