American Public University System Bachelor of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

56.5 of 100

Cost (20%)

8.9 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

2.3 of 10

Completion (15%)

1.8 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

6.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

9.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

8.2 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

5.1 of 10

Cost per Credit

$360 per credit

Credits

120

Tuition

$43,200

Format

Fully Online

Terms

8 weeks

Starts

12 starts per year

Transfer Credits

Up to 90

Accreditation

ACBSP (confirmed on the official list)

See exactly how we score on the methodology page. We checked the school's figures on October 7, 2026.

APUS builds its accounting bachelor's as a chain of prerequisites, from Accounting I through Intermediate Accounting III to Auditing & Assurance Services. You'll finish with a senior seminar of real-world cases. Courses start every month, so you can begin when your schedule allows.

American Public University System offers the Bachelor of Science in Accounting fully online. The accounting department has its own chair in the Dr. Wallace E. Boston School of Business. The program director is a certified public accountant (CPA) and has taught accounting there since 2009.

• Service members and veterans: the Preferred Military Rate is $250 per credit, and Veteran Grant students pay $324.
• Community college graduates: an A.A. or A.S. can bring up to 30 general education credits in automatically.
• Working adults with experience can turn knowledge from outside a classroom into credit. Options include Prior Learning Assessment, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams and exams from the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), such as the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST).
• Government-minded students: a full course in governmental and not-for-profit accounting sits in the required list.
• Students who like Excel: two productivity courses build spreadsheet skills, and one maps to the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel certification.

The accounting core starts with Accounting I and II, then runs three Intermediate Accounting courses. Intermediate Accounting II covers pensions, leases, bonds and the time value of money. In Cost Accounting you'll learn costing for products, services and customers.

Accounting Information Systems covers internal control and how technology fits the accounting cycle. Auditing & Assurance Services covers auditor ethics and legal liability. The program also teaches Sarbanes-Oxley and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and uses simulations and labs.

You finish with ACCT499 Senior Seminar, taken as the last course.

The degree is 120 credits. You can transfer up to 90 of them. Community college graduates may get up to 30 general education credits automatically. You can fill the 27 elective hours with credits from an unrelated minor or certificate. Most states want 150 semester hours for CPA candidates, so you'd add credits beyond this 120-credit degree.

Tuition is $360 per credit. Ebooks cost nothing, and there's no application fee. Service members pay $250 per credit under the Preferred Military Rate, and first responders with the Everyday Heroes Grant pay $288.

It's all online and asynchronous. A new course starts every month, and sessions run 8 to 16 weeks. Accounting courses expect Microsoft Word and Excel, and you can get Office 365 free through MyCampus.

The program holds ACBSP accreditation, plus the additional ACBSP Specialized Accounting Accreditation for the BS. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The program page points you to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and a state selector so you can check CPA education rules where you live. Career services stay free after you graduate.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

A graduate of the accounting bachelor's said on OnlineU in 2023 that they got a good education and could apply what they learned to their career. College Transitions reported in 2026 that APUS keeps classes small, with about 19 students in your average undergraduate course.

It also noted the 8 and 16-week formats suit shift work. The same review cited a top 22% return-on-investment ranking from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce.

• How many of my existing credits will count toward the 60-hour accounting major?
• Which state boards accept this degree, and how do I reach 150 semester hours?
• How does Prior Learning Assessment work for my work experience?
• Which accounting courses run 8 weeks and which run 16?
• Can I take the internship course for elective credit in my last year?

• Best for Working Adults

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