Best Affordable Online Accounting Degrees in 2027

• Highest Score74.4 out of 100

  Highest Graduate Earnings$84,097 median earnings

  Strongest CredentialsAACSB accreditation confirmed on the official list

  University of Arkansas

  Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting

  Arkansas · BSBA

  University of Arkansas's BSBA Review
• Lowest Price$275.65 per credit

  Fort Hays State University

  Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting

  Kansas · BBA

  Fort Hays State University's BBA Review
• Most FlexibleOnline Degree Completion, 7-week terms

  Boise State University

  Accountancy

  Idaho · BBA

  Boise State University's BBA Review

We looked at bachelor's degrees in accounting and kept the 15 with the lowest per-credit rate for an out-of-state student, out of 36 programs with a published rate. Each one is scored on cost, graduate earnings, completion, flexibility, track record, accreditation and reputation. A low price gets an affordable program onto this list, and the Program Score tells you how it stacks up.

Campus, hybrid and online programs all competed, and the 15 that made it can all be finished online. We built the list from federal data and the schools' own pages, and checked business accreditation against the official AACSB, ACBSP and IACBE lists. You can read the full method on the methodology page.

• Taught fully online, or online degree completion
• The school lists its per-credit rate on its tuition or program page
• Sorted by the out-of-state rate, then by Program Score
• Required fees are noted but not added to the rate

Each Program Score blends seven factors: Cost 20%, Graduate Earnings 20%, Completion 15%, Flexibility 15%, Credential Alignment 10%, Track Record 10%, Program Reputation 10% (method version 2.0).

What an Affordable Online Accounting Degree Costs

Fort Hays State lists $275.65 per credit for its online undergraduate rate. That's about $33,078 for 120 credits. If you're looking at Southeast Missouri State, it lists $305, about $36,600 in total. Southern Utah lists $315 and Missouri State $317. You'll pay that rate whether you live in the state or not. Champlain lists $342, or about $41,040 in total.

The next group sits between $350 and $400 per credit. Western Illinois, SUNY Polytechnic, Bemidji State, Slippery Rock and Southern New Hampshire are all right around $350. Northwest Missouri State charges $368 and Arkansas $376.09. At the higher end, Colorado State Global, Boise State and Franklin are close to $400. SUNY Polytechnic also lists $295 for New York residents, and Slippery Rock lists $347 for Pennsylvania residents.

Every program here comes to about $49,352 or less in total tuition, and that top figure is for Franklin's 124 credits. So you can pick on fit and still keep your tuition bill in check. Your total will depend on the fees below.

Fees, Residency and Discounts That Change the Price

The per-credit rate is only part of what you'll pay. Southeast Missouri State lists $47 in general fees per credit, which brings its online total to $352 per credit. Missouri State adds a $55 per credit enrollment charge to many College of Business courses, and Arkansas lists several per-credit fees on top of its rate.

Northwest Missouri State adds a $39 per course fee, and Franklin lists a $100 resource fee each semester. Colorado State Global lists no required student fees. At Slippery Rock, you'll add a technology fee and a $416.90 academic enhancement fee each full-time semester. At Bemidji State, you'll pay several per-credit fees on top of the rate.

Where you live matters at some schools and not at others. SUNY Polytechnic lists its lower rate for New York residents, and Slippery Rock does the same for Pennsylvania residents. Arkansas gives approved online students the in-state rate wherever they live. Bemidji State, Northwest Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Utah and Missouri State charge you the same rate no matter where you live.

Some schools also cut the price for certain students. Southern New Hampshire lists $250 per credit for active-duty military, and Western Illinois lists $250 for military personnel with TA vouchers. Champlain lists $297 per credit for alumni, associate degree graduates, veterans and veterans' families.

Slippery Rock takes 15 percent off for active duty military and their spouses. You'll find total tuition is often the easier number to compare, so ask each school for a written estimate with fees for your own credit load.

Accreditation and Earnings

You'll see business accreditation come from groups like AACSB, ACBSP and IACBE. Southeast Missouri State, Southern Utah, Missouri State, Western Illinois, SUNY Polytechnic, Slippery Rock, Arkansas and Boise State are on the AACSB list. Southern New Hampshire, Northwest Missouri State and Colorado State Global are on the ACBSP list. Bemidji State and Franklin are on the IACBE list. You can check any of them yourself on the official sites.

What can you expect to earn? Graduates of these schools have a median of $70,181 in the federal data. Arkansas, Southern Utah and Colorado State Global show $84,097, $78,586 and $75,415. For a benchmark, accountants nationally have a median wage of $87,660.