Accounting Degree Programs in North Carolina

North Carolina Accounting Degrees Online and On-Campus

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

There are 463 accounting degree programs in North Carolina in our directory (151 Associates, 109 Bachelors, 38 Masters, and 4 Doctorate).

North Carolina's biggest universities offer Master's degrees within accounting. A number of schools in North Carolina launched an online accounting degree in the 2020's. UNC at Chapel Hill provides a few options, including a full Master of Accounting degree or finance specialization for the Master of Business Administration.

Many accounting opportunities are located in Charlotte, where they host Wells Fargo's headquarters for their east division and a corporate building for Bank of America.

In Depth Review of Online Masters of Accounting Degrees in North Carolina Updated 2023

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Are there online accounting degree programs in North Carolina?

Yes, here is our list of some of the top online accounting degrees in North Carolina.

Click to jump to all North Carolina schools offering accounting degrees.

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Master of Accounting

The Kenan-Flagler Business School offers a fully online version of their Master of Accounting program that can also be completed on-campus, and the curriculum is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). There are no restrictions to undergraduate majors or professional background, making the program open to anyone that wants to begin a career in accounting. For those that have experience, the online format is exclusive to them as it will provide a more customized format as courses will be tailored to their professional schedule. 36 credit hours are required for experienced individuals and it is possible to complete the program within a year, while others will need 48 total credits. There are four different admission dates during each year.

Regardless of taking the online or on-campus version, they will both have the same faculty and resources available to the student. Courses online will be offered in a live, synchronous format with various class times to choose from. Assignments and projects will be worked on through the course management system with interactive features such as discussion boards, study groups, and one-on-one office hours with the professors. With a vast number of alumni from the Kenan-Flagler Business School, there will be many opportunities to network and gain accounting opportunities around the world.

Master of Business Administration - Finance

As an alternative, students can also pursue the online Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Finance. This curriculum is geared toward students that have a financial background or professional experience and are looking for managerial roles, such as a financial manager, payroll director, or chief financial officer. Electives that can be taken within this area of emphasis include Corporate Financial Strategy, Global Finance and Emerging Markets, and Mergers and Acquisitions.Students that have completed this program have gone to work at companies such as Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

Requirements to get into the program include an updated resume, unofficial or official transcripts (official transcripts are required upon admission), two letters of recommendation, one or two essays, GRE or GMAT scores for students that have less than six years of professional experience, and a personal interview needs to be conducted with an academic counselor online. There are three admission times each year, and benefits for enrolling before the priority deadline include a $150 application fee waiver, eligibility to enroll in classes faster, and the ability to attend a global immersion.

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North Carolina State University

Master of Accounting

The online Jenkins MAC offered by the Poole College of Management at NC State provides a great opportunity for working professionals to keep going in their career while also obtaining further education for a more advanced accounting job. With full customizability, the program can be completed in as little as 12 months, or up to six years if needed. There are multiple concentrations for students to choose from if desired: Enterprise Risk Management, Information Technology, and Tax Strategy. The curriculum is accredited by the AACSB.

Students that do not have a background in accounting can take the ASAP program that has the prerequisites needed in order to pursue the core courses within the MAC. These courses will not count toward the credit needed to complete the MAC program. The latest graduates from Spring 2019 saw a 100 percent placement rate in the workforce within three months of graduation. Places that have hired these graduates include the Big Four accounting firms – Deloitte, Ernst and Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

University of North Carolina – Greensboro

Master of Science in Accounting

Beginning in 2020, the Bryan School of Business and Economics will be offering the MSA program both on-campus and online. This curriculum will prepare students to take the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam in order to pursue their career. There are 30 credits needed to complete the program, and up to 24 credits will be toward accounting courses and up to 9 credits can be used for non-accounting courses. This provides flexibility in customizing the degree to specific career choices. Some of the core courses needed in the curriculum are Introduction to Business Entity Taxation, Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders, and IT Auditing and Accounting Data Analytics.

There are three times that students are admitted into the program each year – before the fall, spring, and summer terms. Requirements for admission include sending official transcripts, GMAT or GRE scores, resume, personal statement, and three letters of recommendation. The testing scores are waived for students that have a 3.25 GPA or higher within accounting, already holding a CPA license, transferring from a different graduate school, or are in the school’s dual BS/MS program. There is no need for a background in accounting in order to pursue this program.

Accreditation Options in North Carolina

Two of the most popular accreditation associations within North Carolina is a worldwide and regional-based organization. The SACSCOC will showcase universities throughout the southwest and southeastern portions of the United States. The AACSB specifically accredits higher level education around the world.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Accredits higher education in the Southeastern and Southwestern portions of the United States. Some of the biggest aspects within a university they look for is integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement within their university. Schools must actively participate in the accreditation process to keep in good standing, and requires them to self-regulate and continue improving their institution, keeping up with the latest developments in the workforce and meeting employment needs.

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Founded in 1916, this accreditation service focuses on business schools that are not-for-profit. There is a newer specialized accreditation in accounting directly, which has been given to 182 different schools. They have a strong criteria that has been established through peer review in the following categories: strategic management and innovation, learning and teaching, and academic and professional engagement. Universities must continue to adhere to these principles and continue to show improvement in curriculum and faculty.

Career Opportunities in North Carolina

Wells Fargo’s headquarters for the east coast division are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is home to the One Wells Fargo Center skyscraper that opened in 1988. According to Indeed, Wells Fargo is offering numerous finance and accounting jobs in Charlotte, which include finance managers, strategy consultants, business initiatives consultants, and more. Other companies include H&R Block, Bank of America, IBM, and a few of the Big Four accounting firms, Deloitte and Ernst and Young. Charlotte does offer the most accounting opportunities, but there are also many positions available in Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem.

An entry-level accounting job in North Carolina has an average salary between $47,125 and $56,991 per year according to Salary.com. Margarettsville and Pleasant Hill are two locations that are typically on the higher end at over $53,600 annually. Higher-level accountants can see as much as $97,711 per year, but this pushes over the six-figure mark when looking at jobs within bigger cities such as Charlotte and Raleigh. When looking at professionals that hold a Master’s degree in general in the state of North Carolina, ZipRecruiter shows that the average salary hovers around $58,351, and the numbers range between $38,630 and $64,126 when looking between the 25th and 75th percentile.

Online Accounting Degrees Accepting Applicants

Schools with Accounting Degrees in North Carolina