By: MOFD Staff
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in accounting are expected to increase a respectable 4% by 2029. That makes now an ideal time to reevaluate future career goals, and go after that online bachelor’s degree in accounting.
For those who worry about the cost of furthering their education, this article is for you. Below, we’ve ranked the 20 most affordable online accounting bachelor’s degrees.
Ranking Methodology
We began by putting together a list of any and every accredited college and university offering a 100% online bachelor’s degree in accounting. We then studied each degree program to determine:
- the number of credits required
- the out-of-state online tuition cost per credit
- the expected total program cost
Detailed below are the 20 cheapest online bachelor’s programs in accounting.
Note: All tuition numbers listed below are accurate as of February 2021. They have been obtained from the program’s official website, and do not include fees. Each estimated program cost is based upon the per credit tuition for an out-of-state student who is not transferring in any credits.
#20. University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Little Rock, Arkansas
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $87,192
University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers an online B.B.A. in Accounting. The 120-credit degree includes coursework in:
- business finance
- business strategy
- any topic that is relevant to the CPA Exam
Current tuition rates stand at $726.60 per credit, or $10,889 per semester. University of Arkansas at Little Rock is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#19. Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Natchitoches, Louisiana
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $55,800
Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers a B.S. in Accounting that can be completed entirely online, from anywhere in the world. The program consists of 120 credit hours. It includes classes such as:
- Business Finance
- Income Tax
- Marketing for Business, among others
Tuition per credit currently stands at $375 for the first 12 credits, then $475 for the remaining credits. Northwestern State University of Louisiana is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
#18. University of Minnesota Crookston
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Crookston, Minnesota
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $54,180
The University of Minnesota Crookston offers an online B.S. in Accounting. The degree program consists of 120 credits, and the coursework includes classes such as:
- Legal Environment in Business
- Managerial Finance
- Business Ethics
Tuition for the online B.S. in Accounting is currently $451.50, regardless of residency. University of Minnesota Crookston is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#17. Bellevue University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Bellevue, Nebraska
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $53,975
Bellevue University offers the online B.S. in Accounting degree. The 127-credit program includes coursework in such subjects as business law and applied statistics. Each credit costs $425, regardless of residency. Discounts are available for military students. Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#16. Athens State University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Athens, Alabama
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $51,088
Athens State University offers a 124-credit online B.S. in Accounting. Course titles cover subjects such as Federal Tax Accounting and Law for Accountants, among others. The out-of-state cost per credit is $412. Athens State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
#15. University of Memphis Global
Online Bachelor of Business Administration w/ a major in Accounting
Memphis, Tennessee
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $49,560
The University of Memphis offers through its Global, online program a B.B.A. with a major in Accounting. The 120-credit program cover subjects areas like statistics and macroeconomics, to name but two. Tuition currently stands at $413 per credit, regardless of residency. The University of Memphis is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
#14. University of Northwestern Ohio
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Lima, Ohio
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $49,500
University of Northwestern Ohio is an open-admissions institution of higher learning that opened in 1920. The university offers an online B.S. in Accounting degree that is a 180-quarter credit program. Coursework includes Group Dynamics and Finite Mathematics, to name but two. Tuition is the same for all students, regardless of residency, and currently stands at $275. University of Northwestern Ohio is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#13. Delaware State University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Dover, Delaware
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $43,318
Delaware State University offers an online B.S. in Accounting. The 121-credit hour program begins to prepare students to sit for the CPA exam. Therefore, it covers subjects such as:
- strategic management
- principals of microeconomics
- individual taxation, among other areas
Tuition ranges from $356 to $400 per credit hour. The former is the price for 16-18 credit hours and the latter for 0-3 credit hours. The school is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
#12. Clayton State University
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Morrow, Georgia
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $42,240
Clayton State University offers a 120-credit hour B.B.A. in Accounting that can be completed entirely online, from anywhere in the world. Course titles cover Cost Accounting and Managerial Communications, among many others. Regardless of the student’s residency, the cost for each credit hour is $352. Clayton State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
#10. (tie) Dakota State University
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Madison, South Dakota
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $42,150
Dakota State University offers an online B.B.A. in Accounting degree. The 120-credit program includes coursework on Legal Environment of Business, Marketing, and Society and Technology, among other things. The cost per credit is $351.25, regardless of residency. Discounts exist for military students. Dakota State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#10. (tie) Northern State University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Aberdeen, South Dakota
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $42,150
Northern State University offers a B.S. in Accounting which can be completed entirely online, from anywhere in the world. The degree consists of 120 credits, and coursework such as:
- Business Finance
- Business Ethics
- Cost Accounting, and more
Tuition for the online degree stands at $351.25, regardless of residency. Northern State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#9. Troy University
Online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration w/ a focus on Global Business (Accounting and Finance)
Troy, Alabama
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $40,560
Troy University offers a 120-credit online B.S.B.A. that allows students to focus on accounting and finance from a global perspective. The program includes coursework in:
- economics
- mathematics
- marketing, among others
The current tuition rate stands at $338 per credit hour, regardless of residency. Troy University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
#8. Bemidji State University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Bemidji, Minnesota
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $39,757.20
Bemidji State University offers an online B.S. in Accounting that students can conveniently complete from anywhere in the world. The 120-credit degree program includes coursework in Computer Business Applications and Legal Environment, among other subjects. Students living outside of Minnesota and Wisconsin pay $331.31 per credit. Bemidji State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#7. Dickinson State University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Dickinson, North Dakota
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $38,599
Dickinson State University offers an online B.A. in Accounting with a professional track for those intending to sit for a professional certification exam. The degree consists of 121 credits, and coursework in topics such as computerized accounting and entrepreneurship. Students residing in three U.S. states and two Canadian provinces pay in-state tuition costs, while out-of-state students pay just $319 per credit. Dickinson State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#6. University of Maine at Augusta
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Augusta, Maine
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $36,905
The University of Maine at Augusta offers an online B.B.A. in Accounting. The 121-credit program includes coursework on:
- Principles of Marketing
- Micro- and Macroeconomics
- Management Information Systems, to name but a few
Tuition for this online program currently stands at $305 per credit, regardless of a student’s residency status. University of Maine at Augusta is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.
#5. Peru State College
Online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration w/ a focus in Accounting
Peru, Nebraska
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $36,777
Peru State College offers an online B.S. in Business Administration with an option for accounting. The 123-credit program includes classes such as:
- Commercial Law
- Business Policy
- College Algebra, among others
- Each credit costs just $299, regardless of residency. Peru State College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#4. Chadron State College
Online Bachelor of Arts w/ Comprehensive Major in Business Administration: Accounting
Chadron, Nebraska
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $35,880
Chadron State College offers an online B.A. with a comprehensive major in Business Administration, accounting option degree. The program calls for 120 credit hours, and includes coursework in Fiduciary Tax and Cost Accounting, among other things. The cost per credit is the same for all students, regardless of residency, and currently stands at $299. Chadron State College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#3. Eastern New Mexico University
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Portales, New Mexico
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $30,570
Eastern New Mexico University offers a 120-credit online B.B.A. in Accounting. Coursework titles include Not-for-Profit Accounting and Individual Tax Return Accounting, to name a couple. The current per-credit tuition for an out-of-state student stands at $254.75. Eastern New Mexico University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#2. Fort Hays State University
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Hays, Kansas
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $27,240
Fort Hays State University offers an online B.B.A. in Accounting. The degree consists of 120 credits. Coursework covers subjects such as Business Policy and Auditing. The current cost of attendance is $227 per credit, regardless of the student’s residency. Fort Hays State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
#1. Western Governors University
Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Salt Lake City, Utah
School Profile
Estimated Program Cost: $19,350
Western Governors University uses Competency Units (CUs) instead of credit hours. Once you test out of a CU, you move to the next. However many CUs you complete in a term, you are that much closer to graduation. For a student who is focused and can study full time, this can mean big savings. Western Governors University offers an online B.S. in Accounting degree. The 39-course program includes coursework in taxation and auditing, among other things. Tuition is the same regardless of a student’s residency status, and currently stands at $3,225 per six-month term. Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
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