Best Online Accounting Degree Programs

Accountants are the financial minds responsible for maintaining the financial health of businesses around the globe. Healthy finances are the heart of any organization and in order to keep that heart beating, it’s imperative to have educated workers with the financial acumen to help a company thrive.

Accounting and auditing occupations may be well suited for individuals who are organized and like working with data, applying problem-solving skills, leading projects and making decisions. As most of the coursework for accounting degrees is theoretical, accounting degree can lend itself well to online learning, a mode of education that is particularly suited for professionals, stay-at-home parents, or anyone who prefers the flexibility that comes with an online degree program.

Graduating from one of the many available online accounting degree programs can provide a point of entry into this growing field which is expected to grow at a pace that is faster than average compared to other occupations.

What Do Accountants Do?

One of the main functions of accountants is to ensure a company remains financially healthy. They do this by preparing and examining financial records and documents so that they are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They help individuals and businesses understand and conform to tax regulations by computing taxes owed, preparing tax returns and ensuring they are paid on time. They may also make recommendations on best-practices for financial operations based on their observations.

How to Become an Accountant?

The following steps outline a typical path toward becoming an accountant:

• Take economics and math in high school, including calculus
• Research your state’s educational requirements for accountants
• Choose the accountancy degree program you want to enroll in and start learning
• Gain work experience through an internship
• In fact, gain as much work experience as possible while in school
• Pick the type of accountant you want to be i.e. a CMA, CPA or CFA for example
• Find a job
• Get certified by passing the relevant certification examinations
• Continue with a more advanced degree if you want to
• Work your way up the career ladder or start your own accountancy firm

What Can You Do with an Accounting Degree?

While entry-level positions can be available with an associate degree in accounting, the BLS states that most accounting positions require at least a bachelor’s degree, and many accountants choose to get additional training to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Job prospects for accountants are expected to rise due to the growing number of businesses and the increasingly complex financial regulations and accounting standards. Have a look at the table below outlining the occupations related to this field along with job openings, average salary, total employment and job outlook for 2016 to 2026.

Best Online Accounting Degree Programs 2019-20

We’ve used factors that students that are especially useful for students interested in online Accounting. To present you with the best opportunities, our methodology has taken into consideration factors like number of online programs offered in Accounting, tuition, ratio of students participating in distance education programs compared to the total enrollment, student-faculty ratio, services such as academic and placement, and more.

NOTE: The accuracy of data derived from IPEDS depends on colleges regularly reporting to IPEDS. Not all colleges are as regular as they should be in updating this information with IPEDS.OnlineDegrees.com, therefore, has gone a step further to ensure the rankings you see are accurate and verified. We manually check each college website to provide you the top rankings you can rely on. Because of this double-check, the number of colleges may vary for each degree level.

Online Accounting Certificate Programs

What can I expect to learn in an online certificate program?

An online certificate program introduces students to the basic concepts of accounting. This level of education may be well-suited for individuals who are looking to build their accounting skills and want to learn to assemble and evaluate business and financial records.

Typical duration: Up to one and half years of part-time study

General prerequisites: High school diploma or GED

Typical coursework: Students may learn topics describing accounting terminology, financial statements and costing methodologies. Coursework may include:

• Fundamentals of accounting
• Computer applications in accounting Managerial accounting principles
• Financial accounting principles
• Cost accounting

What can I do after earning a certificate?

A certificate in accounting may make you eligible for promotion if you are working in a small business or enterprise or entry-level positions such as:

• Accounts receivables clerk
• Accounts payable clerk
• Payroll clerk
• Financial clerk
• Bookkeeping clerk
• Auditing clerk

Online Associate in Accounting Degrees

What can I expect to learn in an online associate accounting degree program?

An online associate accounting degree program is customarily designed to prepare students for the realities of working as an accountant in a variety of organizations.

Typical duration: Two years of full-time study

General prerequisites: High school diploma or GED

Typical coursework: Class curriculum at this level usually covers essential accounting principles that can equip students to track an organization’s financial transactions as well as prepare and interpret financial documents. Also likely to be included in this program are core business topics, general education courses as well as subjects like taxation, economics, business law, mathematics, and financial management. Examples include:

• Computerized accounting
• Payroll accounting
• Introduction to business law and ethics
• Business statistics
• Economics
• Personal finance
• Federal taxation

In addition to meeting the program credit requirements, you may also be required to pass an examination to complete your online accounting degree. Possible electives: Auditing; fraud examination; taxation

What can I do after earning an online associate accounting degree?

An associate degree may open up entry-level positions in larger businesses and financial institutions than those accepting undergraduate certificates or diplomas in accounting. Some potential careers are:

• Billing and postal clerk
• Tax preparer
• Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerk
• Payroll and timekeeping clerk
• Brokerage clerk
• Statistical assistant
• Budget analyst

Online Bachelor’s in Accounting Degree Programs

What can I expect to learn in an online bachelor’s degree in accounting program?

A bachelor’s accounting degree program generally builds on what is taught at the associate level. It may focus on the fundamentals of working in the accounting field, giving students an understanding of auditing principles, how to manage a company’s financial records, and how to make decisions based on a company’s financial information.

Typical duration: Four years of full-time study

General prerequisites: High school diploma or GED

Typical coursework: You may find subjects like auditing, taxation, financial accounting, and the laws and ethical standards that accountants must adhere to. Courses may include:

• Financial statement analysis/ business valuation
• Intermediate accounting
• Advanced accounting
• Auditing principles
• Advanced topics in accounting research
• Finance for business
• Statistics for decision making
• Ethical and legal topics in business
• Corporate taxation
• Individual taxation

Possible concentrations: Students may be required to choose an area of accounting to focus on, such as public accounting, forensic accounting, or managerial accounting. You may also have to complete an internship or a capstone project as a part of your online accounting degree program.

What can I do after earning a bachelor’s degree?

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), a bachelor’s degree in accounting was the fourth most sought after degree by employers after engineering, business and computer sciences. A number of career options may be available in public and private organizations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Potential occupations are:

• Accountant
• Auditor
• Financial analyst
• Financial controller
• Risk analyst
• Treasurer
• Pricing specialist
• Assurance specialist

Online Master’s in Accounting Degrees

What can I expect to learn in an online master’s degree program?

Online accounting master’s degree programs are generally designed to give students a deep understanding of accounting theory and practice — something that may make degree holders more attractive candidates to potential employers. You may find schools that offer online MBA programs with a specialization in accounting. These programs offer busy professionals another convenient option for advancing both their business and accounting skills while still maintaining their current career and gaining job experience.

Typical duration: Two years of full-time study

General prerequisites: Bachelor’s degree

Typical coursework: The core curriculum of an online accounting program at this graduate level emphasizes accounting theories and principles, as well as fundamental accounting practices — such as conducting audits, creating and analyzing financial statements, detecting fraud, financial reporting, and using market data to make financial decisions for an organization. Students can learn about subjects such as cost accounting, economics, financial analysis and reporting, and business ethics. Examples of other course topics include:

• Auditing theory and practice
• Accounting information and decision systems
• Professional responsibilities and ethics in accounting
• Governmental and nonprofit accounting
• Production/operations management
• Financial markets and securities
• Advanced auditing

You may also be required to complete a capstone project as a part of your online accounting master’s degree program. Possible electives: International accounting; occupational fraud and abuse; accounting communication

What can I do after earning a master’s degree?

There are a number of potential career options for those who earn a master’s degree in accounting online Including leadership positions in corporate and financial institutions. Some possible occupations are:

• Auditor
• Financial manager
• Chief financial officer
• Staff accountant
• Financial consultant
• Financial reporting manager
• Credit analyst
• Internal auditor
• Risk analyst

Online Doctoral Degree Programs in Accounting

What can I expect to learn in an online doctoral degree program?

For those who wish to gain even deeper expertise on the subject, master’s degree holders may choose one of two doctoral programs in accounting:

• A Ph.D. in accounting which can prepare students for academic careers as either college professors or researchers
• A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) with a specialization in accounting which is geared toward preparing students for leadership roles in organizations. Students in this program can expect to take courses that use accounting theory as the foundation for building practical skills needed in the business world.

Online doctoral degrees in accounting can prepare students to become leaders in the accounting field. Doctoral students learn about accounting theories, empirical research in the field, and the methodologies used to conduct academic studies.

Typical duration: Four to six years of full-time study

General prerequisites: Bachelor’s degree, GMAT or GRE may be required depending on the program

Typical coursework: Some examples of coursework at the doctorate level are:

• Becoming an academic writer
• Strategic management and practice
• Foundations of research, scholarly literature, and theory in management
• Accounting-based performance evaluation systems
• Business strategy and innovation for competitive advantage

Students are also normally required to complete a dissertation that includes original research in accounting, or a comprehensive examination that tests on the concepts taught throughout the program.

What can I do after earning a doctoral degree?

Individuals with doctoral degrees in accounting can be eligible for senior management positions or positions in academia. Additionally, they may choose to use the business acumen they gain in the program to start their own companies. Potential job titles include:

• Adjunct or part-time faculty
• Business researcher
• Chief financial officer
• Dean or associate dean of business
• Forensic accountant
• Full-time faculty
• Senior auditor
• Senior accountant
• Vice president of finance

Accreditation

Accreditation is an important criterion to look for while choosing from one of the many online accounting degree programs. This is because the accreditation status of a particular institute or degree program serves to demonstrate that the education you are receiving is relevant and meets the standards required by employers in the industry. It can also be important while looking for financial aid, acquiring professional certifications and licenses or while transferring credits from one degree course to another. A major accrediting body for online accounting degree programs is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) that provides internationally recognized, specialized accreditation for both business and accounting programs.

Certifications and Licensure

There are various different professional certifications that accountants can acquire. Many public accountants hold the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential. In fact, all accountants who file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are legally required to be CPAs. The CPA examination is conducted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). A few more professional certifications and their issuing bodies are:

• Certified Management Accountant (CMA) offered by the Institute of Management Accountants
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Control Self-Assessment (CCSA), Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP), Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA), and Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA) are all offered by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) offered by the ISACA
• Certified Treasury Professional from the Association for Financial Professionals
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) offered by the CFA Institute
• Certified Bookkeeper (CB) offered by American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers
• Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) certification offered by National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers
• Financial analysts can obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification from the CFA Institute

Licensing requirements vary by state and job roles. Nearly all states require CPA candidates to complete 150 semester hours of college coursework to be licensed – the amount typically needed for a master’s degree. CPAs are licensed by their state’s Board of Accountancy. Financial analysts are normally licensed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Scholarships and financial aid programs

• AICPA Scholarships
• Institute of Management Accountants Scholarships
• AICPA Association and Firm Diversity Scholarships
• Government Finance Officers Scholarships

Employment Statistics

Accountants and Auditors

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks