10 Best Online MBA in Accounting Programs 2027

If you already know your way around a balance sheet, the next step in your career probably isn’t more technical accounting training — it’s learning how to lead. An online Master of Business Administration (MBA) in accounting pairs graduate-level accounting coursework with the broader business education that moves you from preparing the numbers to deciding what the organization does with them. For working accountants and auditors, the online format means you can build those skills without stepping away from the job that’s already giving you experience.

The ten programs below all deliver an accredited MBA with a formal accounting concentration, specialization, or certificate, and all of them can be completed online. You’ll find a mix of large public research universities and smaller private schools, several with coursework mapped to Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam requirements. Keep reading to discover ten of the best online MBAs in accounting and to see what each program offers, how the degree works, what it costs, and where it can take your career.

What Is an Online MBA in Accounting?

An online MBA in accounting is a graduate business degree that covers the same core curriculum as any MBA — finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and organizational leadership — with a set of accounting courses layered on top. Schools package that focus differently. Some call it a concentration or specialization, others offer it as a stackable graduate certificate you complete alongside the degree. Whatever the label, you typically devote somewhere between 9 and 12 credits of your electives to accounting.

Most programs run between 30 and 49 credits total and take one to two years, depending on how many courses you take at a time and whether you come in with an undergraduate business background. Students without one often need to complete foundation coursework in accounting, finance, economics, and statistics before starting the core.

On the accounting side, coursework tends to cover financial reporting, managerial and cost accounting, auditing, taxation, and accounting information systems and internal controls. Some schools build out narrower tracks — tax planning, forensic accounting, or accounting analytics — for students targeting a specific niche. It’s worth noting that an MBA in accounting is a leadership-oriented degree rather than a purely technical one. If your goal is CPA licensure, check whether a program’s accounting courses satisfy your state’s education requirements, since several of these are designed with that in mind and others are not.

Best Online MBAs in Accounting

The programs below all pair an accredited online MBA with a defined accounting pathway, whether that’s a formal concentration, a specialization, or a stackable certificate. They’re listed alphabetically, and you’ll find a range of options here, from large public research universities to smaller private schools with CPA-aligned coursework. 

1. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green State University, in northwest Ohio, offers an online MBA with a concentration in accounting through its Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business. BGSU holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and Schmidthorst carries dual accreditation in both business and accounting from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) — a distinction held by roughly 1% of business schools worldwide. If accounting credentials matter to you, that second accreditation is a meaningful signal.

The program runs 30 credits and can be finished in as few as 12 months through accelerated seven-week courses. You’ll complete 21 credits of core business coursework before moving into nine credits of accounting, including financial accounting and analysis along with auditing principles and procedures. Those accounting courses may help satisfy the educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam in Ohio, though requirements vary by state board.

2. Eastern Washington University

Based in Cheney, just outside Spokane, Eastern Washington University runs one of the few fully online MBA programs in Washington state. The university is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), and the EWU School of Business holds AACSB accreditation. Six-week courses and seven start dates a year give the program unusual flexibility, and qualified applicants can have the GMAT requirement waived.

The accounting concentration totals 44 credits across 11 courses, with 28 credits of core business coursework, 12 credits of accounting, and a four-credit elective. Concentration courses cover financial statement analysis, advanced cost accounting, and international forensic accounting. For your elective, you can go deeper into advanced auditing, advanced tax, governmental and nonprofit accounting, or data analytics for accountants, letting you aim the degree at a specific accounting niche.

3. Florida Atlantic University

At Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, the online MBA is one of several graduate business options housed in a College of Business that also runs a dedicated School of Accounting. FAU is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), carries R1 top-tier research university status, and its business programs are AACSB accredited. The program runs fully online with cohorts that move through the same course sequence together.

The accounting specialization works a little differently than most on this list. You’ll need approval from FAU’s School of Accounting to declare it, and then you fulfill your 12 elective credits by choosing four courses from a list of nearly 30 accounting and tax offerings. That’s an unusually deep menu, and it means you can build a tax-heavy path or a reporting-focused one depending on where you’re headed.

4. Iowa State University

The Professional MBA at Iowa State University is built around part-time flexibility, with year-round start dates and the option to take one to three courses per semester. Located in Ames, Iowa State is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and its Ivy College of Business holds AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting — the separate accounting accreditation is relatively rare and signals real depth on the accounting faculty.

The program totals 42 credits and is delivered fully online. After completing 30 credits of core coursework spanning financial accounting, corporate finance, management information systems, and supply chain, you’ll choose 12 elective credits and can concentrate them in accounting. Iowa State also builds in optional study abroad opportunities and career coaching, which is worth noting if you’re using the degree to pivot rather than advance in place.

5. Rutgers University–Camden

Rutgers School of Business–Camden takes a certificate-based approach to specialization, and two of its eight options are accounting-focused: Accounting Analytics and Forensic Accounting. The school is AACSB accredited, Rutgers holds regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and the Camden campus is home to the Ragone Center for Excellence in Accounting. A university-wide alumni network of more than 585,500 doesn’t hurt either. 

The online MBA is 42 credits across 14 asynchronous courses, with 12 of those credits reserved for electives — which is where your certificate coursework lives. Most students attend part-time and finish in three to four years, though full-time students can wrap up in under two. The forensic track in particular is a useful differentiator if fraud examination or litigation support interests you.

6. University of Colorado Denver

Downtown Denver is the home base for CU Denver’s Business School, which offers its online MBA with nine career-focused specializations, accounting among them. The university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the Business School holds AACSB accreditation. The program is delivered entirely online with fall, spring, and summer starts, and students can move at their own pace, finishing in as little as 24 months or stretching the degree across up to five years.

The MBA requires 45 credits, including 30 credits of core coursework and an international business elective. The accounting specialization accounts for 12 of those credits, with coursework in intermediate financial accounting, federal income tax fundamentals, and additional graduate accounting electives. It’s aimed at students heading toward auditing, corporate accounting, and finance leadership roles rather than purely technical practice.

7. University of Oklahoma

Norman-based OU delivers its online MBA through the Price College of Business, which holds AACSB accreditation; the university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The 36-credit program takes about 20 months and is modeled on OU’s in-person Professional MBA. Most classes meet live on weeknight evenings, with asynchronous work layered around them, so you get real-time contact with faculty rather than recorded lectures alone.

Accounting is one of 10 specializations, structured as a stackable certificate. You’ll start with either financial accounting or financial reporting foundations, then choose 10 credit hours from a deep bench that includes cost accounting, auditing, internal control, accounting information systems, income and business taxation, and financial statement analysis. It’s one of the more technically substantial accounting pathways on this list.

8. University of Scranton

Jesuit-affiliated and located in northeastern Pennsylvania, the University of Scranton offers its online MBA accounting specialization through the AACSB-accredited Kania School of Management. The university holds regional accreditation from MSCHE. The 39-credit degree is available both online and on campus, requires no GMAT or GRE, and most students finish within two years.

This is a strong pick if CPA licensure is the goal. The program is recognized by New York State as equivalent to a licensure-qualifying registered program, meaning graduates are considered to have met the coursework requirements to pursue a New York CPA license. Accounting coursework covers international accounting, advanced auditing, taxation and regulation, and internal audit procedures, with added emphasis on fraud detection, accounting ethics, and governance.

9. University of Texas at Dallas

UT Dallas runs its online Professional MBA out of the Naveen Jindal School of Management in Richardson, with no residency requirement and a curriculum that mirrors the on-campus program credit for credit. The diploma makes no distinction between formats. The university is regionally accredited by SACSCOC, Jindal holds AACSB accreditation, and the 53-credit program carries a STEM designation.

Accounting is one of the concentrations available, sitting alongside options like internal audit and business analytics — a useful adjacency if you’re weighing where in the accounting field you want to land. UT Dallas also enrolls one of the largest online MBA cohorts among top-ranked programs, which means a bigger peer network and more consistent course availability than you’ll find at smaller schools.

10. William & Mary

Rounding out the list, William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business offers two distinct accounting pathways within its online MBA: a general Accounting specialization and a Tax Planning & Strategy track. The Williamsburg, Virginia, university is regionally accredited by SACSCOC, and Mason holds AACSB accreditation. The 49-credit program is organized around a “wicked problem” framework that asks you to apply coursework to a real challenge at your own workplace.

Specialization courses run eight credits. The accounting track covers nonprofit and government financial management, business law, and managerial accounting for organizational performance, while the tax track swaps in individual income tax and advanced federal taxation. Credits from most specializations can later be applied toward W&M’s specialized master’s degrees, including its Master of Accounting, if you decide to go deeper.

How We Rank Schools

To create this list, we review data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), along with program-level details published by each university.

Accounting adds a layer most MBA concentrations don’t have. Because so many students pursue this degree with CPA licensure or a specific technical role in mind, we gave extra weight to programs with substantial accounting coursework rather than a token elective or two, and to schools whose accounting programs hold their own programmatic accreditation. Here’s what we considered:

• Accreditation: We prioritize regionally accredited universities with business programs accredited by AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE. Separate AACSB accounting accreditation — held by a small fraction of business schools — carried additional weight here, since it reflects a dedicated accounting faculty and curriculum review.
• Online availability: Programs must deliver the MBA and its accounting coursework in a genuinely online format, with asynchronous or flexible scheduling that lets you keep working while you earn the degree.
• Career alignment: We looked for accounting pathways deep enough to matter, covering areas like financial reporting, auditing, taxation, cost accounting, and accounting information systems. Programs with coursework mapped to state CPA education requirements, or with focused tracks in areas like forensic accounting or tax, ranked higher.
• Student outcomes: We consider graduation rates, reported salary outcomes, and program reputation to identify schools that deliver long-term value relative to what the degree costs.

Learn more about our ranking methodology. 

What Will You Learn in an MBA in Accounting Program?

An MBA in accounting splits your time between general management training and accounting depth. The core gives you working fluency across every major business function, while the concentration builds the technical and analytical skills that set accounting professionals apart in leadership roles. Common areas of study include:

• Financial reporting and analysis: Reading, interpreting, and comparing financial statements, and understanding how reporting decisions shape what investors, lenders, and executives see.
• Managerial and cost accounting: Analyzing and controlling costs, building cost systems that support decision-making, and developing performance measures across business units.
• Auditing and internal controls: Evaluating audit evidence, assessing risk, and designing the control systems that keep an organization’s financial reporting reliable.
• Taxation: Understanding how individual, corporate, and pass-through entity taxation works, and how tax considerations factor into business strategy.
• Accounting information systems: Working with the technology that captures and reports financial data, including data analytics tools increasingly expected of accountants.
• Accounting ethics and governance: Examining professional codes of conduct, fraud risk, and the judgment calls that come with handling other people’s money.

Alongside the accounting coursework, you’ll take the standard MBA core in finance, marketing, operations, economics, and organizational leadership. Most programs close with a capstone project or case-based course that asks you to pull all of it together on a complex business problem.

How Long Does it Take to Earn an MBA in Accounting Online?

Most online MBA programs in accounting take one to two years to complete, though the range is wider than that suggests. Accelerated programs built around short, sequential terms can be finished in as little as 10 to 12 months if you take courses back to back without breaks. On the other end, part-time students balancing full-time accounting work often take three to four years, and some schools allow up to five or six.

Credit requirements drive a lot of that variation. The programs on this list run anywhere from 30 to 53 credits, with the accounting concentration typically making up 9 to 12 of them. Course length matters too: schools using six- or seven-week terms move faster than those on a traditional semester calendar, even at the same credit count.

One factor that catches people off guard is foundation coursework. If your bachelor’s degree isn’t in business, many programs require up to 12 additional credits in accounting, finance, economics, and statistics before you start the core. That can add a term or two to your timeline, so it’s worth asking about during the admissions conversation rather than after you enroll.

How Much Does an Online MBA in Accounting Cost?

Cost varies dramatically across online MBA programs, and accounting concentrations don’t typically carry a premium over other specializations. Tuition is almost always charged per credit hour, so your total depends on how many credits the program requires and whether you qualify for in-state rates at a public university. Some schools charge a single flat rate to all online students regardless of residency, which can make an out-of-state public program surprisingly competitive.

Among accredited programs, per-credit rates generally range from a few hundred dollars at regional public universities to over a thousand at private and highly ranked schools. Multiply that across a 30- to 53-credit program and the spread between the least and most expensive options on a list like this one can easily be a factor of three or more.

Budget for more than tuition alone. Application fees, technology fees, and course materials add up, and if you need foundation coursework, those credits usually aren’t included in the advertised program total. If CPA licensure is your goal, factor in exam fees and review course costs as well, since those sit outside your tuition entirely.

Financial Aid for Online MBAs in Accounting

Most students fund an online MBA in accounting through a combination of sources rather than a single one. Here’s what’s typically available:

• Federal student aid: Submit the FAFSA to find out which federal loans you qualify for. Graduate students rarely qualify for need-based grants, but filing is still the gateway to federal borrowing.
• Employer tuition assistance: Accounting and finance employers are among the more likely to reimburse graduate coursework, especially when the degree supports CPA licensure or an internal promotion track. Check your firm’s policy before you apply.
• Scholarships and fellowships: Many schools award merit-based scholarships automatically from your admissions application. Professional organizations in accounting also fund scholarships for graduate students.
• Graduate assistantships: Some programs offer tuition discounts or stipends in exchange for research or teaching support, though these are less common in fully online formats.
• Military and veteran benefits: Military benefits like Post-9/11 GI Bill funding, Yellow Ribbon Program participation, and Tuition Assistance can substantially reduce costs for eligible service members, veterans, and dependents.
• Institutional payment plans: Many schools let you spread tuition across a term instead of paying in a lump sum, which eases cash flow even though it doesn’t reduce the total.
• Pay-as-you-go pricing: Several online MBA programs charge per course rather than per semester, so you only pay for what you’re taking — useful if your employer reimburses on a per-course basis.

How To Choose the Right MBA in Accounting

Once you’ve narrowed down to accredited programs, the decision usually comes down to a handful of factors that matter more than overall prestige.

Accreditation

Regional accreditation confirms the university meets baseline academic standards, while programmatic accreditation from AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE confirms the business school clears a higher bar. In accounting specifically, there’s a third tier worth knowing about: a small number of business schools hold separate AACSB accounting accreditation, which requires the accounting program to be reviewed on its own terms. It’s not a requirement, but it’s a meaningful signal of depth if you’re deciding between otherwise similar options.

CPA Exam Requirements

If licensure is your goal, this is the single most important thing to verify. All states require 150 semester hours of coursework for CPA licensure, which is 30 more than a typical bachelor’s degree, and an MBA can help close that gap. But specific course requirements vary by state board, and not every accounting concentration is designed with licensure in mind. Some programs on this list explicitly map to a particular state’s requirements; others don’t. Confirm with both the program and your state board before enrolling.

Depth of the Accounting Curriculum

Concentrations range from nine credits to twelve or more, and the course lists vary just as much. A program offering four fixed courses is a different proposition than one letting you choose from dozens of accounting and tax electives. Look at the actual course catalog rather than the concentration name, and ask whether those courses run every term or on a rotation — a great elective you can’t schedule isn’t worth much.

Format and Flexibility

Online programs differ more than you might expect. Some are fully asynchronous with multiple start dates a year; others hold live evening classes you’re expected to attend, or build in short on-campus residencies. Accounting professionals should also think about busy season. If you’re in public accounting, a program with short, flexible terms may be far easier to navigate in February than one locked to a traditional semester calendar.

Cost and Return on Investment

Total cost across accredited programs varies by a factor of three or more, so compare tuition against what you can realistically expect to earn afterward in your target role. A regionally strong public program often delivers a better return than a higher-priced one, particularly if you plan to stay in the same market. Factor in foundation coursework if you’re coming from a non-business background, since those credits usually aren’t in the advertised total.

Career Outlook With an Online MBA in Accounting

Accounting roles remain steady, and the data supports it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), accountants and auditors earned a median annual wage of $83,680 in May 2025, with the top 10% earning more than $144,090. Employment in the field is projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with roughly 115,300 openings projected each year over the decade.

The BLS also notes that while technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain are expected to automate some routine accounting tasks, this isn’t expected to reduce overall demand. Instead, automating data entry and similar work pushes accountants’ advisory and analytical responsibilities to the forefront — which is exactly the territory an MBA prepares you for.

That matters most if your goal is to move up rather than across. BLS notes that many financial managers and top executives come from accounting, internal audit, or finance backgrounds, and the pay gap is substantial: financial managers earned a median of $166,570 in May 2025, and top executives earned a median of $108,780. Common advancement paths from accounting lead to controller, treasurer, director of internal audit, and chief financial officer roles.

FAQs About the Best Online MBAs in Accounting

A few questions come up repeatedly for prospective students weighing an accounting MBA against other options.

Is an Online MBA in Accounting Worth It?

For accounting professionals aiming at controller, director, or CFO-track roles, usually yes. The degree pairs the technical credibility you already have with the broader business fluency those jobs require, and the pay difference between staff-level accounting work and financial management is significant. Whether it pencils out for you specifically depends on program cost relative to your expected salary bump, but if you’re planning to stay in accounting long-term and move into leadership, the math tends to work — especially if an employer covers part of the tab.

Is an Online MBA in Accounting Respected by Employers?

Yes, provided the program carries proper accreditation. Employers generally look at whether the university holds regional accreditation and whether the business program is accredited by AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE, not whether you attended in person. In accounting specifically, hiring managers often recognize separate AACSB accounting accreditation as an added mark of quality. Most of the programs on this list deliver coursework taught by the same faculty who teach on campus, and several issue a diploma that makes no distinction between online and in-person formats.

Who Should Consider an MBA in Accounting Program?

This degree makes the most sense for working accountants, auditors, and finance professionals who want to move into management rather than deepen their technical specialization. It’s also a solid fit if you’re coming from another business function and want accounting credibility without committing to a full Master of Accountancy. Students who need additional credit hours toward CPA licensure sometimes use the MBA to get there while gaining leadership training at the same time. If your goal is purely technical mastery for public accounting practice, though, a specialized accounting master’s may serve you better.

What’s the Difference Between an MBA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy?

The MBA is broader, the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) is deeper. An accounting MBA gives you the full management core — finance, marketing, operations, strategy, leadership — with roughly 9 to 12 credits of accounting layered on. A MAcc concentrates almost entirely on advanced accounting and is built primarily around CPA exam preparation and public accounting practice. If you want to lead teams and eventually sit in the C-suite, the MBA is generally the better bet. If you want to be the most technically skilled person in the room, go with the MAcc.

Can an Online MBA in Accounting Help You Qualify for the CPA Exam?

Often, but not automatically. Every state requires 150 semester hours of college coursework for CPA licensure, and a graduate degree is a common way to bridge the 30-hour gap left by a bachelor’s. Some programs are explicitly designed with this in mind — a few on this list state that their accounting courses may help meet a specific state’s education requirements. Others aren’t structured for licensure at all. Requirements also vary meaningfully by state board, so verify with both the program and the board where you plan to be licensed before you commit.

Do You Need an Accounting Background to Enroll?

No. Most of these programs accept applicants from any undergraduate major, and many admit students with no business degree at all. What usually changes is your timeline: non-business applicants are typically required to complete foundation coursework in accounting, finance, economics, and statistics before starting the core, often up to 12 additional credits. Some schools waive those if your transcript shows equivalent coursework. The accounting concentration itself may have its own prerequisites, so ask about that specifically rather than assuming general admission covers it.

Find Online MBAs in Accounting

The right online MBA in accounting comes down to fit, not rankings: an accreditation profile that holds up with employers, an accounting curriculum deep enough to matter, and a format that works around busy season and everything else on your plate. Browse business school profiles on Learn.org and reach out to programs directly to ask about concentration requirements, foundation coursework, and how their accounting courses line up with licensure rules in your state.