California State University-East Bay Master of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

63.5 of 100

Cost (20%)

5.7 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

7.7 of 10

Completion (15%)

8.9 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

2.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

5.7 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

4.5 of 10

Cost per Credit

$755 per credit

Credits

33

Tuition

$24,915

Format

On Campus, Evenings and Weekends

Starts

1 start per year

Accreditation

AACSB (confirmed on the official list)

See exactly how we score on the methodology page. We checked the school's figures on October 8, 2026.

You'll finish Cal State East Bay's MS in Accounting in 17 months, in one cohort that meets Friday evenings and Saturdays. The 33 units are built around the coursework California requires for certified public accountant (CPA) licensure, and you don't need an accounting background to start.

California State University-East Bay in Hayward offers this Master of Science in Accounting through its College of Business and Economics. You move through the program with a cohort. Classes meet on campus, with Friday sessions held on Zoom.

• Full-time workers: classes meet Friday from 6 PM to 9 PM. Saturday classes run 9 AM to 3:30 PM, so you can keep a weekday job.
• Career changers with a degree in another subject: the school accepts students without accounting or business degrees, and you'll start with summer foundation courses.
• California CPA candidates: the program supplies the accounting and ethics units that count toward the 30-unit requirement.
• Applicants who have already passed all four CPA exam parts: the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is waived for you.
• Data-minded accountants: two required courses, Data Analytics in Accounting I and II, sit in the core.

You take 11 courses. The core includes Financial Accounting and Reporting I and II, Advanced Topics in Accounting, and Auditing Theory and Practice I and II. Two tax courses split the work between individual taxpayers and sole proprietors, then corporations and flow-through entities. Data Analytics in Accounting I and II are required, and Financial Statement Analysis and Business Valuation closes the core.

A three-unit project finishes the degree in your last fall. If you lack the background, foundation courses cover financial accounting, managerial accounting, business law for accountants and accounting ethics. Undergraduate courses taken in the last five years with a B- or better can satisfy them. A similar course with a B+ or better can be swapped for a 600-level class in the MBA Finance or MS Business Analytics programs.

The program takes 17 months, not counting foundation courses. You take three courses (9 units) each fall and spring, and two (6 units) in summer. Each semester runs 15 weeks plus finals week.

The cohort starts once a year in mid-August and graduates in December of the next year. If you miss a course, you can take it with the next cohort a year later.

The 33 units help toward the 150 semester units California requires for CPA licensure.

You'll pay $755 per unit for MSA courses and $540 per unit for foundation courses. The school lists a total program cost of $24,915, excluding foundation courses, and says the rate stays fixed for the whole program.

Courses meet Friday evening, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon. Friday classes run live on Zoom. About 60% of Saturday classes meet in person on the Hayward campus, with lecture recordings for anyone who can't attend. Foundation courses meet on weekday evenings and Saturdays. The school says you can work full time while you study.

The College of Business and Economics has held AACSB accreditation for over 40 years. The program covers the 24 semester units of accounting subjects the CPA exam requires. It also provides 20 units of accounting study and 10 units of ethics study toward California's 30-unit requirement. Career development workshops and information sessions are listed as program resources.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

• Which foundation courses would I need before the August start?
• How do the Friday Zoom sessions and Saturday in-person classes work together week to week?
• How do the 33 units fit with my plan to reach 150 semester units for California licensure?
• How is the final project chosen and supervised?

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