Illinois State University Accounting - Business Analytics: 2027 Review

Score

64.3 of 100

Cost (20%)

4.8 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

6.6 of 10

Completion (15%)

8.9 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

0.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

9.7 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

8.6 of 10

Credits

120

Format

On Campus

Accreditation

AACSB (confirmed on the official list)

AACSB Accounting

Accounting accreditation listed by AACSB

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

Illinois State puts an information systems layer on top of the accounting core, so you graduate able to evaluate the systems a business runs on. The department also runs an integrated 150-hour BS/Master of Professional Accountancy path built around certified public accountant (CPA) eligibility.

This B.S. sits in the accounting department of Illinois State's College of Business in Normal. The Accounting and Business Analytics sequence is one of four undergraduate accountancy sequences the department offers. Classes meet on campus.

• If you want technology skills inside an accounting degree, the sequence trains you as a critical business user of information technology.
• If you're a future CPA candidate, the BS/MPA path adds a master's year so you reach 150 credit hours.
• If you want work experience that counts, the Professional Practice program turns qualified internships into academic credit.
• If you're a club joiner, you have choices on campus. Beta Alpha Psi, the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), the Accounting and Financial Women's Alliance and the Student Accounting Society all have groups there.

ACC 231, Intermediate Accounting I, builds on the ACC 131 and ACC 132 courses. It covers monetary assets, inventories, plant assets, current liabilities and stockholders' equity. It also teaches present value and financial statement preparation.

The Business Analytics sequence then adds information systems and technology work for an analytics setting. The internship program lets you earn up to 6 credit hours, at 60 work hours per credit.

Beta Alpha Psi hosts professional presentations and an internship panel through the year.

If you want to sit for the CPA exam, you'll typically complete 120 hours at the undergraduate level and 30 in the master's program. The department calls its BS/MPA a unique integrated 150-hour program. The sample plans of study on the program page show how the semesters fit together.

The school reports about $804 per credit.

You attend class on the Normal campus. You can visit in person or virtually and meet campus representatives, plus optional meetings with the academic department, honors and financial aid. Fall and spring career fairs bring many employers to campus for interviews, so you'll see them face to face.

The College of Business holds AACSB accreditation, and the accounting department has its own separate AACSB accounting accreditation. The BS/MPA path is designed around eligibility to sit for the CPA exam.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

Alumni profiles published by the school describe a tight cohort where classmates studied together by their third and fourth years. Alumni also say the program gave them both accounting theory and real-world application.

One finance alumnus said it prepared him well for financial statements and journal entries. A chief financial officer alumnus called the degree a great foundation for a career. In 2018 the department chair told the campus news office that students are organized, active, engaged, talented and bright.

• Which courses make up the Business Analytics sequence, and which software do they use?
• How do you apply for the BS/MPA path and when must you decide?
• Which firms recruit at the fall and spring career fairs for accounting majors?
• How do you count Professional Practice credit toward your 150 hours?

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