Central Connecticut State University Master of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

74.7 of 100, rank 5 of 50

Cost (20%)

8.7 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

7.8 of 10

Completion (15%)

6.5 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

4.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

10.0 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

6.0 of 10

Credits

30

Format

Hybrid, On Campus, Evenings and Weekends

Starts

3 starts 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.

This 30-credit master's includes a required advanced accounting analytics course, where you hunt for fraud signals in big data. It also has courses built around the 2024 certified public accountant (CPA) licensure model. Evening classes meet on campus and online, and you can start in January, May or August.

The Central School of Business at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain offers the Master of Science in Accounting. Evening classes run on campus and online. The department chair holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) plus the CPA and chartered financial analyst (CFA) credentials.

• Career changers without an accounting degree: the program doesn't require one, and foundation courses such as Introduction to Financial Accounting get you ready first.
• Fraud-minded students: Advanced Forensic Accounting covers common schemes and digital analysis.
• Connecticut CPA candidates: the program prepares you for the state's educational requirements.
• Undergraduates already at Central: the accelerated BS plus MSA pathway can finish both degrees in as few as five years full-time.
• Students who want employer contact: major CPA employers recruit on campus.

You'll take a 15-credit core and 15 credits of approved electives. Advanced Accounting covers consolidations, foreign currency translation and partnership accounting. Managerial Analysis and Cost Control applies cost accounting through integrative cases. Accounting for Government and Non-Profit Institutions teaches reporting for cities, counties and states. Advanced Accounting Analytics has you use data tools to search for anomalies that may point to fraud.

Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation shows how to value a firm from its statements. A zero-credit Capstone Seminar closes the degree. Electives include Advanced Assurance Services, Taxation of Business Entities, and Taxes and Business Strategy. Another elective is a Graduate Internship in Accounting of at least 150 hours over a minimum of eight weeks.

The degree is 30 credits. If you're full time, you'll take 3 or 4 courses a semester. Part-time students take 1 or 2. Central students can apply in their junior year to an accelerated pathway. Courses count toward both degrees, and you can finish the BS and MSA in as few as five years full-time. The program prepares you for the educational requirements for CPA licensure in Connecticut.

Central Connecticut State reports a charge of about $481 per credit. Financial aid is available.

Classes meet evenings on campus and online, so you can fit them around a day job. You can attend full-time or part-time. New groups start every January, May and August, which gives you three entry points a year.

The Central School of Business is AACSB accredited, a recognition the school says fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide hold. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The courses follow the 2024 CPA licensure model, and the program prepares you for CPA educational requirements.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

A student reviewing the university on Niche in 2025 says professors care about both academics and students' goals and well-being. The same reviewer feels the coursework fits their career goals and major.

Most of the 111 students in a 2026 Niche poll about the university agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching. The program page says graduates are hired by international, national, regional and local accounting firms and by large public corporations.

• Which foundation courses would I need if my bachelor's isn't in accounting?
• Which evening sections run on campus and which run online each term?
• How do I apply for the accelerated BS plus MSA pathway in my junior year?
• Which CPA employers recruit on campus, and when?
• How do I set up the 150-hour graduate internship?

• Best Master's Programs #5 of 50
• Best for Working Adults #2 of 15
• Accounting Programs in Connecticut #1 of 5

• California State University-Long Beach #3 of 50
• California State University-Fullerton #4 of 50
• Florida International University #6 of 50
• University of Connecticut #7 of 50

Also at Central Connecticut State University: our bachelor's program review