Best Schools with Accounting Degree Programs in California

by Alex Morgan · February 23, 2023

Accounting is one of the most sought-out jobs in the world. It’s an undying field and an accountant doesn’t really have any problem landing a secure job. One of the best states to offer the best accounting degree programs and jobs is California.

So, which colleges offer the best bachelor’s, or best master’s in accounting programs in California? Let’s find out.

How to Pick a California School with Accounting Programs

Selecting an accounting school in California is a challenge for high school students. More so if you are searching for a specialized field in accounting, like forensic accounting or CPA program, this is why going about it systematically is important. This goes for graduates searching for master’s in accounting as well.

Start with these steps which will guide you and help to narrow down the type of school you need to focus on.

Step 1 – Identify the business schools that offer accounting majors.

Step 2 – Find out about the admission criteria and acceptance rate.

Step 3 – Check out the financial requirements for tuition, scholarships, accommodation, study materials, etc.

Step 4 – Start applying by meeting all the paperwork requirements.

Step 5 – Give the interview and wait for the acceptance offer!

These steps are the dumb-down version but you have the idea of what it means and what is required to apply to a good accounting school in California.

Best Schools With Accounting Programs In California

Now that we know the basics, and the reasons you should pick accountancy as your career path, let’s talk about the best business schools or universities to get your choice of accounting degree programs:

1. Loyola Marymount University’s Accounting Degree Programs

LMU is a private Catholic and Jesuit university. The university has a total of eight undergraduate and graduate schools with more than 4,000 students enrolled. LMU offers both, on-campus and online accounting degree in California that allow students to study for a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

LMU offers a wide range of accounting programs for undergraduate, and graduate, students. Including:

Bachelor of Science in Accounting (B.S.A)

Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A)

The accounting program falls under the LMU College of Business Administration’s umbrella and both the programs offered within this department are capable of earning you a CPA license.

Bachelor of Science in Accounting (B.S.A) is the most popular program at LMU as this undergraduate program provides an education that is similar to the typical business school curriculum but with a strong emphasis on accounting and finance.

It is designed to help students develop a strong foundation in accounting principles and techniques and students earn this bachelor’s degree in four years of study or around 120-150 credit hours.

On the other hand, the Master of Science in Accounting gives you the opportunity to specialize and hone your skills in an area such as taxation or auditing as this M.S.A. program will prepare you for an advanced career in public accounting or any other industry.

2. The University of Southern California’s Accounting Degree Programs

The University of Southern California in Los Angeles is one of the most renowned and best schools in California for accounting today. People travel to study here from all across the U.S., not only California. The University currently sits 25th in the top-ranked school list.

The University of Southern California is a top choice for any aspiring accounting student. The USC Accounting Program has been ranked among the best accounting schools California and in the country by U.S News & World Report.

The USC accounting degrees are some of the most prestigious . It offers a wide range of degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students, including:

Bachelor of Science in Accounting (B.S in Accounting)

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

Master of Business Taxation (MBT)

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting by USC is widely considered one of the best undergraduate accounting programs in California. The program is accredited by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Whereas, USC’s Master of Accounting program is designed for students who want to pursue careers in accounting and related professions. It’s a perfect follow-up to their bachelor’s program, which prepares the student for a more challenging and advanced accounting education.

Lastly, the USC Master of Business Taxation program prepares students for careers as corporate tax professionals or individual income tax professionals by providing an intensive study of federal taxation from both a domestic and international perspective.

3. Santa Clara University’s Accounting Degree Programs

Santa Clara University, which is a private Jesuit university in Silicon Valley is an outstanding option for you to break into the world of accounting. This remarkable and renowned university offers some of the best grad and undergrad programs in the United States today.

According to US News, the university sits comfortably on 14th as the best undergraduate teaching university. In other words, it’s one university that is most renowned for its teaching abilities for undergrad students.

The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to students who want to study in an accounting school near them in California. There are two-degree programs for both graduate and undergraduate levels:

Bachelor of Science in Commerce

Master of Science in Accounting

The Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree is a four-year undergraduate program that prepares students for careers in the business world. Students can choose from many different concentrations including accounting. Some of the courses offered under this degree include:

Intermediate Financial Accounting
Auditing and Cost Accounting
Tax Planning
Business Decision
Account Data Analysis

The M.S degree at Santa Clara is one of the best master’s in accounting programs in California. This program is for those looking to advance their career in commercial accounting and finance. The MSC program offers both full-time and part-time options and can be completed on campus or online.

Both these courses offer something outstanding for students on each level. For a beginner, the Bachelor’s program will prepare them for all the challenges ahead whereas the Master’s program will hone a student further—turning them into true masters of their craft.

4. The University of San Diego’s Accounting Programs

The University of San Diego is one of the best accounting colleges in San Diego, California. The university has about 5,000 undergraduate students and about 3,000 graduate students.

Moreover, the University of San Diego has a high ranking and is considered one of the best business schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school is also highly ranked for its accounting program and it’s widely considered one of the best accounting schools in San Diego with degree programs.

The university offers these programs under the Knauss School of Business which provides both, a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Accountancy as these programs are accredited by the AACSB and the AASCB respectively. They are called:

Bachelor of Accountancy

Master’s in Accountancy (MACC)

Masters in Taxation (MTAX)

As mentioned before, the University of San Diego’s Bachelor’s in Accountancy takes four years to complete, and the program includes courses on accounting principles, auditing, taxation, financial statement analysis, and business law– and besides that, you will be required to do a six-month internship before graduating from the program.

Then, there’s the Master’s in Accountancy at USD, which is designed for you if you wish to pursue careers as an accountant or auditor with an understanding of both theory and practice. Now, you can complete the program in two years by completing a total of 36 units including electives and core requirements– which is amazing considering the amount of time it can save you.

And lastly, you have a Master’s Degree in Taxation, which is an advanced study and understanding of tax law with a focus on federal taxation.

5. Chapman University’s Accounting Programs

Chapman University sits in the heart of beautiful Orange County California. It’s considered one of the best community colleges in California for accounting because of its remarkable alumni over the years. So, for those looking for a career in accounting, Chapman University offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in this field.

The Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University offers a variety of accounting programs. These include undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting, as well as certificate programs.

The undergraduate program provides an excellent foundation for students to pursue a career in accountancy. The graduate program is designed to prepare students for professional certification exams such as the CPA exam or the CIA exam. The most prominent programs you should look out for include:

Bachelor of Science in Accounting (B.S.A)

Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A)

The B.S. in Accounting degree consists of 36 units of coursework that cover a variety of topics such as financial accounting, auditing, tax law, management accounting and more.

The M.S. in Accounting degree consists of 48 units of coursework that cover the same topics as the B.S. in Accounting degree but also includes an additional 24 units that are specific to the master’s program.

Besides that, the University offers an accelerated program. This means you can join an additional year of University to turn your bachelor’s into a master’s. This puts it in the top 10 accounting programs in California today.

6. California State University Northridge’s Accounting Degrees

California State University at Northridge is another great option in California. The CSUN accounting program offers a wide range of degrees in accounting.

You will find these degrees worth pursuing:

B.S in Accountancy

Masters in professional Accountancy (MPACC)

Masters of Science in Taxation (MST)

The B.S in Accountancy is a four-year undergraduate program that prepares students for various challenges in accounting and finance. Students are required to take courses such as Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Taxation, and Auditing and Assurance Services among others before graduation.

The Masters in Professional Accountancy (MPAcc) is an accelerated two-year graduate program that prepares students to sit for the CPA exam and provides an opportunity to specialize in a particular area of taxation. The Masters of Science in Taxation (MST) provides advanced training for those who wish to pursue careers as tax executives, government tax officials, or accountants with international experience.

7. Saint Mary’s College Of California for Accounting Degree Program

Saint Mary’s College of California is one of the top schools for accounting majors in California because it offers a wide range of opportunities for students. This includes internships, study abroad programs, and student clubs that will help them develop their leadership skills as well as their professional network.

The two programs offered by the college include:

Bachelor of Science in Accounting (B.S)

M.S in Accounting

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting (B.S) is a four-year undergraduate program that provides students with the skills needed to work in the accounting field. The coursework includes courses in financial accounting, taxation, auditing, and business law.

So, what are trying to achieve after you have graduated from one of the best business schools in California? For a career boost of course. You want to land a good job with your accounting degree. And that’s what we are going to discuss next.

How To Become an Accountant In California?

The first thing you’re going to need is a college degree in accounting. Hence, you’re going to need the best program you can find in finance colleges in California. The California CPA license requires you to at least get a bachelor’s degree in one of the following concentrations/majors:

Accounting or Auditing;

External & Internal reporting—or one of the two;

Financial reporting or statement analysis;

Master’s or Bachelor’s in taxation.

But, in order to make that happen it’s essential that you get the 150 semester hours in your major and at least 24 hours of coursework in your degree’s minor. However, you cannot walk into your local city hall to apply for a CPA license as soon as you’re done with your degree. You’re going to need:

12 months of experience working in a general accounting position;

Attest experience of 500 hours according to DCA.CA.gov;

Apply for the CPA program and pass the examination.

After you acquire your CPA license, you can apply to any California firm offering accounting jobs.

How Much Money Do Accountants Make In California

Generally, accountants are highly paid. The money-making abilities of an accountant in California depend entirely on their experience and degree level. That’s why it’s important to pick the best graduate accounting schools in California, for a master’s degrees—if a student wishes for it.

Now, California is the second-highest in the United States in terms of annual salary for accountants, which is $92,000 on average. Besides that, California also has the fourth-highest employment per thousand people. Which means there are 9 jobs per 1,000 people in the Golden State.

Moreover, according to BLS.gov, California offers 4 out of the 10 highest paying metropolitan areas for accountants and auditors—including

Santa Clara, San Jose, and Sunnyvale
Santa Rosa
San Francisco/Oakland Area
Santa Cruz/Watsonville

Hence, following a career path in accountancy in California is one of the best choices a student can make at these times.

How Long Does It Take To Become An Accountant In California

Whether you join a university or one of the best community colleges in California for accounting, it’ll take around 4-years at minimum. After that, you’ll have various tests to go through, such as the CPA examination.

However, some of the universities also offer a one-year extension, which allows you to turn your bachelor’s into a master’s degree. The point is you need to be certified according to the CBA (California Board of Accountancy. And, as mentioned before, for that you’ll need:

A degree from an accredited college or university;

150 semester hours in accountancy major;

12 months or 2000+ hours of work in general accountancy (for CPA license).

Now, after that, there are plenty of other courses for specialization, such as forensic accounting. If a student chooses to go that way, then you can count an additional few months. But, you should bear in mind that it’ll take around 4 years—give or take.

Conclusion

That’s all you need to know about finding the best accounting schools in California and the degree programs they have to offer. An accounting degree from any of these accounting university in California will automatically render you eligible for a CPA examination and license. However, it’s important that you put in the work during your academic years to reap the rewards later on.

Photo by Christine von Raesfeld on Unsplash