National University Bachelor of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

64.0 of 100

Cost (20%)

6.0 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

5.7 of 10

Completion (15%)

3.4 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

9.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

9.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

6.8 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

6.4 of 10

Cost per Credit

$640 per credit

Credits

120

Tuition

$76,800

Format

Fully Online, Hybrid, On Campus, Evenings and Weekends

Terms

4 weeks

Time to Finish

60 months

Accreditation

IACBE (confirmed on the official list)

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

National University runs its accounting classes in four-week blocks with year-round enrollment, so you're never far from a new start. Its Intermediate Accounting trilogy and two-course auditing sequence follow the content of the certified public accountant (CPA), certified management accountant (CMA) and certified internal auditor (CIA) exams.

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting comes from the School of Business and Economics at National University, a private nonprofit in San Diego. You can take every course online. The San Diego Main Campus teaches the program in person.

• California community college graduates: your transferable associate degree plus the transfer scholarship brings the bachelor's to 60 credits or fewer.
• Adults who work days: most courses hold one or two live evening sessions a week. The school records each one for playback.
• Aspiring tax preparers: Taxation-Individual (ACC 432A) makes you prepare Form 1040 returns.
• Students aiming at government work: Government and Nonprofit Accounting (ACC 434) teaches you fund accounting. The program page names the IRS, Defense Contract Audit Agency and FBI as employers.
• Service members and their families: the school is a Yellow Ribbon university with tuition discounts.

Financial Accounting Fundamentals (ACC 201) opens the major with transactions and financial statements under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). In Intermediate Accounting (ACC 410A, B and C), you'll move from cash, receivables and inventory to leases, pensions and the cash flow statement. Advanced Accounting (ACC 431) covers consolidating a parent company with its subsidiaries.

Taxation-Business (ACC 432B) teaches you partnerships and corporations. Auditing I and II (ACC 435A, 435B) cover audit planning, fraud responsibility, sampling and workpapers. Data Analytics (ACC 555) gives you exposure to one or more enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and the quantitative methods course uses Excel.

Accounting Ethics (ACC 515) counts for California CPA licensing credit.

Your degree takes 120 semester credits, with 30 completed in residence and 46 at the upper-division level. The school reports a 60-month average completion time. A California community college business transfer degree covers your lower-division and major preparation courses. Credit by exam lets you test out of some courses. Classes run four or eight weeks. You can begin as soon as next month.

Tuition is $640 per credit. If you're a recent California community college graduate, you pay $346 per credit through the transfer scholarship. A separate 15% reduction exists for some direct community college transfers.

You can take all coursework online in four-week classes. Most courses add one or two live voice and video evening sessions each week. You can watch the recording if you miss one. Free tutoring and round-the-clock support come with it.

The business school holds IACBE accreditation for some programs, and the university has held accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) since 1977. The school says the curriculum lines up with CPA, CMA and CIA content specifications and is structured to prepare you to sit for the CPA exam. The program follows California Board of Accountancy guidelines.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

A student reviewing National University's online division on OnlineU in 2026 said the classes are fully online and asynchronous. They could study and finish assignments on their own time, especially evenings. That review speaks to the school's online format and doesn't cover accounting alone. OnlineU's student reviews give the school's accounting master's, a graduate option after the bachelor's, an average of 4.6.

• How many of my transfer credits apply to the 120, and how many general electives remain?
• Which evening will my live sessions meet for ACC 410A, 410B and 410C?
• Does my associate degree qualify for the transfer scholarship?
• Which of my courses count toward my state's CPA requirements outside California?

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