Best Accounting Programs in California in 2027

• Best Bachelor's70.9 out of 100

  California State University-Northridge

  Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (Professional Accountancy Option)

  California · BS

  California State University-Northridge's BS Review
• Best Master's77.8 out of 100

  California State University-Long Beach

  Master of Science in Accountancy

  California · MSA

  California State University-Long Beach's MSA Review

You'll find the programs in Northridge, Long Beach, Fullerton, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hayward and Santa Clara. Most meet on campus. If you need evenings or weekends, look at Long Beach, Fullerton and East Bay. San Francisco State mixes hybrid and in-person classes. National University is taught online with live evening sessions, and you can go in person at its San Diego campus.

We looked at every accounting degree California business schools offer, whether you'd go in person, hybrid or from home. A school only gets accreditation credit once we find the program itself on an official list. Those lists come from AACSB, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) or the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

We score bachelor's and master's programs separately on cost, graduate earnings, completion, flexibility, track record, accreditation and reputation. You can see how it works on the methodology page. Each card shows the program's score, out of a possible 100. Where we cite federal data, it comes from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the database every college reports to.

Bachelor's programs run from 76.9 to 89.4.

• The school is based in California
• In-state rate shown when the school publishes one
• Scored the same way as every list, and compared only with programs at its own degree level

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).

Prices and Schools Across the State

If you're comparing costs, start with National University. Its bachelor's is $640 per credit, and every student pays the same no matter where they live. The school's own estimate for the full program is $69,000. Cal State East Bay's master's is $755 per credit for a 33-credit cohort, which comes to $24,915.

San Francisco State estimates its Fall 2026 program tuition and fees at $31,000 if you're a California resident on the Fast-Track pathway, and $49,000 on the Flexible pathway. Non-residents see $41,000 and $64,000. Cal State Northridge estimates $22,324 for residents in its professional accountancy master's. The other public programs bill through their campuses, so check each campus fee page for the current rate before you set your budget.

Paths Toward CPA Licensure

California asks CPA candidates for 150 semester units, and several programs are built around that number. Long Beach's 30-unit master's adds the units you need to reach 150 and folds in CPA test prep. Fullerton's program is designed to help you get to the same total, and its cohort track adds a CPA prep course and an optional winter internship.

If you're changing careers, Cal State Northridge's professional accountancy master's is a good fit. At Los Angeles you can choose Taxation, Financial Accounting or Information Systems. San Diego State offers specializations in accounting information systems, financial reporting and taxation. Before you choose, look at the California Board of Accountancy page and our CPA requirements guide.

Choosing a Format That Fits Your Schedule

Santa Clara gives you a small-class campus experience with faculty mentorship. Cal State Northridge's bachelor's includes an Excel Specialist Certification course. If you're working, Long Beach and Fullerton meet evenings and weekends, and East Bay classes meet Friday evening and Saturday. San Francisco State pairs late-afternoon and evening classes with in-person and online options in a degree designated as a science, technology, engineering and math program.

National University records its live evening sessions, so you can watch them later. Its classes run 4 weeks.