University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlights affordable programs for accounting.
Accounting is a field where students can utilize their love for numbers to ensure that organizations are correctly managing their budgets. Unlike many other math-based careers, accounting is highly rooted in real-world applications, which can be a plus for individuals who enjoy seeing how their work directly contributes to improving the functionality of their firm. Given the complexity of the tax code and key accounting principles like GAAP, most accounting professionals need to undergo years of rigorous education and training before they are ready to embark on this career path. Here you’ll find some of the best and most affordable accounting programs in the United States.
Featured Online Accounting Programs
Top 50 Affordable Accounting Colleges and Universities
Elizabeth City State University
Score: 100
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,412
- Out-of-State: $7,412
- Net Price: $4,120
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 2,149
- Undergrad Students: 2,033
- Graduate Students: 116
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
CUNY Hunter College
Score: 98.26
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,382
- Out-of-State: $15,332
- Net Price: $4,848
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 22,970
- Undergrad Students: 17,256
- Graduate Students: 5,714
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
CUNY Lehman College
Score: 97.96
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,410
- Out-of-State: $15,360
- Net Price: $4,974
- Acceptance Rate: 55%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 13,015
- Undergrad Students: 11,211
- Graduate Students: 1,804
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
Score: 97.92
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,464
- Out-of-State: $15,414
- Net Price: $4,991
- Acceptance Rate: 50%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 19,854
- Undergrad Students: 15,896
- Graduate Students: 3,958
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Texas A&M International University
Score: 96.99
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,846
- Out-of-State: $19,382
- Net Price: $5,383
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 8,505
- Undergrad Students: 6,979
- Graduate Students: 1,526
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
Score: 96.79
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,627
- Out-of-State: $16,419
- Net Price: $5,465
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Total Enrollment: 2,198
- Undergrad Students: 1,712
- Graduate Students: 486
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Dalton State College
Score: 96.63
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,283
- Out-of-State: $10,189
- Net Price: $5,532
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 22%
- Total Enrollment: 4,527
- Undergrad Students: 4,527
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $57,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
CUNY Brooklyn College
Score: 95.58
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,452
- Out-of-State: $15,402
- Net Price: $5,972
- Acceptance Rate: 55%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 14,195
- Undergrad Students: 11,661
- Graduate Students: 2,534
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Fayetteville State University
Score: 94.67
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,969
- Out-of-State: $7,969
- Net Price: $6,355
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 6,787
- Undergrad Students: 5,748
- Graduate Students: 1,039
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
CUNY Queens College
Score: 94.48
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,538
- Out-of-State: $15,488
- Net Price: $6,434
- Acceptance Rate: 69%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 17,001
- Undergrad Students: 14,406
- Graduate Students: 2,595
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Indiana University-Northwest
Score: 94.2
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,179
- Out-of-State: $22,043
- Net Price: $6,553
- Acceptance Rate: 80%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 37%
- Total Enrollment: 3,198
- Undergrad Students: 2,860
- Graduate Students: 338
- Grads Salary: $63,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
CUNY York College
Score: 93.92
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,358
- Out-of-State: $15,308
- Net Price: $6,670
- Acceptance Rate: 59%
- Retention Rate: 61%
- Graduation Rate: 33%
- Total Enrollment: 6,446
- Undergrad Students: 6,199
- Graduate Students: 247
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
College of Staten Island CUNY
Score: 92.62
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,490
- Out-of-State: $15,440
- Net Price: $7,217
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 35%
- Total Enrollment: 10,248
- Undergrad Students: 9,299
- Graduate Students: 949
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Northern Kentucky University
Score: 92.52
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,896
- Out-of-State: $21,480
- Net Price: $7,259
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 15,801
- Undergrad Students: 10,776
- Graduate Students: 5,025
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Score: 92.48
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,050
- Out-of-State: $14,650
- Net Price: $7,274
- Acceptance Rate: 58%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 31%
- Total Enrollment: 4,289
- Undergrad Students: 4,289
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $53,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Score: 91.73
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,327
- Out-of-State: $20,481
- Net Price: $7,587
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 65%
- Graduation Rate: 33%
- Total Enrollment: 8,721
- Undergrad Students: 2,465
- Graduate Students: 6,256
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
Heritage University
Score: 91.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $19,920
- Out-of-State: $19,920
- Net Price: $7,841
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 853
- Undergrad Students: 796
- Graduate Students: 57
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
Brigham Young University-Idaho
Score: 90.99
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,656
- Out-of-State: $4,656
- Net Price: $7,899
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 43,023
- Undergrad Students: 43,023
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Score: 90.5
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,859
- Out-of-State: $19,939
- Net Price: $8,105
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Total Enrollment: 31,559
- Undergrad Students: 26,434
- Graduate Students: 5,125
- Grads Salary: $66,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Score: 90.25
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,571
- Out-of-State: $7,571
- Net Price: $8,208
- Acceptance Rate: 90%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 7,666
- Undergrad Students: 5,643
- Graduate Students: 2,023
- Grads Salary: $56,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
CUNY Medgar Evers College
Score: 90.15
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,352
- Out-of-State: $15,302
- Net Price: $8,250
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 40%
- Graduation Rate: 24%
- Total Enrollment: 3,640
- Undergrad Students: 3,640
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Score: 89.97
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,922
- Out-of-State: $8,673
- Net Price: $8,325
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 35%
- Graduation Rate: 22%
- Total Enrollment: 1,242
- Undergrad Students: 1,242
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $50,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Northern New Mexico College
Score: 89.84
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,400
- Out-of-State: $14,328
- Net Price: $8,383
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 53%
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Total Enrollment: 1,154
- Undergrad Students: 1,154
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $63,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Score: 89.53
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,855
- Out-of-State: $16,497
- Net Price: $8,510
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Total Enrollment: 3,947
- Undergrad Students: 3,236
- Graduate Students: 711
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Coppin State University
Score: 89.41
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,001
- Out-of-State: $13,789
- Net Price: $8,562
- Acceptance Rate: 45%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 24%
- Total Enrollment: 2,006
- Undergrad Students: 1,757
- Graduate Students: 249
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
The University of West Florida
Score: 89.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,360
- Out-of-State: $19,241
- Net Price: $8,609
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Total Enrollment: 13,521
- Undergrad Students: 9,291
- Graduate Students: 4,230
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Eastern New Mexico University
Score: 89.08
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,863
- Out-of-State: $8,843
- Net Price: $8,702
- Acceptance Rate: 28%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 5,106
- Undergrad Students: 3,833
- Graduate Students: 1,273
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Marshall University
Score: 88.95
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,942
- Out-of-State: $20,294
- Net Price: $8,756
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 10,691
- Undergrad Students: 7,952
- Graduate Students: 2,739
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
California State University-Northridge
Score: 88.52
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,095
- Out-of-State: $18,975
- Net Price: $8,936
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 37,579
- Undergrad Students: 32,181
- Graduate Students: 5,398
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
Monroe College
Score: 87.99
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $17,922
- Out-of-State: $17,922
- Net Price: $9,157
- Acceptance Rate: 60%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 7,011
- Undergrad Students: 5,916
- Graduate Students: 1,095
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Purdue University Northwest
Score: 87.98
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,419
- Out-of-State: $15,620
- Net Price: $9,162
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 8,911
- Undergrad Students: 8,176
- Graduate Students: 735
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
North Carolina A&T State University
Score: 87.92
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,748
- Out-of-State: $20,408
- Net Price: $9,189
- Acceptance Rate: 56%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 57%
- Total Enrollment: 13,487
- Undergrad Students: 11,833
- Graduate Students: 1,654
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Western Governors University
Score: 87.87
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,300
- Out-of-State: $8,300
- Net Price: $9,207
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 65%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 156,935
- Undergrad Students: 112,807
- Graduate Students: 44,128
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 42:1
Utah Valley University
Score: 87.54
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,270
- Out-of-State: $17,830
- Net Price: $9,346
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 43,099
- Undergrad Students: 42,296
- Graduate Students: 803
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 25:1
University of Washington-Bothell
Score: 87.51
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,559
- Out-of-State: $41,913
- Net Price: $9,357
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 5,735
- Undergrad Students: 5,192
- Graduate Students: 543
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Score: 87.29
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,640
- Out-of-State: $22,752
- Net Price: $9,450
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 6,607
- Undergrad Students: 5,636
- Graduate Students: 971
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Savannah State University
Score: 87.29
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,498
- Out-of-State: $16,218
- Net Price: $9,452
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 28%
- Total Enrollment: 2,945
- Undergrad Students: 2,740
- Graduate Students: 205
- Grads Salary: $62,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Score: 87.1
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,064
- Out-of-State: $20,120
- Net Price: $9,529
- Acceptance Rate: 65%
- Retention Rate: 56%
- Graduation Rate: 34%
- Total Enrollment: 1,481
- Undergrad Students: 1,481
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $86,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
University of Arkansas Grantham
Score: 87.06
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,280
- Out-of-State: $8,280
- Net Price: $9,546
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 36%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Total Enrollment: 5,436
- Undergrad Students: 4,598
- Graduate Students: 838
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 33:1
The University of Texas at El Paso
Score: 87.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,744
- Out-of-State: $25,512
- Net Price: $9,563
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Total Enrollment: 23,880
- Undergrad Students: 20,165
- Graduate Students: 3,715
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Peirce College
Score: 86.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $15,060
- Out-of-State: $15,060
- Net Price: $9,621
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 5%
- Total Enrollment: 856
- Undergrad Students: 762
- Graduate Students: 94
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Northeastern State University
Score: 86.77
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,513
- Out-of-State: $16,633
- Net Price: $9,669
- Acceptance Rate: 99%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 38%
- Total Enrollment: 6,702
- Undergrad Students: 5,242
- Graduate Students: 1,460
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Cameron University
Score: 86.76
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,900
- Out-of-State: $16,320
- Net Price: $9,674
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Total Enrollment: 3,418
- Undergrad Students: 3,133
- Graduate Students: 285
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
SUNY Empire State University
Score: 86.69
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,630
- Out-of-State: $17,540
- Net Price: $9,704
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Total Enrollment: 9,407
- Undergrad Students: 7,735
- Graduate Students: 1,672
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Florida Atlantic University
Score: 86.67
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,879
- Out-of-State: $17,324
- Net Price: $9,711
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 29,592
- Undergrad Students: 24,191
- Graduate Students: 5,401
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Clayton State University
Score: 86.48
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,068
- Out-of-State: $15,790
- Net Price: $9,792
- Acceptance Rate: 56%
- Retention Rate: 60%
- Graduation Rate: 34%
- Total Enrollment: 5,847
- Undergrad Students: 5,283
- Graduate Students: 564
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Shepherd University
Score: 86.39
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,642
- Out-of-State: $19,082
- Net Price: $9,827
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 48%
- Total Enrollment: 3,235
- Undergrad Students: 2,718
- Graduate Students: 517
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Governors State University
Score: 86.38
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,320
- Out-of-State: $11,320
- Net Price: $9,833
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 56%
- Graduation Rate: 21%
- Total Enrollment: 4,427
- Undergrad Students: 2,609
- Graduate Students: 1,818
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
University of North Alabama
Score: 86.37
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,990
- Out-of-State: $22,190
- Net Price: $9,837
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 52%
- Total Enrollment: 9,830
- Undergrad Students: 7,214
- Graduate Students: 2,616
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Florida International University
Score: 86.27
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,565
- Out-of-State: $18,963
- Net Price: $9,881
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 55,609
- Undergrad Students: 45,688
- Graduate Students: 9,921
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
Why a Degree from an Affordable Accounting School?
When most future students think about accounting, they may imagine images of a bespectacled bookkeeper poring over journal entries, but the field is actually much more complex and flexible than that. Accounting, like many other business degrees, encompasses a variety of different types of job applications, ensuring that there are vertical promotion opportunities or even horizontal movement opportunities within one’s career. For instance, accounting students can specialize in fields like auditing, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and payroll services, building careers for themselves in any of these different accounting specialties. Eventually, accountants can be promoted to managerial positions in a firm’s finance department and later even head up a tax practice or found their own accounting firm. Furthermore, since accountants must undertake specialized education and even sit for certifications like the CPA exam, accounting is a very stable career path. Most organizations that keep financial records will, at some point down the line, require the services of an accounting professional, ensuring that there is almost always job demand for this line of work.
Find Your Accounting Program
Are Accounting Programs in High Demand?
Given the ubiquity of demand for accounting professionals across all industries and geographies, students who graduate with accounting degrees are in high demand on the job market. In particular, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1.4 million accounting professionals were employed in the United States in 2019. The overall demand for new accounting and auditing professionals was growing at a rate of 4% between 2019-2029, a rate that is equal to the average job growth rate in the country, indicating good future job prospects. Moreover, the BLS states that the median pay for accountants and auditors in 2019 was $71,550, indicating that accounting degrees can lead to lucrative careers as well.
However, it’s important to note that not all accounting degrees are created equal. When you are considering earning an accounting degree, you need to decide what level of higher education you want to obtain and from what school you want to graduate from. The college program and the level of education play an important role in being hired from a higher quality firm and your overall salary outcome. University HQ has ranked some of the best accounting programs for: associates in accounting, bachelor's in accounting and master's in accounting degrees online. The BLS has also noted that the bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerk subsections of the accounting field are actually expected to decline by 6% between 2019-2029. The median pay for this career type was $41,230 in 2019. Overall, this suggests that the accounting professionals with less training and specialization may have a harder time finding jobs in the future, especially with the onset of more advanced accounting software.
What Can You Do With an Accounting Diploma?
When a student completes their online accounting degree, they have several important career choices to make. First, they should decide which industry they wish to join. Then, they should consider whether they wish to pursue a specific accounting specialization. Given the high demand for accounting professionals across multiple business industries, accounting students can decide if they wish to join a specialized accounting firm that serves clients from all walks of life or if they wish to join the accounting department of a company directly after graduation. For instance, accounting students who also enjoy technology can choose to join the finance department of a company like Google or Microsoft, allowing them to take advantage of the best of both worlds. Additionally, given that many large organizations have complex financial needs, accountants who do not work for an accounting firm will typically focus on helping firms balance one or two important accounts. Therefore, once accounting students enter the workforce, they will often choose to specialize in positions like accounts payable clerk, accounts receivable clerk, compliance officer, auditor, tax accountant, budget analyst, controller, bookkeeper, or forensic accountant, among many possible career paths. University HQ has a large list of accounting resources for current accounting students and accountants already employed.
Related Top College Resources