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MBA in Accounting Online Master of Business Administration Degree Program

Tanzania Fair, who earned her degree from SNHU in 2020, standing in a conference room with a man and woman seated at a table looking up at her.

Cost per credit $637

Total courses 10

Term length 10 weeks

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Program Overview Why get an MBA in accounting online?

Advance your expertise in business and financial management with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting online from Southern New Hampshire University.

Built specifically for today's business needs, this program is designed to deepen your understanding of capital budgeting, finance and portfolio management. You'll learn to lead, strategize and innovate for a high-performance organization — which could position you for a future as a business leader in an array of industries.

Skills you'll learn:

  • Data analysis and interpretation
  • Strategies for an organization
  • How to evaluate and implement organizational processes
  • Ethical/legal standards and sustainable practices
  • Accounting and financial reporting analysis
Tanzania Fair, who earned her degree from SNHU in 2020, sitting in her office working on a laptop with her framed diploma on the wall in the background.

Courses & Curriculum Online MBA accounting courses that prep you for success

In addition to learning primary accounting skills like financial reporting and the tax implications of major business decisions, this MBA program can help you gain a deeper understanding of an organization's vision, mission, values, culture and strategic goals. You'll leave with the tools to become an impactful, fiscally responsible leader — no matter what industry you choose to step into.

Degree Courses

Online MBA in accounting courses

Our MBA program weaves accounting and finance throughout the program, integrating core principles across all courses — so you can gain the overarching business skills you want, plus the financial skills you need to make smart organizational decisions.

You'll take 7 core MBA courses and 3 accounting courses: Cost Accounting, Financial Reporting I and Financial Reporting II. Depending on your academic background, you may also need to supplement the core courses with business foundation coursework.

And if you don't have a business background? No problem. Our MBA is accessible to everyone. Interested students must have a conferred undergraduate degree for acceptance, but it can be in any field.

Courses may include:

Course ID: ACC 610
In this course, students will be introduced to foundational financial accounting theories and practices, with emphasis placed on standards and compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Students will learn to analyze financial statements and accounts for advising stakeholders on strategic business decisions. This course will specifically focus on applying accounting methods to current assets and liabilities and long-term assets. This course is part of the financial reporting foundation courses for students who need the required foundational accounting knowledge.
Course ID: ACC 620
Concepts in this course will concentrate on financial activities and the impact they have on financial statements. These activities will include stockholders' equity, long-term liabilities, leases, and statement of cash flows. This course is part of the financial reporting foundation courses for students who need the required foundational accounting knowledge.
Course ID: MBA 540
Impactful leaders leverage business intelligence to make ethical decisions, solve complex problems, and craft strategic direction to improve organizational performance and agility in a dynamic global business environment. Students develop context and understanding of how organizations formulate a strategic direction and organize all business functions to complement each other to achieve organizational objectives. Students develop the strategy know-how to assess, inform, and form interconnected functional and organizational strategic direction.
Course ID: MBA 620
Effective leaders need a comprehensive understanding of financial and management accounting principles, analytical techniques, and computer-based tools. Students will prepare, monitor, and evaluate financial and accounting reports and metrics and present their findings and recommendations. From reporting to planning, students will develop an acute awareness of a perpetually changing business environment and how entities measure its success, challenges and resources.
Course ID: TAX 660
This course is an introduction to tax factors that are relevant in business and personal financial planning decisions. This includes regular and S corporations, partnerships, fiduciaries, tax shelters and tax research. This course is open only to non-accounting students. Background preparation: 6 credit hours in accounting or the equivalent.

Visit the course catalog to view the full MBA in Accounting curriculum.

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Our no-commitment application can help you decide if SNHU is the right college for you and your career goals. Apply up until 2 days before the term starts!

Upcoming term starts: October 14, 2024 | January 06, 2024

Next term starts:
July 29, 2024

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Online Student Experience What’s it like going to SNHU?

Attending college online at SNHU can be a life-changing experience. In fact, 93.2% of online students would recommend SNHU according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents.

What to expect:

10-week terms

Learn around your schedule

24/7 online support

Online Classroom

What does an online course look like?

You’ll take your courses within SNHU’s Brightspace platform. This is where you’ll find your:

  • Schedule of weekly assignments
  • Discussion boards
  • Grades
  • Instructor announcements
How to Take an Online Class at SNHU
5 ways SNHU makes the admission process "easy-peasy" #shorts

Admission Applying to SNHU is fast and free

No application fee. No test scores. And no college essay. Just a simple form with basic information. It’s another way SNHU helps you reach your goals sooner.

All it takes is 3 simple steps

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You’ll fill out one form to verify your high school completion or GED. Then, if you’ve attended college before, you’ll submit a form for each school so we can request your transcripts for you. (Also for free!)

After reviewing your official evaluation, you can decide if SNHU is right for you! If you choose to enroll, just pick your start date and get ready for classes to begin.

Talk to an admission counselor: 888.327.SNHU | enroll@snhu.edu

Accreditations

SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which means we meet certain standards of academic quality, and have the tools and resources necessary for students to be successful. The university also carries specialized accreditations for some programs.

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Tuition Cost & Savings College can be more affordable than you think

As a nonprofit university, SNHU offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the country. And when you work with our Financial Services team, we'll explore ways to help you save even more on your education – and customize a payment plan that works for you.

Online graduate programs

Student
Cost per credit
Cost per course
Cost for 30-credit degree*
Full- and part-time students
$637
$1,911
$19,110
Active-duty military and spouses | Full- and part-time students**
$470
$1,410
$14,100

*before previously earned credits are applied

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

**Note: Students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional costs: Course materials vary by course.

Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

$1,274 $2,548 $3,822
Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

If 2 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $17,836

If 4 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $16,562

If 6 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $15,288

How we estimate your tuition cost:

We look at the cost per credit multiplied by the number of credits you need to earn for a MBA degree. Most master's degrees require 30 credits. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 6 credits, requiring a minimum of 24 credits to be taken at SNHU. This is only a tuition estimator and doesn't account for other fees that may be associated with your program of choice.

Career Outlook What can I do with an MBA in accounting?

The need for business professionals continues to rise, and many of today's senior management executives have a background in accounting or finance. Accounting knowledge is a valuable asset to your business operational skillset, and the ability to analyze and interpret financial data is especially important as companies seek efficient, cost-effective means of operation. With an MBA in accounting, you'll be positioned for a successful leadership career in a variety of industries.

Industries

Earning your MBA in Accounting online at SNHU gives you the background you need to be successful in management-level positions across an array of industries, such as:

Work in an exciting, fast-paced environment as a relationship manager, loan officer, financial analyst or investment banker.

Analyze financial data as a budget analyst, financial analyst or business analyst.

Use an organization's accounting and financial data to support strategic decision-making for strong ROI.

Step into client-focused, relationship-oriented roles like financial planner, investment advisor or wealth manager.

16%

increase in financial manager positions through 2032, projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1

$139,790

the median annual salary for financial managers as of May 2023, according to the BLS.1

Understanding the numbers
When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors—like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether or not you decide to get an MBA in Accounting all depends on your professional goals. If you want to work in accounting or finance and dream of leading a team or organization, an MBA in Accounting could be right for you.

In the accounting MBA program, you’ll dive deep into a variety of accounting topics and gain key leadership and career skills that are in high demand across many industries. In addition, you'll take accounting-specific courses that explore topics like financial reporting and cost accounting.

You’ll also take several core business courses to gain key business and career skills, including analysis, problem solving, critical thinking and communication.

Business courses in this program cover topics such as:

  • Finance and economics
  • Mathematics and statistics
  • Marketing and strategy
  • Ethics and corporate culture
  • Operations management
  • Innovations and entrepreneurship
  • Leadership

An MBA in Accounting is a versatile degree that can be applied to many career paths. The management of financial resources is critical to business success across every industry, and for businesses big and small. With an accounting MBA, you can use your analytical and critical-thinking skills to keep track of important financial metrics and lead a team or department.

No matter what your interests, an MBA in Accounting can help advance a career in banking, budget analysis, financial management, financial planning and more.

Jobs for accounting MBA degree holders include:

  • Public accountant: Perform a broad range of accounting, auditing, tax and consulting tasks for clients including corporations, governments and individuals.
  • Management accountant: Record and analyze financial information for internal use, including budgeting, performance evaluation and planning.
  • Auditor: Check for mismanagement of an organization’s funds and identify ways to improve the processes for finding and eliminating waste and fraud.
  • Financial manager: Create financial reports, direct investment activities and lead long term financial planning for an organization.
  • Budget analyst: Help public and private organizations organize their finance, preparing budget reports, monitoring spending and reviewing budget proposals for compliance with law and regulations.
  • Financial analyst: Assess the performance of investments, evaluate current and historical financial data and study economic trends to provide investment guidance to businesses and individuals.
  • Management analyst: Analyze financial and other data to recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency and make organizations more profitable.

That depends on your specific career path. With the business and financial skills developed in an MBA program, there are many opportunities to turn a passion for accounting into a lucrative career.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for business and financial occupations was $79,050 in May 2023.1 Within the accounting and finance field, however, salaries vary significantly.

The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $79,880 in May 2023, with the highest 10% earning more than $137,280. Financial managers earned a median salary of $139,790 the same year, with the highest 10% earning more than $239,200. And the median annual wage for management analysts was $99,410 in 2023, with the 10% highest-paid earning more than $172,280.1

In addition, graduate degrees like the MBA tend to earn more in salary than those who have a bachelor's degree. In 2023, the BLS reported that master's degree holders earn about 15% more in median weekly earnings than those with an undergraduate degree.1

The degree that’s right for you depends on your career goals. Both an MBA in Accounting and a master's in accounting online, or on campus, offer valuable finance, economics and accounting coursework, but the programs do differ.

An accounting MBA program offers a strong foundation of core business and leadership skills. In addition to finance and accounting coursework, you’ll explore:

  • Marketing and strategy
  • Ethics, corporate culture and social responsibility
  • Finance and economics
  • Government impact on business
  • Operations management and technology
  • Leadership and management strategy

In contrast, an accounting master’s degree focuses more closely on accounting and financial practices. While you’ll still gain key career skills like communication, critical thinking and problem solving, your courses won’t focus as much on management strategy and leadership. This is a particularly smart choice if you're interested in a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) pathway, as the curriculum aligns with the 2024 CPA Exam.

Instead, you’ll dive deeper into accounting topics, including:

  • Accounting principles and practices
  • Professional auditing methods
  • Cost analysis for informed decision-making
  • Using information technology to evaluate financial information
  • Applications of financial regulations in business
  • Quantitative analysis
  • Individual and corporate tax preparation

Again, the degree you choose depends on what goals you want to meet. For a deep dive, you'll want the MS in Accounting. For a good understanding of accounting, coupled with a broader foundation in business, go for the MBA in Accounting. Either way, both position you for leadership roles in business and can provide essential business skills and knowledge that would be an asset to any organization.

If you want to join an exciting field with a broad range of career opportunities and lots of room for growth, then yes.

Globalization, an evolving economy and a complex tax and regulatory environment are expected to continue the demand for skilled accountants and financial managers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1

With the combination of financial knowledge and leadership skills you can gain in an accounting MBA program, you’ll be in high demand across many industries and organizations.

Employment of business and financial operations occupations is projected to grow by 914,000 jobs on average each year through 2032. Employment of management occupations is projected to grow by 1.1 million jobs on average annually through 2032.1

Related Articles

Sources & Citations

1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm (viewed June 28, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/home.htm (viewed June 28, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm (viewed June 28, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/OOH/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm (viewed June 28, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm (viewed June 28, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/bls/exit_BLS.htm?a=true&url=https://www.census.gov/topics/education/educational-attainment.html (viewed June 28, 2024)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

2Graduate Management Admission Council, on the internet, at:

  • https://www.gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/enrolled-students/2022/2022_enrolled_students_survey_summary_report_final.pdf (viewed June 28, 2024)
  • https://www.gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2022_gmac_corporate_recruiters_survey_summary_report_final.pdf  (viewed June 28, 2024)