Master's in Accounting vs. MBA in 2027: How to Choose

If you want to work in accounting or earn a CPA license, a master’s in accounting is the more direct route. It goes deep on accounting and can fill the coursework a license asks for. An MBA is a broader business degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says some employers prefer accountants who hold a master’s in either accounting or business administration, so both can open doors.

What Is the Difference Between the Two Degrees?

A master’s in accounting, often called a Master of Accountancy or M.S. in Accounting, focuses on subjects like auditing, taxation and financial reporting. An MBA covers general business, including management, marketing, operations and finance. Accounting is just one piece of it.

So the accounting master’s is the specialist degree, and the MBA is the generalist one. Neither is better on its own. They fit different goals.

This site covers accounting degrees from business schools, so the programs we list are accounting master’s programs. The numbers below come from those. They can’t tell you what an MBA costs or how it handles admissions.

Which One Fits the CPA Path?

The traditional route to a CPA license is 150 semester hours, which is 30 more than a usual four-year bachelor’s degree. Many states also offer a path with a bachelor’s degree plus more experience. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) says each state’s board sets its own education rules.

An accounting master’s can give you those extra hours in subjects a board cares about. Twenty-eight of our 50 master’s programs run 30 credits. Add that to a 120-credit bachelor’s and you land on 150. That’s simple math, not a rule, so ask your board which courses count.

An MBA can add credits too. But a board looks at accounting coursework in particular, so check how many accounting courses a given MBA includes. If it has only a few, it may not help the way an accounting master’s does.

Our CPA requirements guide walks you through checking your state.

What Do Accounting Master’s Programs Cost?

Our 50 master’s programs run from $414 to $1,625 per credit, for the programs that publish a rate. The median is $930 per credit, and the median total tuition is $28,320.

Here are a couple of examples from our list:

• University of Louisiana at Lafayette: 30 credits at $480 per credit.
• Southern Utah University: 30 credits at $509 per credit.

Fees and books come on top of tuition. The spread is big, so compare totals before you apply. Format can change your bill too, since commuting and moving costs aren’t in the tuition figure. Each program card tells you if the master’s is on campus, hybrid or online. Our master’s in accounting list puts them side by side.

MBA tuition varies a lot by school. Compare the total for each program you’re considering, not just the per-credit price, and check that the program is accredited.

What Can You Specialize In?

You can pick a focus in an accounting master’s. Some programs on our list offer named concentrations:

• UMass Amherst: Forensic Accounting, Taxation and Data Analytics.
• Sacred Heart University: Forensic Accounting and Tax Compliance & Planning.
• Southern Utah University: Business Analytics, Professional Accounting and Taxation.
• UMass Lowell: Corporate Accounting Leadership and International Business, plus a general program of study.

A concentration can point you toward a credential. Southern Utah University’s Master of Accountancy names the CPA, the certified management accountant (CMA) credential and the certified fraud examiner (CFE) credential on its pages. Our guides to the Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner credentials explain what each one asks for.

MBAs offer concentrations too. If one of yours is accounting, read the course list closely and count the accounting courses, because that’s the number a state board looks at.

How Is the Format Different?

Format depends more on the school than on the degree. Some accounting master’s programs use 8-week terms, and some are asynchronous, which means you don’t have to log in for scheduled class meetings. Check each program’s page for term length, start dates and schedule before you apply.

If you work full time, an asynchronous format and short terms give you room to set your own pace. Ask each program about start dates, because they vary. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville lists 6 start dates a year.

How Long Do They Take, and Who Gets In?

Most accounting master’s programs on our list run 30 credits. A few schools share their finish times:

• Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University: 12 months.
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette: as few as 12 months.
• UMass Amherst: less than a year full time, and up to four years part time.
• UMass Lowell: 18 to 24 months.

Admissions differ from school to school. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette asks for a 2.75 cumulative undergraduate GPA, or a 3.0 in your last 60 hours. It also says students without an accounting bachelor’s may need additional courses.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville asks for a 2.50 GPA and says non-accounting majors complete accounting prerequisite courses. Southern Utah University asks for a 2.7 GPA, or a 2.5 if you’ve got two years of professional accounting work, and has foundation courses to finish before you start.

UMass Lowell lists a 3.000 minimum GPA, and applicants without an accounting degree take prerequisite accounting courses first. It also lists the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) as not required.

If your degree is in another field, look for programs with a foundations or prerequisite route.

What Do Employers and Pay Look Like?

BLS says a bachelor’s degree is typical for accountants and auditors, and some employers prefer a master’s in accounting or in business administration. Both degrees are on the table, but don’t assume every employer will treat them the same for every job.

On pay, BLS reported a May 2025 median of $83,680 for accountants and auditors. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,020. The highest 10 percent earned more than $144,090.

If you’re aiming for management, BLS says financial managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and five years or more of experience in another business or financial job. Their median wage was $166,570. BLS lists accountants as one route into that job, so the experience you build counts alongside the degree.

What Are the Downsides of Each?

An accounting master’s is narrow. If you later decide you’d rather run a team or a business, an MBA’s broader coursework might suit you better.

An MBA is broad. If you want a license, you may need to add accounting courses on top, and that can add time and cost.

Both cost money and time on top of your bachelor’s degree, and neither one guarantees a raise.

Admissions matter too. An accounting master’s usually asks for accounting background or prerequisites, which can slow you down if your bachelor’s is in something else.

How Should You Choose?

Start with the job you want. If it’s a CPA license or a technical accounting career, go with the accounting master’s. If you’d rather manage people, strategy or a business, an MBA may fit better, and you can pick up accounting skills on the job.

Then check your state board’s credit rules and compare two or three programs on total price. Our list of programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) shows programs from business schools confirmed on the official AACSB list. And if you’re still weighing the field itself, our guide to accounting vs. finance can help.