Accounting Schools in Pennsylvania

Table of Contents

1 – Comparison of Schools and Programs
2 – Top-Ranked Schools in Pennsylvania
3 – Highest First-Time CPA Exam Pass Rates
4 – School Profiles
5 – Pennsylvania CPA Requirements
6 – Career Opportunities for Graduates

This overview of accounting schools in Pennsylvania will detail different options for pursuing an accounting degree or certificate in the state. Pennsylvania is home to numerous quality colleges and universities, many of which offer one or more accounting programs. Students can pursue online degree options, accelerated programs, or part-time options. Read on below to find out information about rankings, program details, and career opportunities for those with accounting degrees in the state of Pennsylvania.

Quick Facts

Comparison of Pennsylvania Accounting Schools and Programs

The table below provides detailed information on not-for-profit accounting programs in Pennsylvania to help you compare your options. Programs that appear in bold text offer hybrid or online options. For further school statistics, including median SAT, ACT, and GMAT scores, see the tables on our Pennsylvania business schools page, which break out information at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

SchoolAccreditationAccounting Degree(s)Acceptance Rate10Grad Rate1Avg Net Price1Median Debt*10Median Earnings 10 Years After Entry**10
Albright College—BBA-Accounting;
BBA-Combined Major in Accounting;
BBA-Accounting: Economics and Finance;
BS-Accounting;
4+1 Bachelor’s to MS-Business: Accounting;
MS-Business: Accounting;
Grad Cert-Accounting		76.3%47%$20,884$27,000$55,578
Alvernia UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting57.8%65%$24,917$27,000$52,116
Arcadia UniversityACBSPBA-Accounting;
BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		82.4%62%$26,949$27,000$54,467
Bucknell University—BSBA: Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		34.5%88%$38,170$27,000$86,631
Bucks County Community CollegeACBSPAA-Accounting and Analytics;
UG Cert-Accountancy		N.Av.26%$7,062$12,000$45,528
Butler County Community CollegeACBSPAAS-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting Skills		N.Av.25%$5,572$10,020$38,824
Cabrini UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
4+1 BS-Accounting/MAcc;
MAcc;
MBA-Accounting Analytics		80.0%52%$21,387$26,000$54,218
Cairn University-LanghorneIACBEBS-Accounting;
Dual Level BS-Accounting/MBA		82.3%61%$26,380$26,926$41,656
Carlow UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting;
BS-Forensic Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MS-Accounting;
MS-Fraud and Forensics Accounting;

92.1%52%$18,638$25,500$48,929
Carnegie Mellon University—BBA-Accounting;
MBA-Accounting;
PhD-Accounting		13.5%93%$37,450.00$21,750$111,064
Cedar Crest CollegeACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
4+1 BS-Accounting/MBA		68.8%64%$23,501$27,000$55,062
Chatham UniversityIACBEBA-Accounting;
Integrated Degree Program (IDP): BA to MBA-Accounting;
MBA-Accounting		73.4%63%$27,225$23,250$49,280
Chestnut Hill College—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		97.9%63%$26,658$26,389$50,257
Clarks Summit University—BSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		58.3%55%$17,216$18,034$38,264
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania—BSBA-Accounting;
BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MAcc;
MBA-Accounting		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.
Community College of Allegheny County—AS-Accounting;
AS-Accounting Specialist;
UG Cert-Accounting		N.Av.17%$8,297$12,680$37,214
Community College of Philadelphia—AAS-Accounting;
UG Prof Cert-Accounting Paraprofessional;
Grad Prof Cert-Accounting		N.Av.18%$12,612$10,750$38,084
Delaware County Community College—AAS-Accounting;
Prof Cert-Accounting		N.Av.23%$13,178$13,250$43,091
Delaware Valley UniversityACBSPBSBA-Accounting;
4+1 Accounting BSBA to MBA;
MBA-Accounting;
Grad Cert-Accounting		92.8%54%$26,807$25,000$53,163
DeSales UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
Accelerated BS-Accounting: Forensic Accounting;
BS-Accounting to MBA;
MBA-Accounting		78.2%69%$27,965$25,788$57,821
Drexel University—BSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Dual Degree: BSBA-Accounting to MBA;
MBA-Accounting Analytics;
MS-Accounting;
Graduate Minor-Accounting		82.6%78%$26,076$25,325$79,785
Duquesne University—BSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
5-Year BSBA to MAcc;
MAcc		84.3%78%$34,505$26,244$71,826
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania—BS-Accounting;
4+1 Accounting BS/MS;
MS-Accounting		93.4%49%$16,674$24,218$52,913
Eastern UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
3-Year Fast Pass BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
3+1 BS-Accounting to MBA		68.7%60%$24,199$25,000$48,006
Elizabethtown CollegeACBSPAS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting		79.5%75%$26,534$27,000$63,220
Gannon UniversityACBSPBSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		83.6%64%$22,258$27,000$57,091
Geneva CollegeACBSPBSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
3+1 Accounting Scholars BSBA-Accounting/MBA		79.4%71%$19,895$25,198$49,884
Grove City CollegeACBSPBS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting/BS-Finance;
BS-Accounting/BS-Business Analysis
Minor-Accounting;
MS-Accounting		72.6%88%$21,846N.Av.N.Av.
Gwynedd Mercy UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting;
4+1 BS-Accounting/MBA		90.6%55%$25,843$25,000$62,124
Harrisburg Area Community CollegeACBSPAAS-Business: Accounting;
UG Cert-Professional Bookkeeping		N.Av.16%$12,147$17,500$41,418
Holy Family UniversityACBSPBA-Accounting;
Accelerated MS-Accountancy		77.0%56%$11,935$25,125$60,485
Immaculata UniversityACBSPAS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		79.6%69%$28,510$27,000$58,673
Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main CampusAACSBBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MBA-Professional Accountancy		94.2%56%$21,153$26,798$46,764
Juniata CollegeIACBEMAcc74.4%76%$26,493$27,000$59,092
Keystone CollegeIACBEBS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting Principles;
Minor-Accounting;
MAcc;
MBA-Accounting		82.2%46%$18,692$26,000$39,466
King’s College—BSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Minor-Forensic Accounting		95.8%67%$27,313$27,000$58,640
La Roche UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting;
4+1 Accounting BS/MS;
MS-Accounting		98.1%51%$23,334$25,000$48,621
La Salle University—BS-Accounting;
4 Year Accounting BS/MBA;
MBA-Accounting;
Grad Cert-Fraud and Forensics Accounting		81.4%58%$24,130$25,000$64,386
Lackawanna College—AS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting: Forensic Accounting		N.Av.32%$18,489$18,075$38,461
Lebanon Valley CollegeACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
3+1 BS-Accounting/MBA		77.6%68%$26,944$27,000$56,367
Lehigh Carbon Community CollegeACBSPAAS-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting		N.Av.25%$8,576$11,000$40,101
Lehigh UniversityAACSBBS in Business and Economics-Accounting46.0%87%$31,539$21,960$100,559
Lincoln University—BS-Accounting;
BA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		79.8%49%$14,513$28,250$39,222
Lock Haven UniversityAACSBBS-Accounting95%N.Av.N.Av.$20,000$48,116
Luzerne County Community CollegeAACSBAAS-Accounting;
AS-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting		N.Av.20%$7,942$11,000$36,570
Lycoming College—BA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		74.7%67%$19,508$27,000$56,167
Manor CollegeAACSB;ACBSPAS-Accounting95.3%38%$17,238$19,000$44,309
Mansfield UniversityACBSPBSBA-Accounting94%.N.Av.N.Av.$16,767$44,818
Marywood UniversityAACSB;ACBSPBBA-Accounting81.9%70%$22,687$26,186$51,671
Mercyhurst UniversityIACBEAS-Business Administration: Accounting;
2+2 AS/BA-Accounting;
BA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
4+1 BA-Accounting/Masters		82.4%62%$25,785$25,305$46,596
Messiah UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
BBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		77.4%77%$23,895$25,621$54,532
Millersville University of PennsylvaniaACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		96.4%57%$17,995$23,507$50,554
Misericordia UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Minor-Forensic Accounting;
MBA-Accounting		89.1%71%$23,822$26,973$59,518
Montgomery County Community College—AAS-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting;
UG Cert-Bookkeeper with QuickBooks;
UG Cert-Payroll Specialist		N.Av.21%$7,093$12,349$44,035
Moravian UniversityACBSPBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
4+1 BA-Accounting/MBA;
MBA-Managerial Accounting;
Grad Cert-Managerial Accounting		78.1%68%$32,020$26,793$64,389
Mount Aloysius CollegeACBSPBS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting: Forensic Accounting in Criminal Investigations;
Minor-Accounting;
MBA-Accounting		92.4%53%$21,793$24,287$42,489
Muhlenberg College—BA-Accounting67.8%82%$30,920$25,455$70,439
Neumann UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
4+1 Accounting BS/MS-Forensics and Fraud Detection;
4+1 BA-Criminal Justice/MS-Accounting: Forensics and Fraud Detection;
MS-Accounting: Forensics and Fraud Detection;
Grad Cert-Accounting: Fraud and Forensics		84.2%49%$28,325$27,000$54,198
Northampton County Area Community CollegeACBSPAAS-Accounting;
Specialized Degree (SD)-Accounting;
SD-Accounting Assistant		N.Av.21%$7,574$15,495$38,881
Peirce CollegeACBSPBS-AccountingN.Av.11%$13,714$31,250$49,485
Pennsylvania College of TechnologyACBSPAAS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting		N.Av.50%$23,146$23,961$49,047
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College—AAS-Accounting;
UG Cert-Bookkeeping		N.Av.38%$7,236$11,000$34,398
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Minor-Information Sciences and Technology for Accounting;
Integrated Accounting BS/MAcc;
MAcc;
MAcc-Accounting Analytics		92.3%72%$24,012$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington—BS-Accounting
Minor-Accounting		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona—BS-AccountingN.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MPA		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Great Valley—MPA;
MBA-Management Accounting;
Grad Cert-Financial Accounting;
Grad Cert-Management Accounting		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Information Sciences and Technology/Accounting;
Integrated BS-Accounting/MBA;
MPA;
MBA-Accounting;
Grad Cert-Accounting		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus—BS-Accounting;
MPA;
Grad Cert-Accounting;
Grad Cert-Accounting Foundations		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.$25,000$61,185
Pennsylvania Western UniversityACBSPAS-Accounting;
BSBA-Accounting		N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.N.Av.
Point Park UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting;
Post-Bacc BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		82.3%61%$25,004$27,000$44,613
Reading Area Community College—AA-Accounting;
AAS-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting/Bookkeeping		N.Av.24%$8,920$8,750$37,171
Robert Morris UniversityAACSBBSBA-Accounting94.0%65%$23,183$26,950$56,943
Rosemont College—BS-Accounting;
4+1 BS-Accounting/MBA;
4+1 BS-Accounting/MS-Healthcare Administration;
4+1 BS-Accounting/MS-Strategic Leadership		80.0%50%$25,644$27,000$48,596
Saint Francis UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting: Business Analytics;
BS-Accounting: Entrepreneurship;
Minor-Accounting;
Accelerated BS-Accounting/MBA;
5-Year BS-Accounting/MBA;
MBA-Accounting;
Grad Cert-Accounting		73.3%74%$28,883$27,000$62,067
Saint Joseph’s UniversityAACSBBS-Accounting;
4+1 Accounting BS/MPA;
MPA;
Grad Cert-Accountancy		83.1%83%$33,438$25,500$74,933
Saint Vincent CollegeACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		73.0%73%$23,361$27,000$58,731
Seton Hill UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting:CPA;
BS-Accounting:non-CPA;
BSBA-Accounting:CPA;
BSBA-Accounting:non-CPA;
Minor-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting;
MBA-Forensic Accounting & Fraud Examination		73.8%67%$22,424$27,000$50,129
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania—BSBA-Accounting;
MBA-Accounting		93.1%58%$21,077$25,000$51,372
Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaACBSPBSBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
4+1 BSBA-Accounting/MAcc;
MAcc;
Grad Cert-Accounting		79.5%68%$12,364$25,000$49,804
Susquehanna University—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Minor-Professional Accounting		76.6%74%$28,130$27,000$59,894
Temple University—BBA-Accounting;
BBA-Accounting: Data Analytics;
Accelerated BBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MAcc		72.3%75%$23,224$24,395$60,306
Thiel College—AA-Accounting;
BA-Accounting;
BA-Forensic Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		88.0%47%$22,883$27,000$46,325
Thomas Jefferson UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
MS-Taxation;
MBA-Accounting		78.1%71%$24,227$14,744$71,676
University of Pennsylvania—BS-Economics: Accounting;
MBA-Accounting;
PhD-Accounting		5.9%96%$14,578$15,715$112,761
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		73.3%36%$16,597$24,250$61,744
University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg—BS-Management Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		90.9%34%$17,644$24,250$61,744
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown—BS-Management Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		91.9%49%$17,627$24,250$61,744
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus—BSBA-Accounting;
UG Cert-Accounting;
MS-Accounting;
MS-Accounting and Business Analytics;
MBA-Accounting;
PhD-Accounting;
Grad Cert-Accounting		66.7%84%$22,996$24,250$61,744
University of Scranton—BS-Accounting;
BS-Accounting: Forensic Accounting;
BS-Accounting: Accounting Analytics;
Minor-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting Administration;
Minor-Forensic Accounting;
5-Year BS-Accounting/MAcc;
5-Year BS-Accounting/MBA-Accounting;
MAcc;
MBA-Accounting;
PhD-Accounting		80.3%79%$35,913$27,000$70,238
University of Valley Forge—BSBA-Accounting82.0%56%$23,944$27,000$36,232
Villanova UniversityAACSBBBA-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MAcc: Data Analytics;
Master of Business Taxation (MBT): Data Analytics;
Grad Cert-Accountancy		25.2%91%$33,123$25,874$96,129
Washington & Jefferson College—BA-Accounting;
BA-Business Administration: Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		83.7%76%$27,101$27,000$69,233
Waynesburg UniversityIACBEBSBA-Accounting;
BSBA-Forensic Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Integrated 5-Year BSBA/MBA;
MBA-Accounting		75.0%67%$22,070$27,000$55,757
West Chester University of Pennsylvania—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
Accelerated BS-Accounting/MS-Applied Statistics		89.4%73%$14,133$23,500$56,602
Westminster College—BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		82.1%73%$20,258$26,060$53,244
Westmoreland County Community College—AAS-Accounting;
UG Cert-General Accounting;
UG Cert-Computer Accounting and Tax Specialist		N.Av.22%$4,798$11,000$37,625
Widener University—BSBA-Accounting;
BSBA-Accounting: Forensics Accounting;
4+1 BSBA-Accounting/MBA;
MS-Taxation & Financial Planning;
Grad Cert-Taxation		84.5%68%$25,343$27,000$68,879
Wilkes UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		94.8%61%$30,155$26,000$61,498
Wilson College—AS-Accounting
BS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting		92.9%53%$22,200$26,328$41,326
York College of PennsylvaniaACBSPBS-Accounting;
Minor-Accounting;
MAcc		77.7%66%$22,543$26,000$57,528

Table Notes:
*Median Debt: The median debt is the cumulative federal loan debt, excluding PLUS loans, at the time of graduation for students who completed an undergraduate program (certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree) as reported by College Scorecard for academic year 2020-2021 based on ​​National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) data.
**Median Earnings 10 Years After Entry: Median earnings are the middle value of earnings, at which half earned more and half earned less, measured 10 years (2020-2021) after the first year of study (2010-2011) for all students, institution-wide, who received federal loans and who are employed but not enrolled in school. Note that this value includes those who completed their program of study as well as those who discontinued study without receiving an award.

Top-Ranked Accounting Schools in Pennsylvania

College rankings can be a useful tool to measure the overall reputation of a school or program. Weighing multiple rankings when evaluating your college choices can be helpful because different publishers may use different ranking factors in their methodologies. While the best program for your goals may rely on a combination of factors not typically considered in overall rankings, such as location or funding, seeing a program ranked on multiple lists can be a strong indication of reputation and academic quality.

College Factual’s Best Accounting Schools 2023

  • University of Pennsylvania (#1)
  • Lehigh University (#5)
  • Villanova University (#11)
  • Drexel University (#13)
  • Bucknell University (#19)
  • University of Scranton (#32)
  • Saint Joseph’s University (#36)
  • University of Pittsburgh (#54)
  • Muhlenberg College (#92)
  • Duquesne University (#96)
  • Temple University (#103)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania (#130)
  • La Salle University (#192)
  • King’s College (#202)
  • Widener University (#234)2

Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Accounting Majors 2023

  • Bucknell University
  • Drexel University
  • Duquesne University
  • Lehigh University
  • Penn State University-University Park
  • Temple University
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Washington & Jefferson College3

US News & World Report’s Best MBA Accounting Programs 2023

  • University of Pennsylvania (#2)
  • University of Scranton (#18)
  • Pennsylvania State University (#22 tie)
  • Saint Joseph’s University (#34 tie)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (#44 tie)4

US News & World Report’s Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs 2023

  • Pennsylvania State University-World Campus (#3 tie)
  • Drexel University (#12 tie)
  • Temple University (#12 tie)
  • Duquesne University (#58 tie)
  • Saint Joseph’s University (#58 tie)
  • La Salle University (#79 tie)
  • St. Francis University (#79 tie)
  • Chatham University (#127 tie)
  • Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (#127 tie)
  • Geneva College (#157 tie)
  • Eastern University (#170-214)
  • Pennsylvania College of Technology (#170-214)5

US News & World Report’s Best Undergrad Accounting Programs 2022-2023

  • University of Pennsylvania (#6 tie)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (#20 tie)
  • Saint Joseph’s University (#26 tie)
  • Pennsylvania State University (#28 tie)
  • University of Scranton (#44 tie)
  • Villanova University (#50 tie)
  • Bucknell University (#60 tie)
  • Lehigh University (#60 tie)6

Highest First-Time CPA Exam Pass Rates with a Bachelor’s Degree

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) releases reports including data on candidate performance on the Uniform CPA Exam.11 The following schools had the highest first-time CPA exam pass rates in Pennsylvania in 2019 (the most recent report available*) for candidates with a bachelor’s degree, with the overall pass rate for first-time test takers in Pennsylvania being 55.1%:

  1. University of Pennsylvania 92.9%
  2. Thiel College 90.0%
  3. Lehigh University 78.5%
  4. Clarion University of Pennsylvania** 77.8%
  5. Villanova University 75.4%
  6. Duquesne University 73.2%

*As NASBA makes significant changes to the CPA Exam as part of the CPA Evolution initiative, new candidate score reports by state are not anticipated until at least mid-2024.
**Became part of Pennsylvania Western University-Clarion in 2021.

Schools in Pennsylvania with Accounting Degrees

To give you an idea of the breadth and depth of accounting degrees offered in Pennsylvania, we have profiled select programs below. Be sure to visit the websites of programs of interest for more detailed information on courses, admissions requirements and deadlines, and faculty.

Undergraduate Accounting Programs

Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) with a major in Accounting. The accounting program emphasizes the application of classroom knowledge to the real world, and students learn the skills necessary to succeed in the industry. The core classes of the degree cover the basics of financial and managerial accounting as well as accounting information systems and business ethics. This curriculum prepares graduates to continue their education and eventually sit for the CPA examination. SJU offers a 4+1 option through which students pursuing the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting can apply their last year’s coursework to a Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) degree. The MPA can also be pursued independently of the BS. For those who wish to take the CPA exam, a 36-credit post-baccalaureate certificate is available to fulfill the additional academic requirements.

University of Pennsylvania

The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Economics with a Concentration in Accounting. This program is built on a broad liberal arts foundation, and the general education requirements include mathematics, economics, finance, humanities, and behavioral and natural sciences. After accounting majors complete this core coursework, they can take accounting courses such as Accounting and Business Analysis; Valuation; and Financial Measurement and Disclosure. Penn also offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting that can be completed in 20 months, including a summer internship. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Accounting degree is also available, focusing on academic research.

University of Scranton

At the University of Scranton (Scranton), students can earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting. Students start their general education with liberal arts course requirements before taking accounting classes, which emphasize finance and accounting concepts, theory, and their applications to everyday business. Accounting majors can choose from three tracks: general accounting, forensic accounting, or accounting analytics. Several minors are available as well, including Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, and Forensic Accounting. Scranton also offers two five-year combined programs–a Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting and a BS and Master of Accountancy (MAcc). Both master’s degrees can be completed entirely online. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Accounting is also available.

Graduate Accounting Programs

Duquesne University

At the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business at Duquesne University, students can earn a Master of Science in Accountancy (MAcc). This 30-credit graduate program can be completed in one year of daytime and evening courses, or in two years with just evening courses. The curriculum focuses on subjects like forensic accounting, financial reporting, information systems, and common ethical issues in the field. Students learn communication strategies and develop leadership skills through small, hands-on classes. Accounting courses include subjects such as Fraud Examination, Internal Audit, Contemporary Topics in Financial Reporting, and Non-Profit and Governmental Accounting. Through this curriculum, and in combination with an undergraduate degree, students earn the minimum 150 credit hours and learn the skills necessary to sit for the CPA examination. Duquesne also offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with an Accounting concentration as well as an Accounting Minor. Some students are eligible to complete both their BSBA and their MAcc in just three and a half years while completing an additional semester in a paid co-op with a major accounting firm.

University of Pittsburgh

The Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) offers a 30-credit Master of Science (MS) in Accounting. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing leadership positions in financial and managerial accounting. Students complete the core curriculum, which includes classes in Forensic Accounting; Business Law; and Corporate Tax Accounting and Planning; before choosing electives within the business school. The coursework prepares students to sit for the CPA examination upon graduation. The MS program requires some accounting prerequisites, but students do not need to complete all of these fundamental courses before applying for the program. A 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with a major in Accounting is available that focuses on an arts and sciences foundation. For students who have a non-accounting bachelor’s degree, an undergraduate Certificate in Accounting is available. In addition, there are two accounting-focused Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees: Accounting and Accounting and Business Analytics. A 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Accounting and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Accounting are available as well.

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Online Accounting Programs

Carlow University

Carlow University offers several accounting programs online, including a Bachelor of Science in Accounting for undergraduate students. This 120-credit-hour program offers an interactive online classroom atmosphere in which students will learn the fundamentals of accounting through coursework such as Accounting Information Systems and Auditing. Up to 90 credits can be transferred from another institution, allowing students to graduate in less than four years. An online graduate certificate is also available at Carlow in Fraud and Forensics. This certificate prepares students for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) certification. Several online master’s degrees are also available at Carlow, including a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Fraud and Forensics, a Master of Science (MS) in Accounting, and an MS in Fraud and Forensics.

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

Pennsylvania State University’s (Penn State) online World Campus offers a Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) degree. This degree is designed for those with an undergraduate academic background in business or accounting, and some prerequisite courses are required. The 30-credit-hour curriculum includes courses such as Business Tax Planning Theory and Practice; Strategic Cost Management; Financial Reporting; and Auditing Theory and Practice. The coursework prepares graduates to sit for the CPA examination and fulfills the state’s educational licensure requirements. Students also have the option of pursuing two Graduate Certificates: one in Accounting, which can also apply to the MPA degree, and one in Accounting Foundations. The Accounting Foundations Certificate is intended for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting, but wish to move into a role with more accounting-intensive work or even into an accounting master’s degree. The Accounting Certificate is intended for students who already have a background in accounting and wish to pursue more advanced-level work. An online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting is also available.

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Pennsylvania CPA Requirements

CPA candidates in Pennsylvania must complete 150 credit hours and have at least a bachelor’s degree from a Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy-approved or accredited institution. At least 24 of these hours must be in accounting courses. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree and 120 credit hours may sit for the CPA examination, but they must complete all 150 hours before applying for licensure. Individuals must pass the Uniform CPA examination. Applicants will then need to pursue one year of qualifying experience in the field, totaling at least 1,600 hours. Individuals can then apply for CPA licensure, and this licensure must be maintained through Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours earned through professional development courses or self-study.

Career Opportunities for Accounting Graduates in Pennsylvania

The state of Pennsylvania is filled with job opportunities for accounting, tax, and finance experts. Several Fortune 500 companies are located in Pennsylvania including Comcast, Rite Aid, and Aramark. These companies and others may offer roles in internal auditing, corporate tax preparation, accounting roles, and financial reporting. Graduates can also pursue positions in government, public accounting, or not-for-profit organizations. The major cities such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Lancaster are home to numerous CPA offices and consulting firms. Graduates with degrees in accounting may find opportunities to work in companies, firms, or organizations all across Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Accounting Salary and Jobs by Metro Area

Metro AreaAccountants & Auditors Employed12Average Annual Salary12
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton2,970$80,580
Harrisburg-Carlisle3,170$74,500
Lancaster1,920$76,790
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington29,800$87,000
Pittsburgh10,930$76,490
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazelton1,640$72,590

Pennsylvania Schools with Accounting Degree Programs

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Drexel University
3141 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 895-2000
https://drexel.edu

Student Review: “The Drexel University LeBow College of Business accounting program is one I’ve found challenging so far. I’m currently a junior and have taken four accounting classes so far. I found the professors to be very enlightened and helpful. They are always willing to meet during office hours to help with a problem and answer questions. I’ve found that even if you can’t make their office hours they will make time to meet with you. Drexel also has what they call a co-op. During co-op you work for a company in your field of study for two terms to get a feel of what it’s like to work in your field. I found this experience very rewarding and extremely helpful in my education. I feel like I have an advantage over others when I graduate because I’ve gotten real world accounting experience. What I disliked is that some of the general business professors could be hard to understand and weren’t engaging when teaching the material. It was sometimes hard to focus and I think the quality of those general required courses could be improved with better professors.” -Student at Drexel University

East Stroudsburg University
200 Prospect St
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
(570) 422-3211
https://www.esu.edu/

Student Review: “The accounting program at ESU was not exactly what I expected. I was disappointed with the teachers in the accounting classes. My first accounting class was the generic financial accounting and it was only available as an online course. The professor did try to offer hours where students could see her, but it wasn’t easy with everything else going on with school and work. The tests and quizzes were nearly impossible to pass, not because of the content, but because of the format of the online classroom. If your syntax was off, you got the problem completely wrong. My next class was managerial accounting, and that was my first time meeting a real CPA and having a teacher in front of me for accounting. This made a huge difference. My initial distaste for accounting was replaced with a love for the challenge once I was given the opportunity to be taught in a classroom.” -Jeffery White, student at East Stroudsburg University

Grove City College
100 Campus Dr
Grove City, PA 16127
(724) 458-2000
https://www.gcc.edu/

Student Review:“The Grove City accounting department is one of the stronger departments in the college. I really enjoyed all of my accounting classes, with my personal favorite being the basic Accounting class that they offered (101). I personally never got a chance to participate in an internship, however the Career Services Office did help me get my first job following graduation. They also prepped me for grad school, which I hope to attend in the next couple years. My professors were all extremely helpful, and I really enjoyed getting to know them.” -Joshua B., student at Grove City College

Indiana University of Pennsylvania
1011 South Dr
Indiana, PA 15705
(724) 357-2100
https://www.iup.edu/

Student Review: “The accounting program at IUP seemed to me to be as good a program as any. IUP is a generally low cost state school with a well established business program. A large portion of the staff do not have English as their native language, so following them could be trouble at times. They also had many programs to help prepare me for my future career (including a wonderful Business Honors Program which I was a part of). The teachers, when approached, were very eager to help me with any problems or questions I had and the work was reasonable. I would highly recommend it to any person interested.” -Elijah H., student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University
University Park
State College, PA 16801
(814) 865-4700
https://www.psu.edu/this-is-penn-state/

Student Review: “Penn State is an amazing University to attend. I was so happy to get accepted and couldn’t wait to make my way to Happy Valley. The first two years of pursuing my accounting degree, I basically took general business classes to have a basic understanding of many aspects of business. These classes were large and you obviously can’t get very intimate with your professors. Once I got accepted into the accounting department in the Smeal College of Business, I began taking classes geared toward my division of accounting. I had a goal to become a CPA and to find a job auditing in my hometown of Pittsburgh. Penn State has really helped me achieve that because that is exactly what I’m doing. I worked extremely hard, even taking summer classes every summer to complete Penn State’s program. I have recently taken one of the exams toward becoming a CPA, and have a full-time position at an accounting firm. I could not have been happier with my choice of attending Penn State.” -Student at Penn State

Penn State Harrisburg
777 W Harrisburg Pike
Middletown, PA 17057
(717) 948-6250
https://harrisburg.psu.edu/

Student Review: “I attend The Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg campus for accounting. I really enjoy the experience that I have gone through while at the university and feel that the program really prepared me for life in “the real world.” I not only learned a great deal about accounting, but I learned a plethora of different subjects that made my learning experience much better. The different curriculum that I had to take at the university made me a very well rounded student and person overall. I really liked all of my professors and the various class types that were offered. The only thing that I might change about the program would be offering more online classes and also encouraging professors to stick to the online program instead of using other websites that require students to shell out an extra $100 a semester on top of the books.” -Cierra R., student at Penn State Harrisburg

Seton Hill University
One Seton Hill Dr
Greensburg, Pa 15601
(800) 826-6234
https://www.setonhill.edu/

Student Review: “The accounting program at Seton Hill is excellent. I came to this school knowing little about the business field, so when starting the accounting courses, I was very nervous. Throughout taking these courses I was learning more and more and getting more comfortable with the classes. For my accounting courses we used the Accounting Principles Jerry J. Weygandt 9th edition book. This book was excellent and broke down the accounting process very well. I would recommend this series of books to other colleges and for beginners in accounting. We also had to complete a Capstone project. A Capstone is something that is completed every semester for accounting and it is really just a way of making sure that you have been learning material throughout the course. We then keep the Capstone and use it for our portfolio.” -Kiyah C., student at Seton Hill University

Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way
Slippery Rock, PA 16057
(724) 738-9000
https://www.sru.edu/

Student Review: “My experience in accounting at Slippery Rock University was probably about average. The curriculum was easy if you worked hard enough. The only thing that made some of the classes difficult was not the material discussed, but rather the professors that taught the courses. Many were not able to tell the student what they were looking for, which led to some hard assignments due to unclear instructions. The university did however bring in several speakers that were higher up in the subject. All of the speakers had a CPA or an MBA and were very knowledgeable in their respective fields. This major could be improved if the quality of the professors were improved.” -Student at Slippery Rock University

Temple University
1801 N Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 204-7000
https://www.temple.edu/

Student Review: “Temple University’s accounting program in the Fox School of Business is among the best in the nation. The introductory courses are hands-on; the professors and TAs are very helpful and want to make sure the students understand the basics. The managerial and cost accounting classes are challenging but extremely rewarding. The program is one of the larger departments within the business school, so there are an adequate number of faculty members available to answer questions or provide career advice. In addition the core curriculum, students are encouraged to join a Student-Professional Organization, which helps hone skills and creates networking opportunities by inviting industry professionals to speak to students throughout the semester. These sessions often pave the way for internships or full-time jobs. I do wish the program would teach more computer skills, such as spreadsheets and databases. But overall, the accounting program is top-notch.” -Greg S., student at Temple University

University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 624-4141
https://www.pitt.edu/

Student Review: “As an accounting major at the University of Pittsburgh, I am generally dissatisfied by the accounting program at my university. Disregarding the general redundancy of the business school at Pitt, the accounting program does not focus on applying the concepts in class to real world scenarios. The school itself has an extremely lackluster internship and job connection program, and the accounting department seems to be filled with teachers who are uninterested in teaching. I have had some excellent teachers; unfortunately, there have also been teachers who have failed to help me further my studies, but have rather set me back through their awful teaching methods. I enjoy studying accounting, but at times, the University of Pittsburgh’s program leaves much to be desired and has had me questioning my decision to attend the school for accounting in the first place.” -Student at University of Pittsburgh

Related Accounting Degree State Pages:

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. College Factual Best Accounting Schools 2023: https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/accounting/rankings/top-ranked/
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges 2023 Edition. Penguin Random House, 2022.
4. US News & World Report’s Best MBA Accounting Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/accounting-rankings
5. US News & World Report’s Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs 2023: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors/online-bachelors-business-rankings
6. US News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Accounting Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-accounting
7. Association to Advance College Schools of Business, Accredited Universities and Schools, Business & Accounting: https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited
8. Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, Accredited Schools, Separate Accounting: https://acbspsearch.org/
9. International Accreditation Council for Business Education, Members: https://iacbe.org/accreditation/member-status-information/results/
10. Department of Education College Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
11. The NASBA Candidate Performance Report, 2019 University Edition: https://nasbareport.com/
12. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Pennsylvania: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_pa.htm