Thomas Edison State University Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting/CPA: 2027 Review

Score

59.3 of 100

Cost (20%)

6.4 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

6.1 of 10

Completion (15%)

5.9 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

5.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

9.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

5.0 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

3.8 of 10

Cost per Credit

$584 per credit

In-State Rate

$449 per credit

Credits

120

Tuition

$70,080

Format

Fully Online

Terms

12 weeks

Starts

12 starts per year

Transfer Credits

Up to 90

Accreditation

ACBSP (confirmed on the official list)

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

Thomas Edison State University lets you bring in up to 90 credits and start a new 12-week term every month. You then add Advanced Accounting I and II and Auditing to the business core in a major built for certified public accountant (CPA) candidates.

The B.S. in Accounting/CPA is offered through Thomas Edison State University's School of Business and Management in Trenton, New Jersey. TESU is a public university chartered in 1972 for adult learners. You take the 120-credit degree fully online.

• Adults with transcripts from other colleges: credit comes from community colleges and training recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). More comes from the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), Advanced Placement (AP) and Professional Learning Review.
• New Jersey CPA candidates: the catalog says the degree supplies you with the prerequisites to sit for the exam in New Jersey.
• Veterans and service members: Learn.org calls the school well suited to finishing a degree efficiently.
• Students aiming for a master's: the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program lets you earn up to 12 graduate credits at undergraduate tuition.

Eight accounting courses are required. Intermediate Accounting I and II cover generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), financial statements and time value of money. Advanced Accounting I and II cover consolidated financial statements and subsidiary investments.

Auditing shows you the tools and processes of an audit. In the income tax course you'll cover filing status, deductions and credits. You add Cost Accounting and Advanced Audit, which covers the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The business requirements include finance, law, marketing and statistics, and end with the BUS-4210 Business Administration Capstone.

The degree map totals 120 credits. That's 45 in general education and 42 in professional business. Accounting takes 24, and electives take 9. Some courses can be earned through the Thomas Edison Credit-by-Exam Program (TECEP) or Guided Study.

Most TESU students are working adults who study part-time. New 4-week Accelerated courses began in July 2026 and allow up to 12 courses, or 36 credits, a year. The CPA and Master's Track leads into the Master of Science in Management.

Per-credit tuition is $449 for registered New Jersey residents and $584 for out-of-state students. If you register for 9 or more credits a term, you pay a flat $3,595 as a New Jersey resident or $4,652 out of state.

Courses are online. You study Intermediate Accounting I at your own direction, and Auditing is delivered online. There's a no-cost 8-week extension you can request on a course. About 500 mentors across the university guide you.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits the university. ACBSP accredits the School of Business and Management's Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and its MBA. The catalog says to check your state board of accountancy for exam requirements if you're a CPA candidate.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

Students reviewing the school on OnlineU said it let them work full time, and one liked having 12 start dates a year. Reviewers on Niche and OnlineU praised how much prior, military and exam credit TESU accepts.

A school survey of graduating students found 95.5% of undergraduates satisfied with how their transfer credits were accepted. OnlineU listed the school among its 2026 most affordable online accounting degrees. College Transitions called it one of the most financially efficient paths to a bachelor's for adults with prior learning.

• Which of my credits will count, and how many of the 120 would I still need?
• Which accounting courses come as Accelerated 4-week courses, and can I mix them with 12-week terms?
• Does my state board accept this degree for CPA exam requirements, if I live outside New Jersey?
• Could I use the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program to start a master's program early?

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