University of Massachusetts-Lowell Master of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

69.9 of 100, rank 14 of 50

Cost (20%)

6.7 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

9.4 of 10

Completion (15%)

6.3 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

4.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

5.7 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

6.5 of 10

Cost per Credit

$655 per credit

Credits

30

Tuition

$19,650

Format

Fully Online

Terms

8 weeks

Time to Finish

18 to 24 months

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)

Not required

Accreditation

AACSB (confirmed on the official list)

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

Five required accounting courses, including audit analytics and business-entity tax, sit on top of an electives menu that borrows from the UMass Lowell MBA. Full-time students can finish in one calendar year, and you pay the same $655 rate as every other student.

The Master of Science in Accounting is offered through the Manning School of Business at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, a public university. You can take every course online. You'll take 10 courses in accelerated 8-week terms.

• Accounting graduates who want the Massachusetts certified public accountant (CPA) education route: the state board classifies the program as Level 1 for the exam.
• Candidates for the certified management accountant (CMA) exam: the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) endorses the curriculum you'll take.
• Future MBA students: you can share up to 9 credits with the UMass Lowell MBA in the dual-degree path.
• Students eyeing a global credential: the university is an academic partner of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which can bring you exemptions toward that qualification.
• Working professionals who need a pace you can set: full-time and part-time both work, and applications are accepted year-round.

You start with five required courses. Advanced Cost Management has you examine cost data in ambiguous situations to help managers decide. Taxation of Business Entities walks you through income and deductions for corporations, partnerships and sole proprietorships. Financial Accounting Theory and Research applies accounting theory to complex measurement problems.

Advanced Auditing and Audit Analytics uses data analytics to audit financial statement accounts. Government and Non-Profit Accounting teaches you to prepare and interpret those entities' statements. Electives include Accounting Data Analytics, which covers cleaning data, building models and spotting fraud, and Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting.

You can follow the general plan or choose Corporate Accounting Leadership or International Business.

The degree is 10 courses, or 30 credits. Full-time students can typically finish in one calendar year, with four courses in fall, four in spring and two in summer. Part-time students average about three years. The online program page advertises 18 to 24 months. You'll need a petition to take more than two courses in an 8-week term. You can also share up to 9 credits with the MBA.

Tuition is $655 per credit, which makes $19,650 for the 30 credits. The online business rate is the same for in-state, out-of-state and international students. Financial aid and scholarships are available.

All courses are available online, and the school lists the program as completable on a full-time or part-time basis. Business courses run in accelerated 8-week terms, with up to two courses (6 credits) per term. You don't need Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or GRE scores anymore.

The Manning School of Business holds AACSB accreditation. The Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy treats a graduate degree from this Level 1 program as meeting the education requirement to sit for the CPA exam. The program is also recognized by the IMA Higher Education Endorsement Program for CMA preparation.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

A 2020 graduate now working as an assurance associate says the online flexibility and affordability were essential while studying for the CPA exam during the degree. That's from a testimonial the school published. The university's wider group of online graduate business programs, which includes this master's, earned both a national ranking and a veterans ranking in the 2026 U.S. News online rankings, as the school's blog reported in February 2026.

• Which electives do students pick from the MBA, and how do they fit a CPA plan?
• How do the Corporate Accounting Leadership and International Business options change my course list?
• Do the courses meet at set times, or can I work through them on my own schedule?
• If I want the MBA later, which nine credits transfer across?

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• Best Online Programs #8 of 25
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