If you enjoy working with numbers and are interested in a career in the financial field, you may consider pursuing an MBA in Accounting.
Professionals in the field often work as accountants and auditors, but they may also take on a variety of roles in finance, such as financial manager, management analyst, and budget analyst. They play an important role in helping individuals or companies efficiently structure their funds.
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Applicants for MBA in Accounting programs have typically completed a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, such as finance or accounting.
MBA in Accounting Programs Online
An MBA in Accounting typically helps prepare students to pursue careers as accountants or other roles in the financial arena.
They typically cover accounting-specific topics like auditing as well as business-related subjects like leadership, marketing, and organizational strategy.
While enrolled in an online MBA in Accounting program, you may study some of the following subjects:
- Marketing
- Accounting
- Leadership
- Auditing
- Business ethics
- Business law
- Financial reporting
- Presentation skills
- Organizational strategy
- Business statistics
- International accounting
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Data-driven decision making
- Stakeholder relationships
In addition to classes like these, you may get the chance to participate in a capstone project. These projects allow students to practice the knowledge they’ve learned in class and to apply their coursework to real-life financial scenarios with individuals or companies.
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Students in accounting MBA programs may also get the chance to learn soft skills, such as leadership, presentation techniques, strategic decision-making, and critical thinking. Typically, students applying to an MBA in Accounting program have already completed a bachelor’s degree and have at least a few years of work experience under their belt. They may choose to work part-time while in school or focus on classes full-time.
After graduating, students may use their MBA to try to advance in their current career, take the CPA exam, or pivot into a more specialized career in accounting or business. Professionals in the field commonly work as accountants or auditors. Other roles graduates may pursue include financial manager, financial examiner, budget analyst, and management analyst.
Some also work toward other roles that assist with evaluating an organization’s finances, such as cost estimators and market research analysts.
Accounting Careers and Salaries
After receiving an MBA online in accounting, many graduates go on to pursue roles as accountants and auditors. These professionals may help individuals and organizations complete their taxes accurately and make recommendations for increased efficiency and cost reduction.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the below jobs are aligned with accounting or finance. Some of these roles may require additional training or experience beyond an MBA with a concentration in accounting.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Financial Managers | $139,790 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | $95,390 |
| Management Analysts | $95,290 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $95,080 |
| Budget Analysts | $82,260 |
| Financial Examiners | $82,210 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,000 |
| Cost Estimators | $71,200 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $68,230 |
| Loan Officers | $65,740 |
Professionals in the field also work in a variety of analyst roles in the financial arena, including financial, management, budget, and market research analysts. With relevant experience, they may hold jobs as financial managers or personal financial advisors.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that many of these roles will grow faster than average over the next ten years. For instance, positions for financial analysts are expected to grow by 9%, financial examiners by 21%, and management analysts by 11%.
Online Accounting MBA Curriculum & Courses
The curriculum in an MBA accounting program will vary from school to school, but here are a few courses you may come across:
- Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: You’ll learn about ethical best practices as they relate to a variety of corporate and government organizations.
- Financial Accounting and Reporting: This class covers preparing financial statements, error analysis, consolidations, and other aspects of financial accounting.
- Organizational Strategy in a Global Environment: You’ll learn how to make strategic decisions regarding organizational ethics, forming a direction for a company, and increasing efficiency.
- Marketing Management: This course dives into all aspects of marketing, including different strategies, advertising, market research, and more.
- Measuring Success in an Organization: You’ll learn different leadership techniques through a financial and accounting perspective, including how to create reports and present your work.
- Corporate Accounting: This class teaches students how to assess assets, debts, costs, and more in order to meet an organization’s financial goals.
- International Accounting: You’ll learn about how different countries exchange money in order to help encourage worldwide economic development.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: This course delves into how mergers and acquisitions work, covering topics like equity, valuation, and debt.
- Strategic Opportunity Management: You’ll learn how to create effective strategies that drive growth in an organization, which includes subjects like stakeholder relationships and data-driven decision making.
- Applied Business Statistics: This class shows students how to look at statistical data to make smart decisions about improving an organization’s performance.
In addition to classes like these, you may get the opportunity to participate in a capstone project, where you can apply your knowledge to real-world situations.
How to Choose an Online MBA in Accounting Program
There are a wide variety of factors to take into consideration when choosing an online MBA in Accounting program, but some key ones to contemplate are below:
- Program length
- Cost
- Admissions requirements
- Concentration options
- In-person requirements
- Class size
- Access to faculty
- Curriculum
- Capstone project options
- School publications
- Accreditation
- Career assistance
- Alumni network
If you’re looking for an online accounting degree program, you may want to check how frequently students are expected to be on campus. Because MBA programs are typically good opportunities to network with fellow classmates and alumni, it may be helpful to investigate the networking options at certain schools before committing. You may also want to look into how available faculty make themselves to students.
If you’re interested in learning more about a specific subject, you may also want to take a look at your potential school’s curriculum to see if they offer courses on that topic.
Admissions Requirements
The admissions requirements for an online MBA in Accounting vary, but here are a few common ones you may come across:
- Bachelor’s degree
- GRE or GMAT scores (only some schools require them)
- Resume
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal essay
Some schools want to see that you have received your bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, such as finance or accounting. Others may have a minimum GPA requirement, which they can verify with your undergraduate transcripts.
Accreditation
When choosing a program for your online accounting MBA, it’s helpful to look into whether the school is regionally accredited. Schools with this status have met a series of academic quality requirements determined by a regional accrediting organization.
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Many employers want to see that job seekers have attended an accredited school. If you are interested in applying for federal financial aid, attending an accredited school is also an eligibility requirement. To learn more, you can visit the US Department of Education’s website.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Many graduate students apply for financial aid to potentially help pay for an online MBA in Accounting degree. You can visit the Federal Student Aid website to fill out an application and review federal aid options that are available to qualifying students.
Qualifying graduate students may be able to apply for direct unsubsidized loans. Students are responsible for paying the interest on these types of loans, but they are not required to show financial need when applying. Scholarships are another option that many students consider. These monetary awards can be offered by a variety of sources, such as schools, professional organizations, and public institutions.
If you’re currently working, you can also see if your employer offers any tuition benefits for continued education.
What Is an MBA in Accounting Degree?
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting degree is a graduate-level credential that focuses on helping to prepare students to pursue careers as accountants or related finance professionals. These programs typically take 1 or 2 years to complete.
These degrees are typically designed for students with a few years of work experience who are hoping to advance their career in the field or pivot into a more specialized accounting career. This masters program includes a variety of classes on finance, business organization, marketing, and more.
Should I Get an Online MBA in Accounting?
Whether an MBA in Accounting is right for you depends on a variety of factors, including your career goals. Professionals in the field typically work in finance-related jobs, such as accountants, financial analysts, and financial examiners.
With professional experience and training, an MBA can help prepare students to pursue higher-level and more lucrative roles at an organization, such as financial managers. If you’re looking for an MBA program that covers business and finance, an accounting concentration may be fitting.
What Can I Do with an MBA in Accounting?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals in the field work as accountants, auditors, loan officers, cost estimators, and a variety of other roles where they can flex their finance and business skills.
Based on the subjects studied in an accounting MBA program, graduates typically pursue roles where they can help make an organization more efficient and cost-effective. They may also work one-on-one to help people with their finances in roles like personal financial advisors.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Accounting MBA Online?
The time it takes to complete an online MBA in Accounting depends on a few factors, including your program’s thesis requirements and your enrollment status.
If you enroll in a 36 credit hour program and stay enrolled full-time and year-round, including during the summer, you may be able to graduate in as little as 1 year. This timeframe also assumes your program doesn’t have a thesis requirement.
If you need to complete a thesis, or if you enroll part-time or take summers off, it may take longer to graduate. Some programs may require more credit hours as well.
What Jobs Can I Get with an MBA in Accounting?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals in the field commonly work as accountants and auditors. These professionals help companies and individuals complete their taxes in an efficient manner and make recommendations for ways to cut costs.
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Other careers graduates may pursue include loan officer, market research analyst, personal financial advisor, and management analyst. While the day-to-day duties of these roles differ, they all help people or organizations manage their finances and make strategic decisions.
What’s the Difference Between an MBA vs. Masters in Accounting Degree?
While a masters degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting cover many of the same subjects, there are a few key differences between the two.
| MBA in Accounting | Masters in Accounting |
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In general, an online MBA in Accounting may cover a broader variety of business subjects like marketing, operations, and leadership. An online masters in accounting focuses more on the specifics of accounting, including auditing and fraud.
What’s the Difference Between Finance vs. Accounting MBA Programs?
While you may see some overlap between the subjects covered in MBA accounting and finance degrees, here are some differences between the two programs.
| MBA in Accounting | MBA in Finance |
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Overall, an MBA in Accounting covers the intersection between business and accounting, while an MBA in Finance covers the crossover between business and all financial subjects.
Is an Online MBA in Accounting Degree Worth It?
Yes, an online MBA in Accounting degree is worth it for many students. Overall employment for business and financial occupations is expected to grow 7% over the next ten years (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
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Many roles associated with accounting—such as management analysts, financial examiners, and financial analysts—will see faster than average growth. An MBA in Accounting typically covers a variety of business- and accounting-related topics that can help graduates pursue advanced roles in organizations, with relevant experience and training. These roles can be important decision-makers in companies.
Universities Offering Online MBA in Accounting Degree Programs
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
Eastern Washington University offers a Master of Business Administration in Accounting. Courses cover key concepts like cost analysis and management, data and statistics, global accounting, financial statement analysis, and innovation. The program is housed entirely online. Most students complete their 44 required hours in as few as 10 months when studying full-time.
Eastern Washington University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Emporia State University offers a Master of Business Administration. Students who are interested in pursuing careers in finance and management may find an excellent fit in the Accounting concentration. On average, students who attend classes full-time complete their 33 required credit hours in as few as 12 months. All classes meet 100% online.
Emporia State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Fitchburg State University offers a Master of Business Administration in Accounting. Students must have obtained a bachelor’s degree while maintaining a 2.8 GPA or higher to qualify for admission. The curriculum consists of 30 total credit hours. Students can complete their required coursework entirely online.
Fitchburg State University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Grand Canyon University offers a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. This program boasts a convenient online learning format, expert faculty, and a mission to conduct business as Christian ministry. The curriculum combines business, marketing, management, modeling, financial analysis, and leadership concepts. Students must complete at least 54 credits to graduate.
GCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
La Salle University offers a 100% online Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting. Multiple yearly start dates are offered to better accommodate incoming student schedules. Depending on academic and professional experience, the curriculum consists of 33 to 42 credits. On average, the program can be completed in 14 to 16 months when studying full-time.
La Salle University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Louisiana State University offers an online Master of Business Administration in Accounting. Students who are interested in preparing for career advancement and CPA certification may find an ideal next step in this program. Most students complete their required coursework in 10 months. Potential careers include accountant, financial analyst, auditing manager, tax consultant, and budget analyst.
Louisiana State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Pittsburg State University offers a Master of Business Administration in Accounting. Students must have maintained a 2.7 GPA or higher in their baccalaureate program to qualify for admission. This program is housed entirely online. On average, students who attend classes online complete their 30 required credits in as few as 12 months.
Pittsburg State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University offers a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. Potential courses include Strategic Management, Accounting and Taxation Research, Data Analysis for Managers, and Financial Statement Analysis. This curriculum consists of 36 total credit hours. Most students graduate in as little as 12 months when studying full-time.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Southern New Hampshire University offers a Master of Business Administration in Accounting. This program combines scenario-based learning, multimedia content, and integrated credentialing opportunities. The curriculum spans 30 total credits and utilizes a fully online learning model. Many graduates pursue careers in banking, budget analytics, management accounting, and financial reporting and planning.
SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, Inc.
Syracuse University offers a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting. Common courses include Financial Accounting, Taxes and Business Strategy, Cost Analysis, Auditing Theory and Practice, and Principles of Fraud Examination. Most students complete their coursework in as few as 24 months of full-time study. Classes can be attended online or in-person.
Syracuse University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi offers a Master of Business Administration in Accounting. This program is designed to prepare students for accounting roles in diverse fields. Classes meet 100% online and typically span 7 weeks each. The program offers several start dates each year, allowing incoming students to start their studies at their earliest convenience.
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The University of Maryland – College Park offers a Master of Business Administration. Available concentrations include Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Information Systems and Business Analytics, and Supply Chain Management. The program is housed entirely online. Incoming students can choose from three start dates each year in January, May, and August.
The University of Maryland – College Park is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The University of Southern Indiana offers a Master of Business Accounting with a specialization in Accounting. Common courses include Financial Statement Analysis, Seminar in Auditing, and Accounting Regulation and Compliance. On average, students complete their 30 required credit hours in as few as 11 months when attending classes full-time. All classes meet conveniently online.
The University of Southern Indiana is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Texas – Permian Basin offers a fully online Master of Business Administration in Accounting. The curriculum covers topics like financial accounting, income tax, auditing, professional ethics, control systems, and fraud examination. Depending on previous educational experience, students must complete 33 to 42 credits to graduate. Incoming student applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
The University of Texas Permian Basin is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
William Paterson University offers a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. The program’s accelerated format and numerous start dates are designed with working professionals in mind. This curriculum utilizes a 100% online learning model. Most students who attend classes full-time complete their 30 required credit hours in as few as 12 months.
William Paterson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Getting Your MBA in Accounting Online
If you enjoy evaluating individuals’ or companies’ finances and are looking to gain a deeper knowledge of accounting and business, an MBA in Accounting could be a strategic degree path. Plus, online programs may allow for additional flexibility in your schedule.
Professionals in the field can work as accountants, auditors, financial managers, and more. MBA degrees in accounting could be a beneficial tool to help you advance in your existing career or pivot into a more specialized role.
To get started on your journey toward an online MBA in Accounting degree, you can explore accredited universities today and see which program options best align with your schedule and goals.
