Southwest Minnesota State University Bachelor of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

59.4 of 100

Cost (20%)

8.3 of 10

Completion (15%)

4.3 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

6.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

9.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

4.0 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

5.8 of 10

Cost per Credit

$406.25 per credit

Credits

120

Tuition

$48,750

Format

Fully Online, On Campus

Terms

16 weeks

Starts

3 starts per year

Time to Finish

24 to 48 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.

SMSU runs this accounting degree fully asynchronously, so you can work full-time and still move through 120 credits. A set of forensic accounting electives and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program add depth beyond the core.

Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall offers this Bachelor of Science in Accounting through its North Star Mutual School of Business. You can take it fully online, and the same degree is also offered on campus. Online courses carry the same curriculum as campus.

• Full-time workers: the asynchronous format lets you keep your job.
• Students with some college credit: transfer credits and College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams can shorten the timeline.
• Future forensic examiners: three forensic electives cover fraud, investigation and analytics.
• Aspiring certified public accountants (CPAs) outside Minnesota: a 150-credit emphasis certificate and an MBA in Accounting add the extra credits.
• Veterans: you can use the GI Bill and VA education benefits.

You build from Principles of Accounting I and II into Intermediate Accounting I and II. Cost Accounting I covers job order and process costing for managers. Federal Tax I teaches you how individual income tax is computed. Auditing introduces the purpose, scope and methods of examining financial statements.

Accounting Information Systems teaches you to evaluate how information systems perform. Electives include Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination, Forensic Analytics with Access and Excel, and Microcomputers in Accounting, which covers accounting software. You finish with a Senior Capstone and a Senior Examination.

The Accounting Club and the VITA tax program give hands-on practice.

The major is 20 accounting courses and 57 credit hours inside a 120-credit degree. Full-time students typically finish in about 4 to 5 years. The school says you can finish in as little as two years with prior credits. Part-time study takes longer. Minnesota residents need 120 credits for the CPA exam, while other states ask for 150, and the school offers a 150 semester-hour Accounting Emphasis Certificate.

Tuition is $406.25 per credit, or about $48,750 for the 120 credits. Everyone pays the same rate regardless of where they live. You can find scholarships based on merit and need.

It's fully asynchronous, with 16-week terms and three starts a year. You'll join online discussions, group projects and virtual office hours with faculty. Admission decisions take about two to three weeks, and the next listed start is January 11, 2027. A Student Engagement Specialist can map out how your prior credits will count.

The accounting program is IACBE accredited, and the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The program page points to Minnesota CPA exam and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) resources.

Its CPA guidance tells students to check their own state board, since some states add an ethics course or work experience. Graduates can go on to the certified management accountant (CMA), certified internal auditor (CIA), CFM and certified government financial manager (CGFM) credentials, which the program lists as options.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

• Which of my prior credits and CLEP scores count toward the major?
• How do the 150 credit hours work if I want the Accounting Emphasis Certificate?
• Which forensic electives run in the terms I plan to enroll?
• How does the Senior Examination work, and when do I take it?
• What does my state board require beyond the accounting courses?

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