14 answers
jamison
Student
Whitehouse, Ohio
1
Question
Asked
4553 views
what is the best college for accounting?
i want to be a accountant but i dont know which college is the best one to go to in this field.
Login to comment
14 answers
Trevor Dawson
Consulting
99
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Trevor’s Answer
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-accounting
Josef Niedermuller
Financial Analyst
5
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Josef’s Answer
There are a ton of colleges with great accounting programs. At some point it all starts to repeat itself regardless of the college, accounting is a very straightforward profession. A good accounting program lines up with just a good business program in general so I would look at business school rankings. I would also look into colleges that accounting firms heavily recruit out of. For example, if Deloitte and EY recruit heavily out of one school your chances of getting a good accounting degree out of college are better. Hope this helps!
Emma Holtan
5
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Emma’s Answer
Hello Jamison!
Here's a list of universities ranked by their program quality:
1. University of Texas, Austin
2. University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign
3. Brigham Young University
4. Indiana University, Bloomington
5. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
However, remember that choosing a university isn't just about program rankings. You should also think about where you'd like to live, the companies that often hire graduates from these universities, the success rate of students in passing their CPAs, whether the university offers a Masters of Accounting if that's something you're interested in, and the types of classes that might appeal to you.
Most business schools will provide this information, and their admissions counselors should be willing to talk about these factors. Best of luck!
Here's a list of universities ranked by their program quality:
1. University of Texas, Austin
2. University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign
3. Brigham Young University
4. Indiana University, Bloomington
5. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
However, remember that choosing a university isn't just about program rankings. You should also think about where you'd like to live, the companies that often hire graduates from these universities, the success rate of students in passing their CPAs, whether the university offers a Masters of Accounting if that's something you're interested in, and the types of classes that might appeal to you.
Most business schools will provide this information, and their admissions counselors should be willing to talk about these factors. Best of luck!
Apoorva Shenoy
DEI Manager at PwC
4
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Apoorva’s Answer
Hello Jamison,
There isn't necessarily just one college that is best if you want to pursue a career in accounting. As you explore your preferred schools, it could be beneficial to inquire about the presence and recruitment activities of the Big 4 accounting firms (PwC, EY, Deloitte, KPMG). This could give you a sense of the potential job opportunities available to you after graduation.
Keep in mind, in the accounting field, recruitment processes kick off pretty early in your academic journey. I'd recommend researching the Big 4 firms, as well as other regional firms that catch your interest, and get a sense of their early identification program deadlines. Almost all these firms offer programs as early as your first year, with internships typically starting after your second or third year, depending on your career trajectory.
I'd recommend prioritizing getting connected with your career center as soon as you get to campus. Attend events, network, and familiarize yourself with the various firms. This will not only help you decide where to apply but also identify which firms align with your career goals.
Wishing you all the best!
There isn't necessarily just one college that is best if you want to pursue a career in accounting. As you explore your preferred schools, it could be beneficial to inquire about the presence and recruitment activities of the Big 4 accounting firms (PwC, EY, Deloitte, KPMG). This could give you a sense of the potential job opportunities available to you after graduation.
Keep in mind, in the accounting field, recruitment processes kick off pretty early in your academic journey. I'd recommend researching the Big 4 firms, as well as other regional firms that catch your interest, and get a sense of their early identification program deadlines. Almost all these firms offer programs as early as your first year, with internships typically starting after your second or third year, depending on your career trajectory.
I'd recommend prioritizing getting connected with your career center as soon as you get to campus. Attend events, network, and familiarize yourself with the various firms. This will not only help you decide where to apply but also identify which firms align with your career goals.
Wishing you all the best!
Eric Liang
Financial Analyst
1
Answer
Las Vegas, Nevada
Updated
Eric’s Answer
Hey Jamison, as someone who was in your shoes I can whole heartedly tell you that NYU Stern has one of the best accounting programs in the nation. Joining Stern will give you access to wide network of professionals and professors who actually care about your professional and personal development. During your sophomore year, you will be able to apply for the BS/MS program in which you get to choose one concentration of your choice (finance, computing&data science, marketing, management, etc.) along with accounting as your second concentration. If you wanted to you could also just go with the one concentration of accounting, but I highly recommend exploring more classes within NYU to broaden your spectrum of business roles. The BS/MS program is an accelerated master program where you receive your masters as well as your bachelors within 4 years plus one extra summer after. The program completely prepares you for your CPA exam and the networking potentials are limitless for the program. I have seen individuals who enter top accounting, banking, and consulting firms from the field so you have a wide variety of options to choose from leaving. Check it out and feel free to reach out for any other questions you might have. Good luck!
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1880
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Jamison !
It's great that you have chosen a career plan for your future and it is a good field to be in with a variety of positions that you could have. Thinking about colleges is also smart and now is a good time to do your reading about various colleges. I would advise thinking about if you want to go to college locally or relocate for an in state or out of state college. That would be your first step. Than you should decide upon what your general budget would be so that your college experience can be doable for you. The only way that you will be able to choose for yourself your best college will be to start reading about the Accounting programs at various colleges to see which one is offering the most acceptable program you'd like. All colleges are "good", so it's a matter of streamlining your criteria for your individual experience.
Next, you might want to decide if you want to attain a Bachelors Degree or continue to go for a Masters Degree. In deciding that, you can probably go to a college that offers both Bachelors and Masters. You can also decide if you'd want to start at community college and transfer to a four year university. Before reading about the various colleges, figure that out and know that you will be prepared to be an accountant when you graduate and become certified. If you want a famous name college, you can also research the information at Harvard, Yale, Princeton or any of the other colleges. But the best college for you is going to be the one that meets all of your needs and is one that you will be enthusiastic about attending.
We don't always find out about a college by solely reading about it. Visiting campuses or requesting to audit a class in your future major can be a good experience for insight. You could also go for a tour and orientation of the campuses, too. This is another way to discover where the best fit would be for you.
A good way to compare colleges would be to use a College Spreadsheet. All the information about the colleges you are interested in can be organized by you and I have left a link to a website that explains how you can do it. You would have all the information at your fingertips and would be easy to compare the colleges.
I hope that this advice was helpful and I wish you all the best going forward !
HOW TO CHOOSE THE ACCOUNTING PROGRAM THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU https://big4accountingfirms.org/schools/ohio/
COLLEGES IN OHIO https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/accounting/rankings/top-ranked/great-lakes/ohio/
USE A COLLEGE SPREADSHEET TO COMPARE COLLEGES https://www.road2college.com/college-spreadsheet/
It's great that you have chosen a career plan for your future and it is a good field to be in with a variety of positions that you could have. Thinking about colleges is also smart and now is a good time to do your reading about various colleges. I would advise thinking about if you want to go to college locally or relocate for an in state or out of state college. That would be your first step. Than you should decide upon what your general budget would be so that your college experience can be doable for you. The only way that you will be able to choose for yourself your best college will be to start reading about the Accounting programs at various colleges to see which one is offering the most acceptable program you'd like. All colleges are "good", so it's a matter of streamlining your criteria for your individual experience.
Next, you might want to decide if you want to attain a Bachelors Degree or continue to go for a Masters Degree. In deciding that, you can probably go to a college that offers both Bachelors and Masters. You can also decide if you'd want to start at community college and transfer to a four year university. Before reading about the various colleges, figure that out and know that you will be prepared to be an accountant when you graduate and become certified. If you want a famous name college, you can also research the information at Harvard, Yale, Princeton or any of the other colleges. But the best college for you is going to be the one that meets all of your needs and is one that you will be enthusiastic about attending.
We don't always find out about a college by solely reading about it. Visiting campuses or requesting to audit a class in your future major can be a good experience for insight. You could also go for a tour and orientation of the campuses, too. This is another way to discover where the best fit would be for you.
A good way to compare colleges would be to use a College Spreadsheet. All the information about the colleges you are interested in can be organized by you and I have left a link to a website that explains how you can do it. You would have all the information at your fingertips and would be easy to compare the colleges.
I hope that this advice was helpful and I wish you all the best going forward !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Oluwaseun Alli
Writer, UI/UX, Web Designer, Python
12
Answers
Lagos, Nigeria
Updated
Oluwaseun’s Answer
Hi Jamison,
From your profile, seems you are from Ohio. Finding the "best" accounting college in Ohio depends on a bunch of things like accreditation, the teachers, what they teach you, internships, job rates, and how people see the school. Here are some good ones:
1. Ohio State University (Fisher College of Business): They have a strong accounting program and lots of connections with Ohio businesses.
2. Miami University (Farmer School of Business): Miami University focuses on getting you ready for jobs in accounting and finance, with lots of chances for internships and learning outside the classroom.
3. University of Cincinnati (Carl H. Lindner College of Business): Their accounting program is accredited and they focus a lot on real-world learning and getting you ready for a job in Cincinnati.
4. Case Western Reserve University (Weatherhead School of Management): They have a tough accounting program that teaches you to think critically and make good choices. They also give you a lot of resources to help you find a job.
5. University of Dayton (School of Business Administration): They prepare you well for different accounting jobs, like working for a company or the government. They focus on giving you real experience and helping you grow professionally.
You should check out what each school offers, like what they teach, who teaches it, and if they help you find internships and jobs. Also, think about where the school is, what the campus is like, and how much it costs. Talking to current students, grads, and teachers can also help you decide.
Hope this helps you pick the right school for you!
From your profile, seems you are from Ohio. Finding the "best" accounting college in Ohio depends on a bunch of things like accreditation, the teachers, what they teach you, internships, job rates, and how people see the school. Here are some good ones:
1. Ohio State University (Fisher College of Business): They have a strong accounting program and lots of connections with Ohio businesses.
2. Miami University (Farmer School of Business): Miami University focuses on getting you ready for jobs in accounting and finance, with lots of chances for internships and learning outside the classroom.
3. University of Cincinnati (Carl H. Lindner College of Business): Their accounting program is accredited and they focus a lot on real-world learning and getting you ready for a job in Cincinnati.
4. Case Western Reserve University (Weatherhead School of Management): They have a tough accounting program that teaches you to think critically and make good choices. They also give you a lot of resources to help you find a job.
5. University of Dayton (School of Business Administration): They prepare you well for different accounting jobs, like working for a company or the government. They focus on giving you real experience and helping you grow professionally.
You should check out what each school offers, like what they teach, who teaches it, and if they help you find internships and jobs. Also, think about where the school is, what the campus is like, and how much it costs. Talking to current students, grads, and teachers can also help you decide.
Hope this helps you pick the right school for you!
Dwight Thomas
Consultant
11
Answers
Cedar Grove, New Jersey
Updated
Dwight’s Answer
Hi Jamison!
I hope all is well! There are many good business schools in the US as well as globally. Whether you are trying to attend an undergraduate program or a graduate program the list can sometimes be different. Many times rankings that are made take into account tuition, enrollment percentage, post-education employment, financial aid and scholarship availability, and student experience. Also specific programs such as majoring in accounting may be excellent at some schools that aren't listed in the rankings of overall business programs. Although there are always lists to determine the best school for business, it is important to take into consideration how the school fits you personally for both your social and academic activities. Here are two lists for undergraduate and MBA programs that are considered the best in the nation. Good luck in deciding and applying to schools and remember to find the one that fits you.
Here is the US News Top 10 Undergraduate Business Schools:
1. University of Pennsylvania
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. University of California Berkley
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
5. New York University
6. University of Texas at Austin
7. Carnegie Mellon University
8. Cornell University
9. Indiana University - Bloomington
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Here is the US News Top 10 MBA Programs:
1. University of Chicago (Booth)
2. Northwestern University (Kellogg)
3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
5.Harvard University
6. Dartmouth College (Tuck)
7. Stanford University
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ross)
9. Yale University
10. New York University (Stern)
All the best,
Dwight
I hope all is well! There are many good business schools in the US as well as globally. Whether you are trying to attend an undergraduate program or a graduate program the list can sometimes be different. Many times rankings that are made take into account tuition, enrollment percentage, post-education employment, financial aid and scholarship availability, and student experience. Also specific programs such as majoring in accounting may be excellent at some schools that aren't listed in the rankings of overall business programs. Although there are always lists to determine the best school for business, it is important to take into consideration how the school fits you personally for both your social and academic activities. Here are two lists for undergraduate and MBA programs that are considered the best in the nation. Good luck in deciding and applying to schools and remember to find the one that fits you.
Here is the US News Top 10 Undergraduate Business Schools:
1. University of Pennsylvania
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. University of California Berkley
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
5. New York University
6. University of Texas at Austin
7. Carnegie Mellon University
8. Cornell University
9. Indiana University - Bloomington
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Here is the US News Top 10 MBA Programs:
1. University of Chicago (Booth)
2. Northwestern University (Kellogg)
3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
5.Harvard University
6. Dartmouth College (Tuck)
7. Stanford University
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ross)
9. Yale University
10. New York University (Stern)
All the best,
Dwight
Rachel Hong
Tax Consultant
5
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
Hi Jamison,
That's a great question!
In terms of the best accounting schools, there are a lot of them having amazing accounting programs. As a formal student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I absolutely loved Gies business program, especially accounting classes. The first thing I loved was the full package of great accounting professors. Many of them also hold JD degree as well as CPA license and they like to teach you not only accounting concepts but also apply great real-life business skills throughout the classes. The classes I took from my college helped me a lot prepare CPA exam as well. My second favorite was the resources that school provides to students including career fair, career center, and professional business organizations.
Hope this helps :)
That's a great question!
In terms of the best accounting schools, there are a lot of them having amazing accounting programs. As a formal student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I absolutely loved Gies business program, especially accounting classes. The first thing I loved was the full package of great accounting professors. Many of them also hold JD degree as well as CPA license and they like to teach you not only accounting concepts but also apply great real-life business skills throughout the classes. The classes I took from my college helped me a lot prepare CPA exam as well. My second favorite was the resources that school provides to students including career fair, career center, and professional business organizations.
Hope this helps :)
Damion Freeman
Tax Accountant
27
Answers
North Port, Florida
Updated
Damion’s Answer
There are many fantastic colleges you can go to in order to become an accountant. My recommendation is to think hard about if you want to go into public accounting or another avenue of accounting.
If you want to become a public accountant, then you will either want to get your C.P.A. or your E.A. credentials.
In order to become a C.P.A., you will need a fifth year of school, and at that point you will probably want to go ahead and get your master's degree while you are at it since at the 150 credit mark you will only need a few more classes to get the upper level degree.
Check and see what colleges and universities have programs for the full pipeline, and then see where you can get the most financial aid/scholarships/grants.
This is not a cheap endeavor and I wish you the best!
If you want to become a public accountant, then you will either want to get your C.P.A. or your E.A. credentials.
In order to become a C.P.A., you will need a fifth year of school, and at that point you will probably want to go ahead and get your master's degree while you are at it since at the 150 credit mark you will only need a few more classes to get the upper level degree.
Check and see what colleges and universities have programs for the full pipeline, and then see where you can get the most financial aid/scholarships/grants.
This is not a cheap endeavor and I wish you the best!
Lex Pitra
Program Management
2
Answers
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Lex’s Answer
I'm intrigued by your query about the "best" option, as there are countless schools to consider. Factors like budget, scholarship availability, and location are crucial. Washington State University stands out with its online MBA program, specializing in Finance. They're leading the way in the realm of online education. So, it's worth exploring their offerings.
make a list of universities you are interested in
make a call to each one, sometimes the customer service can be what helps you make a decision
make sure you are aware of all the career resources they make available to students
explore the requirements for applications and ensure you have ample knowledge regarding loans
once you have narrowed it down let the schools do the work to recruit you and keep conversations going with them until you feel secure in a choice.
Lex recommends the following next steps:
Rachel Thomas
Financial Analyst
2
Answers
Nashville, Tennessee
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
Hi Jamison!
Some of the best schools include
University of Texas at Austin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Brigham Young University
Indiana University--Bloomington
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
Good luck!!
Some of the best schools include
University of Texas at Austin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Brigham Young University
Indiana University--Bloomington
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
Good luck!!
Dimitar Radichev
Working as a Senior Pricing Professional for IBM EMEA Region, helping the deal teams to be shaping the key opportunities within our Consulting business from a financial and commercial perspective.
12
Answers
Sofia, Bulgaria
Updated
Dimitar’s Answer
Hi, I would not advise explicitly on a college, but would like to rather encourage you to complete any of the AICPA/CIMA provided professional programs, which would really foster your knowledge and expand your career. Good luck and take care!
Amy Weissler
Senior Manager, Global People Strategy
4
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Amy’s Answer
Texas A&M has a great program - there's a 5 year program called PPA where you graduate with both your undergrad and Masters in Accounting.