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Key Infor­ma­tion:

  • The Uni­ver­si­ty of Penn­syl­va­nia, Uni­ver­si­ty of Vir­ginia, and Uni­ver­si­ty of Illi­nois at Urbana-Cham­paign have some of the top account­ing bach­e­lor degree pro­grams.
  • Spe­cial­iz­ing in spe­cif­ic account­ing fields can lead to high­er income poten­tial. As grad­u­ates gain expe­ri­ence and grow in their careers, their incomes increase accordingly.
  • Pro­grams that offer a blend of sub­jects, such as the Uni­ver­si­ty of Pennsylvania’s BBA in Account­ing, pre­pare stu­dents to be well-round­ed and high­ly edu­cat­ed indi­vid­u­als with a broad range of account­ing expertise.
  • Top account­ing pro­grams pro­vide a com­pre­hen­sive cur­ricu­lum that includes foun­da­tion­al cours­es in math, sci­ence, psy­chol­o­gy, human­i­ties, and spe­cif­ic account­ing skills such as sta­tis­tics, tax infor­ma­tion, and auditing.

Search for the best account­ing degree pro­grams. Accoun­tants are always in demand because com­pa­nies and orga­ni­za­tions need peo­ple to keep track of finan­cial infor­ma­tion, run reports, devise finan­cial strate­gies, and man­age fed­er­al, state, and local tax lia­bil­i­ties. Accord­ing to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta­tis­tics, the demand for accoun­tants in the future is pro­ject­ed to grow by 6% by 2028. It’s also a career field that allows you to blend busi­ness acu­men with finan­cial man­age­ment skills in order to keep a busi­ness oper­at­ing at its best. Last, but not least, if you’re still ask­ing “what can I do with a bach­e­lors in account­ing”, you can always open up your own account­ing firm and work for clients of your choosing.

The demand for accoun­tants in the future is not going to dimin­ish any time soon, and the start­ing salaries for accoun­tants upon grad­u­a­tion are very good. Spe­cial­iza­tion in spe­cif­ic account­ing fields help increase the poten­tial for high­er income as well. And, as you gain expe­ri­ence and grow in your career, your income will grow accord­ing­ly. Account­ing as a job may not have a high pro­file image, but it is a high­ly respectable field that is full of chal­lenges and keeps your mind occu­pied as you work out the puz­zles that com­prise a clien­t’s finan­cial profile.

Methodology: Ranking the Best Traditional Accounting Degrees

To rank the best tra­di­tion­al, on-cam­pus account­ing bachelor’s pro­grams in the US, Bachelor’s Degree Cen­ter edi­tors exclu­sive­ly researched accredited, rep­utable insti­tu­tions. From the ini­tial pool, pro­grams were ranked accord­ing to prac­ti­cal fac­tors includ­ing Tuition, Salary Poten­tial, and Rep­u­ta­tion. Data comes from IPEDS, Col­lege Score­card, and Niche.

1. University of Pennsylvania

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Penn­syl­va­ni­a’s BBA in Account­ing pro­vides a rich blend of sub­jects. Stu­dents in this pro­gram become well-round­ed, well-edu­cat­ed indi­vid­u­als with a wide range of account­ing exper­tise. As a result, this pro­gram is a top choice among those who are seek­ing the best degree in account­ing. This pro­gram starts with a foun­da­tion in math, sci­ence, psy­chol­o­gy, and the human­i­ties, and then it adds sta­tis­tics, tax infor­ma­tion, audit­ing, and oth­er spe­cif­ic account­ing skills.

The Whar­ton School at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Penn­syl­va­nia is one of the top busi­ness schools in the coun­try. Stu­dents come here to get a deep dive into their edu­ca­tions. Class­es here are both well-round­ed and rel­e­vant, pro­vid­ing a chal­leng­ing blend of top­ics that stu­dents can bring into their post-grad­u­a­tion lives. This school also blends aca­d­e­mics and research. Learn­ers in this com­mu­ni­ty find a great place to explore their own ideas and con­tribute to a broad­er conversation.

What We Like: The Whar­ton School was the world’s first busi­ness school, and it has led the way in inno­va­tion since it was founded.

Degree: BBA in Accounting

Uni­ver­si­ty of Penn­syl­va­nia BBA in Accounting

2. University of Virginia

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Vir­gini­a’s BS in Com­merce comes with the option of an account­ing con­cen­tra­tion. With this option, stu­dents gain plen­ty of gen­er­al busi­ness knowl­edge on top of focused and spe­cif­ic account­ing skills. This pro­gram pro­vides one of the best degrees for account­ing because of its chal­lenge and focus on the most cur­rent prac­tices. Once stu­dents grad­u­ate from this pro­gram, they become valu­able assets to the busi­ness world, and many move on to excit­ing and high-pay­ing jobs.

Found­ed by Thomas Jef­fer­son, the Uni­ver­si­ty of Vir­ginia has always been a leader in pub­lic high­er edu­ca­tion. This school thrives in both aca­d­e­mics and research. It’s not afraid to inno­vate and push past exist­ing bar­ri­ers. While get­ting a chal­leng­ing aca­d­e­m­ic expe­ri­ence, learn­ers also dis­cov­er their own lead­er­ship skills and hone those skills along the way. UV has a strong focus on the greater good, and it’s always look­ing for ways to make the world better.

What We Like: UV was ranked as the #4 Best Pub­lic Nation­al Uni­ver­si­ty by US News and World Report.

Degree: BS in Com­merce — Accounting

Uni­ver­si­ty of Vir­ginia BS in Commerce

3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

To many stu­dents, the BS in Accoun­tan­cy at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Illi­nois is the best degree in account­ing. That’s because this pro­gram has a close rela­tion­ship with some of the top lead­ers in the busi­ness. UIUC account­ing stu­dents are well sought after once they grad­u­ate. The teach­ers in this pro­gram are some of the top teach­ers in the field, too, and they help stu­dents con­nect with real-world oppor­tu­ni­ties out­side of the class­room. As a result, stu­dents get unique prepa­ra­tion to suc­ceed as accoun­tants after graduation.

As a land grant uni­ver­si­ty, the Uni­ver­si­ty of Illi­nois is ded­i­cat­ed to improv­ing lives. The school focus­es on serv­ing its com­mu­ni­ty, state, and the world at large. Stu­dents get lots of oppor­tu­ni­ty to par­tic­i­pate in this vision. This pub­lic uni­ver­si­ty blends learn­ing and dis­cov­ery, and it applies its dis­cov­er­ies to its mis­sion of glob­al improve­ment. At UIUC, stu­dents can expect to be chal­lenged, encour­aged, and empow­ered to find cre­ative solutions.

What We Like: UIUC has the #2 ranked under­grad­u­ate Account­ing program.

Degree: BS in Accountancy

BS in Accoun­tan­cy — Uni­ver­si­ty of Illinois

4. University of Notre Dame

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Notre Dame’s BBA in Accoun­tan­cy pro­vides one of the best degrees for account­ing in the US. This degree empow­ers stu­dents to sharp­en their ana­lyt­i­cal skills, lead­er­ship skills, and deci­sion-mak­ing skills. The pro­gram has an excel­lent rep­u­ta­tion in the account­ing world, which means that those who grad­u­ate from this pro­gram gain a com­pet­i­tive edge in the field. This pro­gram also deeply val­ues ethics, and stu­dents who have an eth­i­cal finan­cial vision find them­selves at home here.

Notre Dame is a Catholic school that remains deeply root­ed in its faith-based tra­di­tion. This school val­ues com­mu­ni­ty and chal­leng­ing edu­ca­tion, and it’s one of the top teach­ing uni­ver­si­ties in the coun­try. As a mat­ter of fact, this school is high­ly ranked in sev­er­al aca­d­e­m­ic areas. As a result, stu­dents here are empow­ered to reach high­er than they’ve reached before, dis­cov­er­ing their high­est potential.

What We Like: Notre Dame’s Accoun­tan­cy pro­gram is ranked #4 in the nation by the Pub­lic Account­ing Report.

Degree: BBA in Accountancy

Uni­ver­si­ty of Notre Dame BBA in Accountancy

5. University of Texas at Austin

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Texas at Austin has a great BBA in Account­ing pro­gram. As a mat­ter of fact, this BBA is one of the best degrees for account­ing in the US. The degree is a Finance major with an Account­ing empha­sis, and it lets stu­dents take either a cor­po­rate track or a finan­cial insti­tu­tions track, depend­ing on where they want to take their careers in the future. In any case, stu­dents gain a deep under­stand­ing of account­ing, tax­es, crit­i­cal think­ing, and decision-making.

UT Austin is com­mit­ted to pro­vid­ing an excel­lent pub­lic edu­ca­tion with a focus on inno­va­tion and an afford­able cost for stu­dents. This school boasts of many top-ranked pro­grams, and its research has made changes both in Texas and around the world. Stu­dents get to par­tic­i­pate in this inno­va­tion, sharp­en­ing their own skills along the way and becom­ing part of a diverse and vibrant community.

What We Like: UT Austin is ranked as the #14 Top Pub­lic School by US News and World Report.

Degree: BBA in Accounting

Uni­ver­si­ty of Texas at Austin — BBA in Accounting

6. University of Wisconsin

The BBA in Account­ing from the Uni­ver­si­ty of Wis­con­sin is one of the best degree in account­ing options avail­able to stu­dents today. The pro­gram offers lots of oppor­tu­ni­ties for stu­dents, includ­ing study abroad oppor­tu­ni­ties. More impor­tant­ly, it instills the busi­ness and account­ing skills that stu­dents will need in this field, and it helps them con­nect with ways to dive into their careers after they graduate.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Wis­con­sin is a top-ranked pub­lic uni­ver­si­ty that helps stu­dents real­ize their fullest poten­tial. Its busi­ness pro­grams are ranked espe­cial­ly high. UW’s pro­grams are designed to pre­pare stu­dents for their careers from day one on cam­pus. Stu­dents build up expe­ri­ences that pad their resumes and get them ready to enter their fields right away.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Wis­con­sin’s busi­ness school has more than 600 cor­po­rate part­ners, which means that stu­dents get unique oppor­tu­ni­ties to build valu­able connections.

Degree: BBA in Accounting

BBA in Account­ing — Uni­ver­si­ty of Wisconsin

7. University of Maryland

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Mary­land’s account­ing degree pro­gram helps stu­dents build up their man­age­ment and finan­cial skills. The pro­gram takes a high­ly prac­ti­cal approach that makes it one of the best degrees for account­ing in the US. Stu­dents here are pre­pared to take on account­ing respon­si­bil­i­ties in all kinds of sec­tors. The degree plan gives stu­dents a roadmap from begin­ning account­ing class­es to high­ly rel­e­vant career expe­ri­ences, mak­ing it one of the best degrees for accounting.

As one of the top research schools in the nation, the Uni­ver­si­ty of Mary­land address spe­cif­ic needs and issues fac­ing the world today. Many stu­dents choose this school because they want to make a dif­fer­ence in the world, and UM gives them a clear path­way to do so. The school pro­vides plen­ty of chal­lenge in all areas from the arts to the sciences.

What We Like: UM is one of the top 50 glob­al universities.

Degree: BBA in Accounting

Uni­ver­si­ty of Mary­land BBA in Accounting

8. Rutgers University

The Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Account­ing is a top choice for many future accoun­tants. The pro­gram is designed to teach stu­dents a broad range of account­ing and ana­lyt­i­cal skills so that they can thrive in all kinds of actu­ar­i­al work. Those who grad­u­ate from this pro­gram move on to work in var­i­ous busi­ness­es and firms. As a mat­ter of fact, the “Big Four” account­ing firms all recruit from Rut­gers, so stu­dents who are seek­ing high-achiev­ing careers should check out this pro­gram. For many of these stu­dents, Rut­gers pro­vides the best degree for accounting.

Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty thrives, both in aca­d­e­mics and in research. As a mat­ter of fact, this school has hun­dreds of research cen­ters all ded­i­cat­ed to inno­va­tion and improv­ing the sur­round­ing world. This school is both well-ranked and well-estab­lished, and it leads the way in a lot of inno­v­a­tive areas. Stu­dents here get an edu­ca­tion that is both well-round­ed and extreme­ly relevant.

What We Like: Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty is the #1 pub­lic uni­ver­si­ty in New Jer­sey accord­ing to the US News and World Report.

Degree: BS in Accounting

Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Accounting

9. Boston College

A BS in Account­ing from Boston Col­lege can cer­tain­ly take stu­dents places. As a mat­ter of fact, this pro­gram is one of the best degree in account­ing options for stu­dents in the Unit­ed States. Many stu­dents in this pro­gram move on to work in one of the nation’s top account­ing firms. The pro­gram pre­pares stu­dents to take the CPA exam, so learn­ers here can rest assured that they’re get­ting a rel­e­vant edu­ca­tion. The pro­gram is chal­leng­ing, and sup­port from tal­ent­ed fac­ul­ty helps stu­dents excel in their work.

Boston Col­lege is a high­ly ranked school that helps stu­dents reach excel­lence as they work toward their goals. This Jesuit Catholic school pro­vides a great edu­ca­tion in both the lib­er­al arts and the sci­ences, pro­vid­ing a ful­ly-formed edu­ca­tion­al approach that helps stu­dents suc­ceed in a wide range of fields. Stu­dents here don’t shy away from a chal­lenge. That’s why Boston Col­lege takes its mot­to from the sixth book of The Illi­ad: “Ever to Excel.”

What We Like: Boston Col­lege has a top 50 rank­ing from US News and World Report.

Degree: BS in Accounting

BS in Account­ing — Boston College

10. Wake Forest University

A BS in Accoun­tan­cy from Wake For­est Uni­ver­si­ty can help a per­son suc­ceed in all kinds of finan­cial careers. Stu­dents who grau­date from this pro­gram move on to work in account­ing, tax­a­tion, busi­ness advis­ing, and more. This Accoun­tan­cy pro­gram is designed to pre­pare stu­dents for the first few years of their careers as well as pro­vide a foun­da­tion for a Mas­ter’s degree if they should choose that route. On the whole, it’s cer­tain­ly one of the best degrees for account­ing in the country.

Wake For­est Uni­ver­si­ty is a pri­vate school that empow­ers stu­dents to use their knowl­edge for ser­vice. Wake For­est engages in ser­vice for human­i­ty. As a mat­ter of fact, their mot­to is “Pro Human­i­tate,” or “For Human­i­ty.” Stu­dents here find no short­age of vol­un­teer oppor­tun­ties or com­mu­ni­ty engage­ment oppor­tu­ni­ties. All the while, they also get a chal­leng­ing edu­ca­tion that can help them move their careers forward.

What We Like: The busi­ness school at Wake For­est is ranked #1 in the US for career opportunities.

Degree: BS in Accountancy

BS in Accoun­tan­cy — Wake For­est University

11. Ohio State University

A BS in Account­ing from Ohio State Uni­ver­si­ty pro­vides plen­ty of skill devel­op­ment. The pro­gram sharp­ens ana­lyt­i­cal skills and cov­ers a range of account­ing top­ics that pre­pare stu­dents to suc­ceed in the field. Through this pro­gram, stu­dents can also con­nect to intern­ship oppor­tu­ni­ties so that they can get a head start in the field. As one of the top-ranked account­ing pro­grams in the US, this par­tic­u­lar pro­gram pro­vides an excel­lent start­ing place for goal-ori­ent­ed stu­dents. That’s what makes this par­tic­u­lar BS one of the best degrees for accounting.

OSU is a high­ly ranked uni­ver­si­ty with strong aca­d­e­mics and research. It’s a well-rec­og­nized school, both among employ­ers and the gen­er­al pub­lic. With many excel­lent pro­grams, OSU helps stu­dents find their path from fresh­man year to career suc­cess. As a large insti­tu­tion, OSU pro­vides plen­ty of resources for learn­ers, includ­ing con­nec­tions to intern­ship opportunities.

What We Like: The OSU account­ing pro­gram was ranked #10 in the nation in 2018.

Degree: BS in Accounting

BS in Account­ing — Ohio State University

12. University of Southern California

The Uni­ver­si­ty of South­ern Cal­i­for­nia has a strong account­ing pro­gram. For many stu­dents, it’s the best degree in account­ing avail­able. Why? Because USC pro­vides more than strong aca­d­e­mics. It also pro­vides account­ing stu­dents with the tools and resources that they’ll need to suc­ceed in the busi­ness world out­side of school. As a result, stu­dents get a career head start that can put them on the path­way to long-term sucess.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of South­ern Cal­i­for­nia is a top-rank­ing pri­vate research uni­ver­si­ty. It’s a well-rec­og­nized school, and the top recruiters in many fields active­ly seek out USC stu­dents. That’s because recruiters know that USC stu­dents can han­dle a chal­lenge. Class­es here encour­age stu­dents to dive deeply into their sub­jects, and world class fac­ul­ty mem­bers help stu­dents become the best that they can be.

What We Like: USC’s account­ing pro­gram is ranked #7 in the Unit­ed States.

Degree: BS in Accounting

Uni­ver­si­ty of South­ern Cal­i­for­nia BS in Accounting

13. Florida State University

A BS in Account­ing from Flori­da State Uni­ver­si­ty can help a stu­dent go places. Those who grad­u­ate from this pro­gram move on thriv­ing careers in both pub­lic and pri­vate account­ing, which makes this degree one of the best degrees for account­ing when one wants some flex­i­bil­i­ty and vari­ety. The pro­gram cov­ers a range of account­ing top­ics. Stu­dents hone their math, busi­ness, ana­lyt­i­cal, and com­mu­ni­ca­tion skills through this program.

Flori­da State Uni­ver­si­ty stu­dents thrive all across the board. FSU is one of the top schools in the nation, which means that stu­dents here get a chal­leng­ing edu­ca­tion from a school that looks great at the top of a resume. As a research school, FSU takes part in cut­ting-edge inno­va­tion, a lot of which ends up in the class­room. Over­all, this school turns goal-focused stu­dents into high achiev­ers in their careers.

What We Like: FSU has been des­ig­nat­ed as a pre­em­i­nant research university.

Degree: BS in Accounting

BS in Account­ing — Flori­da State University

14. St Joseph’s University

St Joseph’s Uni­ver­si­ty offers a BBA in account­ing. This degree gets stu­dents ready for suc­cess in all sorts of fields, espe­cial­ly those in the busi­ness world. These class­es impart skills that turn stu­dents into busi­ness world assets, help­ing them become com­pet­i­tive as they start look­ing for jobs. Many say that this BBA is one of the best degrees for account­ing because of its well-round­ed yet up to date approach to account­ing education.

Found­ed by Jesuits, St Joseph’s Uni­ver­si­ty com­bines aca­d­e­m­ic chal­lenge with a com­mit­ment to social jus­tice. Not only do stu­dents learn how to take their skills to the next lev­el, they also learn how to use those skills to help the world around them. St Joseph’s has a unique approach to edu­ca­tion, blend­ing broad top­ics with pin­point­ed career learn­ing. As a result, stu­dents become well-round­ed indi­vid­u­als with a rel­e­vant path­way to career success.

What We Like: 97% of St Joseph’s class of 2018 had either found employ­ment or a spot in grad school with­in six months of graduation.

Degree: BBA in Accounting

St Joseph’s Uni­ver­si­ty — BBA in accounting

15. Miami University (OH)

Mia­mi Uni­ver­si­ty in Ohio has one of the best degrees for account­ing. Mia­mi Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Accoun­tan­cy pro­vides spe­cif­ic account­ing knowl­edge as well as broad­er busi­ness knowl­edge. This way, stu­dents suc­ceed in their own careers while gain­ing the knowl­edge that they need to com­mu­ni­cate effec­tive­ly with peo­ple who will work along­side them in relat­ed fields. Stu­dents deep­en their skills in ana­lyt­ics, lead­er­ship, and more. For a lot of aspir­ing accoun­tants, this school is a top choice.

Named for the Mia­mi tribe of west­ern Ohio, Mia­mi Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the most chal­leng­ing, inno­v­a­tive pub­lic uni­ver­si­ties in the US. This large uni­ver­si­ty pro­vides the per­son­al­iza­tion of a small school. Pro­fes­sors work close­ly with their stu­dents to help them suc­ceed. Being a larg­er school, how­ev­er, Mia­mi Uni­ver­si­ty also pro­vides lots of resources and oppor­tu­ni­ties for stu­dents to move forward.

What We Like: Mia­mi Uni­ver­si­ty is ranked as a top 50 pub­lic uni­ver­si­ty for 2020.

Degree: BS in Accountancy

Mia­mi Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Accountancy

16. University of Alabama

The BS in Account­ing from the Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma is one of the best degrees for account­ing because of its approach. Of course, this pro­gram teach­es math­mat­i­cal, ana­lyt­i­cal, and busi­ness-ori­ent­ed sub­jects. How­ev­er, it also empha­sizes peo­ple skills, com­mu­ni­ca­tion, and ethics. This way, the learn­ers in this pro­gram pur­sue all of the nec­es­sary skills that it takes to suc­ceed in account­ing. After all, accoun­tants work in all kinds of busi­ness­es. This pro­gram helps future accoun­tants suc­ceed no mat­ter where they go after graduation.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma is a wide­ly-rec­og­nized school with top-lev­el aca­d­e­mics. As the first pub­lic col­lege in the state of Alaba­ma, UA has a rep­u­ta­tion for excel­lence. It also has lots of resources for stu­dents to learn and move for­ward in their careers. Fac­ul­ty mem­bers here are tal­ent­ed and sup­port­ive. Stu­dents grow both as com­mu­ni­ty mem­bers and as indi­vid­u­als. From their first day on cam­pus to the day that they grad­u­ate, UA learn­ers get to max­i­mize their potential.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma is one of the Top 50 nation­al pub­lic uni­ver­si­ties accord­ing to US News and World Report.

Degree: BS in Accounting

BS in Account­ing — Uni­ver­si­ty of Alabama

17. Santa Clara University

San­ta Clara Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Account­ing is a high­ly ranked pro­gram designed to help stu­dents become com­pet­i­tive in an excit­ing field. In fact, major account­ing firms seek out grad­u­ates from this pro­grarm because they know that it pro­vides a rel­e­vant, skill-focused edu­ca­tion that serves grad­u­ates well from their first day on the job all the way to retire­ment. It ranks among the best degree in account­ing options for stu­dents in the US, and it pre­pares stu­dents for CPA certification.

San­ta Clara Uni­ver­si­ty is a small, chal­leng­ing Jesuit school in Sil­i­con Val­ley. With a low stu­dent to fac­ul­ty ratio, this school pro­vides an excel­lent oppor­tu­ni­ty for stu­dents and teach­ers to work close­ly with one anoth­er. This school hon­ors the Jesuit val­ue of blend­ing faith and schol­ar­ship. For a small school with aca­d­e­m­ic rig­or and the chance to dive deeply into com­plex sub­jects, many stu­dents pre­fer SCU.

What We Like: LinkedIn ranks SCU’s account­ing pro­gram #8 in the nation based on grad­u­ate suc­cess rate.

Degree: BS in Accounting

San­ta Clara Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Accounting

18. John Carroll University

The Bach­e­lor of Accoun­tan­cy degree from John Car­roll Uni­ver­si­ty takes a dif­fer­ent approach to the actu­ar­i­al sci­ences. It has earned a rep­u­ta­tion as one of the best degrees for account­ing, large­ly due to this approach. This pro­gram val­ues proac­tive account­ing and advise­ment, show­ing stu­dents how to take lead­er­ship roles and com­mu­ni­ca­tion roles as future accountants.These skills make John Car­roll grad­u­ates assets to their employers.

JCU is a Jesuit school that com­bines faith with strong edu­ca­tion­al prac­tices. It instills lead­er­ship skills in its stu­dents as they learn from tal­ent­ed fac­ul­ty mem­bers. As a top pri­vate school, JCU con­sis­tent­ly chal­lenges its stu­dents to reach new heights. It also chal­lenges them to find ways in which to serve their com­mu­ni­ties. For a lot of stu­dents of faith, JCU pro­vides a great blend of faith, tra­di­tion, aca­d­e­mics, and action.

What We Like: JCU’s busi­ness school is ranked #1 by Bloomberg for work readiness.

Degree: Bach­e­lor of Accountancy

Bach­e­lor of Accoun­tan­cy — John Car­roll University

19. Saint Louis University

The BS in Account­ing from Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the best degrees for account­ing, and that’s because it acknowl­edges how accoun­tants’ roles have changed in the past sev­er­al years. In the past, accoun­tants showed up after a prob­lem hap­pened. These days, accoun­tants make proac­tive team mem­bers, help­ing busi­ness­es to make the best, most eco­nom­i­cal deci­sions. Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty empow­ers stu­dents to step into these roles by teach­ing them account­ing, lead­er­ship, and communication.

SLU is a Catholic research uni­ver­si­ty that val­ues com­plete edu­ca­tion. This school does­n’t just focus on the mind. Instead, its learn­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties encom­pass the mind, body, and spir­it. As a Catholic school, it invites stu­dents to dive deeply into their stud­ies as they become lead­ers, crit­i­cal thinkers, and life­long learn­ers. At SLU, stu­dents also take part in ser­vice hours, build­ing a bet­ter world for their com­mu­ni­ties with both their minds and with their social jus­tice work.

What We Like: SLU is one of the nation’s old­est Catholic uni­ver­si­ties, and it has a cam­pus in Spain.

Degree: BS in Accounting

BS in Account­ing — Saint Louis University

20. Creighton University

Creighton Uni­ver­si­ty offers a BSBA in Account­ing. For many, this pro­gram pro­vides the best degree in account­ing for those who want a focused but well-round­ed account­ing edu­ca­tion. Stu­dents gain a foun­da­tion of math­e­mat­ics and busi­ness, and then they study the more spe­cif­ic aspects of account­ing. From this pro­gram, stu­dents move on to choose from any num­ber of roles in the account­ing world.

Creighton Uni­ver­si­ty is a Jesuit school that invites stu­dents to com­bine their edu­ca­tion­al path­ways with ser­vice for their com­mu­ni­ties. It’s one of the old­est schools in its region, and as such, it car­ries some deeply held aca­d­e­m­ic tra­di­tions. Among those tra­di­tions is a focus on excel­lence and life­long learn­ing. Stu­dents here get a strong, mul­ti­fac­eted edu­ca­tion that pre­pares them for lead­er­ship roles.

What We Like: 98% of Creighton stu­dents are employed, vol­un­teer­ing, or attend­ing grad­u­ate school with­in six months of graduating.

Degree: BSBA in Accounting

Creighton Uni­ver­si­ty — BSBA in Accounting

21. Fairfield University

Fair­field Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Account­ing is one of the best degrees for account­ing stu­dents who also want a broad lib­er­al arts edu­ca­tion. These days, accoun­tants have to do much more than just crunch num­bers. They have to com­mu­ni­cate effec­tive­ly, pro­vide insight, and work as team mem­bers. Fair­field­’s approach helps future accoun­tants do just that. Stu­dents learn from a range of core class­es as well as from more spe­cif­ic account­ing class­es. Stu­dents also gain knowl­edge about the busi­ness world as a whole.

As a Jesuit uni­ver­si­ty, Fair­field val­ues its deep intel­lec­tu­al tra­di­tions. It instills eth­i­cal val­ues in addi­tion to its chal­leng­ing edu­ca­tion pur­suits. This school is deeply devot­ed to per­son­al growth in all areas, not just aca­d­e­m­ic life. This means that stu­dents get a rich expe­ri­ence from their lives at Fair­field, whether they’re serv­ing oth­er peo­ple, study­ing in the class­room, or hav­ing fun with oth­er students.

What We Like: In 2019, Mon­ey Mag­a­zine ranked Fair­field #9 among the best schools for busi­ness majors.

Degree: BS in Accounting

Fair­field Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Accounting

22. Gonzaga University

Gon­za­ga Uni­ver­si­ty’s BBA in Account­ing is, for some, the best degree in account­ing. The rea­son is in its flex­i­bil­i­ty. Upon grad­u­a­tion, stu­dents in this pro­gram are ready for careers in pri­vate busi­ness, the pub­lic sec­tor, or to move on to grad­u­ate school. In any case, this pro­gram builds a strong foun­da­tion for whichev­er account­ing path stu­dents choose. The school con­nects stu­dents with real-world learn­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties, often help­ing them jump­start their busi­ness careers.

Gon­za­ga Uni­ver­si­ty is a Jesuit Catholic school that has a deeply inclu­sive approach to its stu­dent body. It wel­comes stu­dents of all faiths, has sev­er­al LGBTQIA orga­ni­za­tions, has spe­cif­ic ini­tia­tives to serve under­rep­re­sent­ed stu­dents. From an edu­ca­tion­al per­spec­tive, this school is chal­leng­ing, engag­ing, and focused on help­ing stu­dents become well-round­ed peo­ple. This school is com­mit­ted to help­ing stu­dents turn their pas­sions into roadmaps.

What We Like: GU’s Accoun­tan­cy pro­gram was ranked #26 in the nation by US News and World Report.

Degree: BBA in Accountancy

Gon­za­ga Uni­ver­si­ty BBA in Accounting

23. Seattle University

Account­ing is often called “the lan­guage of busi­ness,” and Seat­tle Uni­ver­si­ty’s BABA in Account­ing helps stu­dents learn that lan­guage. This pro­gram boasts of a high CPA pass rate thanks to its high­ly chal­leng­ing pro­gram and sup­port for its stu­dents. It pro­vides a high­ly focused edu­ca­tion around account­ing, busi­ness, and pro­fes­sion­al devel­op­ment. As a result, those who grad­u­ate from this pro­gram are unique­ly pre­pared to begin thriv­ing account­ing careers.

Seat­tle Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the most inno­v­a­tive and tech-savvy uni­ver­si­ties in one of the most inno­v­a­tive and tech-savvy cities. The envi­ron­ment is rich in oppor­tu­ni­ties for stu­dents, includ­ing intern­ship and employ­ment oppor­tu­ni­ties. SU itself is a rig­or­ous school that chal­lenges stu­dents and takes them to new aca­d­e­m­ic heights.

What We Like: SU’s con­nec­tions through­out the Pacif­ic North­west helps stu­dents forge con­nec­tions and carve out their own career pathways.

Degree: BABA in Accounting

Seat­tle Uni­ver­si­ty BABA in Accounting

24. University of Scranton

A BS in Account­ing from the Uni­ver­si­ty of Scran­ton pre­pares stu­dents to take on a lot of roles. After all, accoun­tants have to take on a lot of roles in the busi­ness world. The pro­gram takes finan­cial­ly-savvy stu­dents and helps them to hone their skills and become effec­tive lead­ers and advi­sors in the work­place. Stu­dents move on to work in busi­ness, non­prof­its, and gov­ern­ment posi­tions. Because it gets results, it’s one of the best degrees for account­ing students.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Scran­ton is a pri­vate Catholic school. It’s a Jesuit insti­tu­tion, which means, among oth­er things, that it val­ues aca­d­e­m­ic excel­lence, com­mu­ni­ty ser­vice, and whole­heart­ed­ness. Scran­ton has strong and thriv­ing aca­d­e­m­ic pro­grams, high lev­els of stu­dent sup­port, and a focus on per­son­al grat­i­tude. This school makes a great choice for those who val­ue con­tem­pla­tive tra­di­tions and service.

What We Like: Scran­ton’s account­ing pro­gram has won sev­er­al nation­al and inter­na­tion­al awards and recognitions.

Degree: BS in Accounting

BS in Account­ing — Uni­ver­si­ty of Scranton

25. Xavier University

Xavier Uni­ver­si­ty offers one of the best degree in Account­ing options for those who val­ue the Jesuit Catholic tra­di­tion. Xavier’s BSBA in Account­ing pro­gram gets stu­dents ready for careers in tax­a­tion, finan­cial advice, infor­ma­tion sys­tems, and a wide range of oth­er top­ics. As a Jesuit pro­gram, it is also deeply root­ed in ethics. The pro­gram pre­pares stu­dents who want to make a pos­i­tive impact, whether they go on to work in the pub­lic or pri­vate sector.

Xavier is an aca­d­e­m­i­cal­ly rig­or­ous uni­ver­si­ty, but it comes with plen­ty of sup­port for its stu­dents. It helps stu­dents devel­op com­pas­sion as they learn how to thrive in their future careers. This school com­bines learn­ing and spir­i­tu­al­i­ty for a well-round­ed and con­tem­pla­tive expe­ri­ence. With its big city loca­tion, Xavier helps stu­dents con­nect with real world career devel­op­ment opportunities.

What We Like: Xavier has a 98% stu­dent suc­cess rate.

Degree: BSBA in Accounting

Xavier Uni­ver­si­ty BSBA in Account­ing program

How Do I Choose a Good Accounting Degree?

There are a few things to con­sid­er when choos­ing a good account­ing degree. They include the col­lege of choice, the struc­ture of the account­ing pro­gram, and the career suc­cess of the grad­u­ates. You should also look at the gen­er­al elec­tives that are required by the school as part of the degree pro­gram. The best col­leges for account­ing majors usu­al­ly have a gen­er­al course pro­gram that sup­ports the account­ing degree course­work, such as man­age­r­i­al accounting.

Don’t dis­count col­leges and uni­ver­si­ties that aren’t in your state. Some of the best col­leges for account­ing majors have online busi­ness admin­is­tra­tion cours­es that are accred­it­ed and car­ry the same weight as a degree earned on cam­pus. The class­es and edu­ca­tion offered through online cours­es have the same cur­ricu­lum as the on-cam­pus ver­sion. That means stu­dents are held to the same enroll­ment stan­dards no mat­ter where they hap­pen to be phys­i­cal­ly locat­ed. Full-time out-of-state stu­dents may pay the same cost as in-state stu­dents for account­ing courses.

Ari­zona State Uni­ver­si­ty, Bent­ley Uni­ver­si­ty, Brigham Young Uni­ver­si­ty, New York Uni­ver­si­ty, Indi­ana Uni­ver­si­ty, and Uni­ver­si­ty of Michi­gan are just a few of the best-known schools for accounting.

A four-year bach­e­lor of sci­ence in account­ing may not be enough for to get your CPA license. Licen­sure requires 150 cred­it hours, while an under­grad­u­ate pro­gram may only have 120. A mas­ter of account­ing will auto­mat­i­cal­ly have enough credits.

Always research a school of account­ing no mat­ter where it’s locat­ed. Look into the grad­u­a­tion rate for stu­dents attend­ing cam­pus and online class­es, the employ­ment rate, and where most stu­dents wind up being employed after grad­u­a­tion. These details help when it comes to select­ing one of the best col­leges for account­ing majors.

What is Accreditation for Accounting Programs?

Accred­i­ta­tion for an account­ing pro­gram means the school and edu­ca­tion­al pro­gram meet or exceed stan­dards set by the Accred­i­ta­tion Coun­cil for Busi­ness Schools and Pro­grams (ACBSP) or the Asso­ci­a­tion to Advance Col­le­giate Schools of Busi­ness. When com­par­ing ACBSP vs AACSB, it’s quick­ly appar­ent that both have built a rep­u­ta­tion for high edu­ca­tion­al stan­dards and mak­ing sure that the schools they accred­it are always seek­ing to improve their curriculum.

AACSB accred­it­ed online schools and ACBSP accred­it­ed schools demon­strates that the school offers an excel­lent edu­ca­tion, is using the lat­est tech­nol­o­gy for teach­ing stu­dents, and keeps abreast of the lat­est changes in account­ing stan­dards and prac­tices. How­ev­er, when tak­ing a clos­er look at ACBSP vs AACSB, you might find that you pre­fer to go to one of the AACSB accred­it­ed online schools over the ACBSP accred­it­ed schools. AACSB has been around for over 100 years and accred­its more of the well-known busi­ness schools while ACBSP was found­ed in 1982 and focus­es on the qual­i­ty of the fac­ul­ty teach­ing at the schools. Ulti­mate­ly you should pick the col­lege you want to attend based on how well it fits your needs as opposed to the rep­u­ta­tion of the school. A high­ly desir­able school may not have the “right” accred­i­ta­tion, but still offers a qual­i­ty edu­ca­tion that leads to a great career.

What Can I Do with an Accounting Degree Other Than a CPA?

The tra­di­tion­al account­ing career path usu­al­ly leads to employ­ment in busi­ness­es that need a team of peo­ple man­ag­ing the finan­cials. How­ev­er, there are mul­ti­ple career oppor­tu­ni­ties in account­ing pro­fes­sion that don’t require a grad­u­ate to work as an accountant.

A CPA (cer­ti­fied pub­lic accoun­tant) can become a hedge fund man­ag­er, finan­cial ana­lyst, finan­cial con­sul­tant, and bud­get ana­lyst just to name a few. The career oppor­tu­ni­ties in account­ing pro­fes­sion are mul­ti­tude and the fact you can focus on a spe­cif­ic account­ing career path dur­ing your edu­ca­tion helps you broad­en your employ­ment hori­zons. Make sure to look at all options when inves­ti­gat­ing account­ing career information.

With a doc­tor­al degree, you may become a pro­fes­sor at a col­lege of busi­ness. The best account­ing schools usu­al­ly require the high­er degree.

Account­ing career path plan­ning begins at the edu­ca­tion­al lev­el. For exam­ple: Look into pub­lic account­ing vs cor­po­rate account­ing and com­pare the two in order to deter­mine which type of career path best suits your desires for a sat­is­fy­ing career. Keep in mind that career oppor­tu­ni­ties in account­ing pro­fes­sion cen­ter around the pro­cess­ing of num­bers for finan­cial pur­pos­es. The core skill of account­ing is eas­i­ly par­layed into posi­tions that require finan­cial math skills and the abil­i­ty to apply those skills to the ben­e­fit of the employer.

Relat­ed Rankings: 

15 Best Online Bach­e­lor’s in Accounting

10 Fastest Online Bach­e­lor’s in Accounting

10 Most Afford­able Online Bach­e­lor’s in Accounting