San Diego State University Master of Science in Accountancy: 2027 Review

Score

73.3 of 100, rank 9 of 50

Cost (20%)

9.6 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

7.7 of 10

Completion (15%)

9.6 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

0.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

5.7 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

8.5 of 10

Credits

30

Format

On Campus

Time to Finish

12 to 18 months

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.

San Diego State's Lamden School of Accountancy was the first accounting program in California to earn AACSB accreditation, in 1982. Its Master of Science in Accountancy lets you pick one of four specializations and finish in 12 to 18 months.

The Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy sits inside the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University. The 30-unit Master of Science in Accountancy is taught on campus. You'll be in close contact with faculty in small classes.

• Future tax specialists: ACCTG 624 Business Entity Taxation sits in the core, and the Taxation specialization adds electives in partnership and multijurisdictional tax.
• Students who want San Diego jobs, since a commenter on r/SDSU calls the school the hub for public accounting firms recruiting in the area.
• Data-minded accountants who want the Data Analytics specialization, with electives in programming, cloud computing and AI.
• Undergraduates who want the combined 4+1 bachelor's-master's (BMACC) program at the same school.
• Students who'd like to give back: the campus Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic prepares over 800 tax returns each year.

The core is 16 units. ACCTG 650 Accounting Research and Communication builds your research and writing skills. ACCTG 673 Accounting Information Systems (AIS) Development covers building those systems. ACCTG 626 Auditing and Assurance Services and ACCTG 624 Business Entity Taxation round out the base. Electives include ACCTG 705 Forensic Accounting and ACCTG 505 Fraud Examination.

You choose a specialization in AIS, data analytics, financial reporting or taxation. Your final semester ends with ACCTG 790 Analytics in Accounting, where you show mastery of the program's skills, or with a thesis. You can join three student groups: the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Beta Alpha Psi and the Student Accounting Society.

The program is 30 units, and the school describes it as a flexible 12 to 18 month program. Business prerequisites total 15 units. You can waive them with a grade of B or better in a similar course taken in the past seven years at an AACSB-accredited university.

The school also offers a combined 4+1 bachelor's-master's (BMACC) program. The degree gives you a chance to meet the educational requirements for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam.

San Diego State charges about $420 per credit, based on the figure the school reports. If you're eligible, you can also apply for free student membership in CalCPA, since SDSU is a CalCPA 100% Membership School.

You'll meet for classes on the San Diego campus. The Partrick-Clayes Center for Career Development serves business students, and the college posts jobs and internships on Aztec Career Connection. Firms visit through a Meet the Firms event each semester, a student says.

The school earned AACSB accreditation in 1982, the first accounting program in California to do so. The program prepares you for the CPA exam's education requirements, and the department posts CPA exam and licensing guidance for students.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

Students posting on r/SDSU say it's the main San Diego hub for public accounting recruiting and that its Meet the Firms event lets you network with the Big 4. One poster wrote that an accounting degree from SDSU has carried a lot of weight with big accounting firms for decades.

Another alumnus said landing a Big 4 job was fairly easy. A commenter noted the program costs significantly less than a private rival. Reviewers on OnlineU described MSA professors as caring about students with jobs and families. A Niche reviewer in 2025 called the business program respected in Southern California.

• Which of the four specializations best fits the roles I want?
• Which prerequisites can I waive, and what documents prove my earlier grades?
• Should I take the thesis plan or the ACCTG 790 analytics capstone?
• How does the 4+1 BMACC path hand off from my bachelor's courses?
• How do I join the Meet the Firms event and Beta Alpha Psi?

• Best Master's Programs #9 of 50
• Accounting Programs in California #3 of 7

• University of Connecticut #7 of 50
• Loyola University Maryland #8 of 50
• California State University-Northridge #10 of 50
• Texas A&M University-College Station #11 of 50