Merrimack College Master of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

69.8 of 100, rank 16 of 50

Cost (20%)

5.8 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

5.3 of 10

Completion (15%)

9.1 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

7.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

9.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

8.8 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

5.7 of 10

Cost per Credit

$750 per credit

Credits

32

Tuition

$24,000

Format

Fully Online

Terms

8 weeks

Starts

6 starts per year

Time to Finish

16 to 24 months

Accreditation

ACBSP (confirmed on the official list)

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

Merrimack builds its M.S. in Accounting around your bachelor's: 32 credits with an accounting degree, 40 without one. A four-credit certified public accountant (CPA) Examination & Review course, offered with Becker Professional Education, can sit inside the degree.

Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, offers this Master of Science in Accounting. You take it fully online in synchronous evening classes. The program is open to graduates in accounting, business or any other discipline.

• If you have a non-business bachelor's, you take foundation courses like ACC 5050 Foundations of Financial Accounting and ACC 5060 Financial Reporting & Analysis I.
• If you're an accounting graduate, you can pick a tax, forensic or analytics focus through one of three optional concentrations.
• If you work full time, the evening classes are live and the part-time path runs 16 to 24 months.
• If you're a CPA candidate in Massachusetts, the curriculum meets the 150-hour requirement.

If you hold an accounting bachelor's, the core includes ACC 5100 Contemporary Issues in Accounting. It covers new Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) standards and audit technology. You also take ACC 5250 Accounting Ethics & Detecting Financial Crimes and ACC 5410 Accounting Analytics.

ACC 5500 Taxation of Business Enterprises and ACC 5520 Advanced Audit are part of your core too. Financial Planning & Analysis teaches budgets and forecasts. Concentrations add Business Analytics (BAI 5200 Data Visualization & Storytelling), Forensic Accounting (ACC 5450 Fraud Examination) or Taxation (ACC 5540 Advanced Issues in Taxation).

If you hold a business bachelor's, you start with ACC 5310 Accounting Information Systems, which includes hands-on accounting software.

The degree is 32 credits with an accounting bachelor's, 32 core credits with a business bachelor's, and 40 credits without either. Part-time study takes 16 to 24 months. If you're qualified with an accounting or business background, you may finish in as little as 12 months. The curriculum meets the 150-hour requirement for CPA licensure in Massachusetts.

The school lists tuition of $750 per credit, about $24,000 for the 32 credits. If you're a new alumnus who starts another graduate degree within two terms, you get a 33 percent tuition savings. Employees of affiliated companies may qualify for discounted rates.

Classes are 100% online and meet in synchronous evening sessions. Each term is eight weeks, and the program enrolls six times a year. You get the same advising, coaching and career support as on-campus students.

The program is ACBSP accredited. The curriculum is regularly updated to reflect CPA Exam changes. Becker Professional Education partners with Merrimack on CPA and certified management accountant (CMA) exam prep courses. They run 15 weeks, live online, and start every term.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

A 2025 master's graduate wrote on GradReports that Merrimack has an excellent finance and accounting path with extensive tools to build competency. The same reviewer found the path rewarding and would recommend it to anyone aiming to excel in business. GradReports also shows 82% of 17 reviewers would recommend the school.

• Which bachelor's track are you on, and how many credits will you need?
• How many of your earlier graduate credits can count toward the degree?
• Which of the three concentrations fits the job you want?
• Can you take the Becker-backed CPA Examination & Review course as an elective?
• What does the 12-month accelerated option require of you?

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