San Francisco State University Master of Science in Accounting and Analytics (MSAA): 2027 Review

Score

65.2 of 100

Cost (20%)

9.6 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

2.3 of 10

Completion (15%)

8.8 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

4.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

6.2 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

5.9 of 10

Credits

30 units minimum

Format

Hybrid, On Campus, Evenings and Weekends

Time to Finish

As few as 24 months

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 master's, which has a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) designation, pairs advanced accounting with a data analytics seminar, with two doors in. Business graduates take a fast track that waives all 700-level courses, and non-business graduates enter through a flexible path.

The Master of Science in Accounting and Analytics comes from the Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University, a public university in California. You'll find evening classes in both online and in-person modes. You can enroll full-time or part-time.

• Business graduates from AACSB schools: the fast track needs a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 units and can finish in as few as 10 courses.
• Career changers with a non-business bachelor's degree: prerequisite courses can be waived based on your undergraduate degree.
• Working professionals: the flexible path is designed for part-time study, with classes in the late afternoon and evening.
• SF State undergraduates: the 4+1 route lets you take up to four graduate courses early, billed at the undergraduate rate.
• International students: the STEM designation may qualify you for up to 36 months of Optional Practical Training.

ACCT 810 Comprehensive Financial Accounting walks through the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. ACCT 814 Seminar in Accounting Data Analytics shows you how to draw insights from financial statement data and build visualizations. ACCT 802 Strategic Management Accounting covers cost data in planning and performance evaluation.

ACCT 818 Advanced Accounting Ethics applies professional ethics to real business settings. You choose Auditing Principles and Practice or Introduction to Federal Tax. ACCT 890 closes the degree with group research on contemporary issues, ending in oral and written presentations. Electives include Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Accounting.

You can build a specialization in tax, audit, financial accounting, managerial accounting, ethics or data analytics.

The degree is 30 units minimum, made up of ten advanced required courses after any prerequisites. Regular students spend 18 to 24 months after the bachelor's degree. The fast track can finish in as few as 10 courses.

The 4+1 route earns a bachelor's and the MSAA in five years, with up to four graduate courses taken as an undergraduate. Students without accounting or business coursework may need extra classes to reach the 150 hours for California licensure.

The school reports $420 per credit. It also estimates Fall 2026 program tuition and fees at $31,000 for California residents on the fast track and $49,000 on the flexible path, with scholarships available.

Classes meet late afternoon and evening, in online and in-person modes. You'll start with an orientation with professional development workshops. The flexible path is built for you if you hold a job.

The program sits in an AACSB-accredited business college. The MSAA fulfills the Accounting Study requirement for the California certified public accountant (CPA) license, and all its courses count toward the state's other CPA education requirements. The Institute of Internal Auditors recognized the accounting department as an Internal Auditing Education Partnership program in November 2023.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

The Wall Street Journal's 2023 Best College for Your Dream Career in Accounting list placed the school's accounting program 5th among public universities for salary outcomes. The college cites this. Niche reviewers in 2026 praise professors who care about learning and bring real-world experience. They also like the supportive environment and the San Francisco location, which brings internships and networking.

• Which pathway, fast track or flexible, fits my undergraduate degree?
• Which evening courses run online and which meet in person each term?
• How many courses would I need for the 150 hours toward California licensure?
• Which electives support a data analytics or IT audit specialization?
• Can I use the 4+1 route to start graduate courses as an undergraduate?

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