Best Online Accounting Programs in Columbus, OH (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs. Columbus has a population of about 906,480. Median household income is $65,327 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $145,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Accounting Schools to Columbus

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

#1

Columbus State Community College

Columbus, OH 1.1 miles from Columbus BOC Score56.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Lancaster, OH 27.2 miles from Columbus BOC Score45.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Central Ohio Technical College

Newark, OH 29.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score56.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Marion Technical College

Marion, OH 42.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score55.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Clark State College

Springfield, OH 43.5 miles from Columbus BOC Score46.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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

Accounting Wages Near Columbus

Columbus is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$81,700Columbus, OH$85,550
Financial Manager$145,630Columbus, OH$152,492
Financial Analyst$97,920Columbus, OH$102,534
Budget Analyst$93,780Columbus, OH$98,199
Tax Preparer$49,020OH statewide$51,330
Tax Examiner and Collector$76,110Columbus, OH$79,696
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$51,170Columbus, OH$53,581

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.

Columbus at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population906,480Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,327Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+38.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in Franklin County4,399 workers, 653 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Accounting Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Columbus, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Columbus. The closest is Columbus State Community College in Columbus, OH (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Clark State College (43.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Columbus?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Columbus are: Financial Manager ($145,630), Financial Analyst ($97,920), Budget Analyst ($93,780). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Upper Arlington instead of Columbus?

Upper Arlington, OH is 5.3 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study accounting?

Columbus’s median household income of $65,327 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Columbus

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

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.

Back to Best Online Accounting Programs in Ohio (2026)

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