Accounting Degree Programs in New York

New York Accounting Degrees Online and On-Campus

Click for all featured online accounting programs currently taking applications for 2024.

There are 649 accounting degree programs in New York in our directory (165 Associates, 241 Bachelors, 126 Masters, and 12 Doctorate).

New York has one of the biggest landscapes for accounting positions regardless of experience, whether it is recent graduates looking for their first job or seasoned professionals that are becoming a new executive at a company's headquarters.

While the opportunities and salary are high within the bigger cities, like New York City and Brooklyn, it is worth noting the high cost of living and checking some other places, like Syracuse and Buffalo, that also have numerous positions within banks and similar financial institutions.

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Are there online accounting degree programs in New York?

Yes, here is our list of some of the top online accounting degrees in New York.

Click to jump to all New York schools offering accounting degrees.

In depth review of online accounting degrees in New York updated for 2023

Syracuse University

Master of Science in Professional Accounting

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management offers an on-campus and online version of their Master's degree in accounting. The 30-credit curriculum can be completed in as little as 12 months for those that already have prior coursework in accounting. This is done by taking more than two courses in two of the terms. For those looking to remain as part-time students, they can expect to finish in 15 months. There is also an ability to combine the MSPA with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Business Analytics, and Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. Any option can take as little as five to six years to fully complete.

Prerequisite requirements for prospective students include a Bachelor's degree that was completed at an accredited school, but unlike some Master programs, Syracuse does not require work experience within accounting. Other submissions that are needed are completing an online application with fee, writing a personal essay and a business plan, online transcripts, updated resume, GRE or GMAT scores, and two letters of recommendation. For those that have at least five years of related work experience, GRE or GMAT scores are not needed. Some candidates will need to do an interview with the admissions committee that can be done remotely.

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St. John’s University – New York

Master of Science in Accounting

One of the two online programs in the field of accounting at SJU is the MSA degree that can be completed within 12 to 24 months and is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Both programs are offered through the Peter J. Tobin College of Business. Benefits of taking this program include getting the education through a faculty that has obtained doctoral degrees and CPA licenses and there is networking potential with the Big Four accounting firms.

In addition to having full preparation for the CPA exam, graduates from the program will be able to strategic decisions through analyzing financial statements and the organization’s budget. They will be able to solve problems while following the latest ethical and legal procedures. There are 11 courses needed in order to complete the program, and that includes a capstone project.

Master of Science in Taxation

The Peter J. Tobin College of Business also offers an MST program that is similar to the MSA program, but provides different electives and requires 31 credit hours to complete instead of 33. Core coursework for the taxation degree includes a basic understanding of corporate taxation, how taxes are distributed through partnerships, and discovering interpretations of federal tax law. Some of the elective options include within the curriculum include planning taxes for wealthy individuals, taxation systems around the world, and taxes on real estate. There is also a capstone project taken within the final 12 credits where students write a research article on a topic within taxation.

Utica University

Master of Business Administration – Finance/Accounting

The online MBA program that offers a specialization in finance and accounting will give students the ability to efficiently analyze and budget an organization’s financial statements in order to increase growth and revenue. Specific courses within the area of emphasis include a seminar in Advanced Managerial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Managerial Economics, and Advanced Financial Management.

Online courses are distributed in synchronous format and students have the ability to interact with faculty and peers during the live classroom. Coursework is completed at any time with around-the-clock access to fit any schedule needs. For those wanting a more customized experience, the school offers a blend of online and on-campus courses. Any courses that are missed in person can be made up by viewing an archive.

St. Bonaventure University

Master of Business Administration – Accounting

Another online MBA program in New York is offered at St. Bonaventure, which is accredited both by the AACSB and MSCHE. There are 21 core credits within the curriculum – three foundational courses that deal with quantitative methods, accounting, and economics, and 12 credits worth of business courses that deal with policy and management. The accounting electives for the specialization include Financial Statement Analysis, Advanced Cost Accounting, and Financial Statements Presentation.

The accounting segment of this degree will help students develop leadership skills, they will utilize the tools necessary in order to set goals, and they can properly analyze financial statements and make important decisions. Students that have graduated from this program have gone on to become budget analysts, financial advisors, tax fraud examiner, director of marketing and communications, and executive positions like a vice president of data and analytics and chief financial officer.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Master of Science in Accountancy

SUNY Poly’s accountant program is exclusively available online and is accredited by the AACSB. The curriculum is geared to prepare students to take the exams from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, which are good to obtain licenses such as the Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant. The university recommends the following as prerequisites: financial and intermediate accounting, cost accounting, tax accounting, computer science, business statistics, economics, and business law. Many of these subjects can be taken in a variety of classes offered by the university.

There is a concentration for Forensic Accounting and Valuation, which has a focus on auditing skills and analysis that is able to identify any fraudulent accounting measures and how to eliminate them in the future. The 33-credit curriculum has an equal amount of accounting and business courses, and there is one elective option available as long as the course is offered by the Department of Business Management.

Accreditation Options in New York

The AACSB is the most common accreditation found among the accounting programs in New York, but there are others to keep an eye out for. Accreditation shows that a university’s curriculum is current with the latest technological advancement and ethical standards, and it can give an edge to students in the hiring process.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

This regional accreditation association is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and serves its home state along with the following Northeastern states and territories: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Institutions that are accredited by MSCHE must have clearly defined goals that are realistic to obtain, maintain ethical practices such as nondiscriminatory hiring and promotion of employees and student admissions, and that the curriculum tied to the program is clearly defined and provides the needed skill set in order to succeed in the career. Other situations evaluated are the administration, student experience, effectiveness of the program, and optimizing resources.

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

Since 1998, the ACBSP accredits all business programs across the world and has reached over 1,000 campuses. Their goal is to reach every business program and help them obtain a quality curriculum in order to best prepare students for a role in business. The association has on-campus visits to evaluate the education process and ensures a quality experience for students.

Career Opportunities in New York

Deloitte has the most accounting-related job opportunities within New York City itself, but H&R Block has numerous positions within Brooklyn, Rochester, Bronx, Syracuse, Buffalo, and more. The majority of these jobs are tax professionals and tax advisors. These positions are similar, but a general professional will have a number of duties to complete, such as preparing and filing tax documents for clients, keeping track of their own organization’s tax documents, working directly with tax agencies, and they can even represent their client legally if they are licensed. Advisors have more streamlined duties, such as aiding their clients in the process of filing tax returns and helping them receive the maximum amount of deductions.

In general, New York City provides the bulk of accounting opportunities in the state, but there are numerous positions within the other cities as well. Common job positions include an accounting associate, financial analyst, bookkeeper, and reporting officer. Bookkeeping is more on the entry-level opportunities as they record all the financial transactions of the organizations they work for and check for any errors or discrepancies from other sources. Some of the more managerial positions will require a Master’s degree or multiple years of related work experience at an entry-level position. Other companies that have frequent accounting positions available in the state are JP Morgan Chase, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Citi, IBM, and Columbia University.

Entry-level positions will make between $53,003 and $64,100 annually in New York according to Salary.com, and that jumps all the way to $109,900 for the highest job opportunities within accounting. These numbers are a little more higher for tax accountants. In some cases, a Master’s degree may be required to satisfy more technical or theoretical aspects of a specialized role. While these roles have some pretty high-paying opportunities, the cost of living in New York is fairly high when compared to the rest of the country. This holds especially true in New York City, Brooklyn, Bronx, and New Rochelle.

Online Accounting Degrees Accepting Applicants

Schools with Accounting Degrees in New York