Programs Ranked
6
Schools
5
Degree Levels
2
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You have 6 accounting programs to choose from in Virginia, at 5 schools. Four are public universities, and the fifth is private Washington and Lee. Five of the programs are bachelor's degrees and one is a master's, and you can take them on campus or from home.
All five schools hold accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and Old Dominion's tuition is $443 per credit for Virginia residents. If you want a campus in Blacksburg, Harrisonburg or Lexington, you've got it. If you'd rather study from home, Old Dominion and George Mason are your picks.
Four of the five schools map out a route to the 150 credit hours you need for a certified public accountant (CPA) license. Virginia accountants and auditors earn a median of $93,290.
Best Picks
Best Pick at Each Degree Level
The best-scoring program at each degree level on this list.
- Best Bachelor's69.4 out of 100
James Madison University
Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
Virginia · BBA
James Madison University's BBA Review - Best Master's79.2 out of 100
George Mason University
Master of Science in Accounting
Virginia · MS
George Mason University's MS Review
Virginia
Studying Accounting in Virginia
James Madison sits in Harrisonburg, Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, George Mason in Fairfax and Old Dominion in Norfolk. Washington and Lee, the state's private option, is in Lexington. You'll attend class on campus at James Madison, Virginia Tech and Washington and Lee.
You can take Old Dominion's bachelor's and George Mason's bachelor's and master's from home. Virginia has 47,100 accountants and auditors. They earn a median of $93,290 a year, and the mean is $100,660. The 10th percentile earns $60,000. The 90th earns $156,730.
Method
How We Chose These Programs
Virginia programs on this page are accounting degrees from business schools, on campus and from home. We count accreditation from AACSB, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) or the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) only after we find the school on that body's own list.
Bachelor's and master's programs are scored apart, using cost, graduate earnings, completion, flexibility, track record, accreditation and reputation. The methodology page lays out the method in full.
- The school is based in Virginia
- 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).
Bachelor's
Bachelor's Degrees
-
1
69.4- On Campus
- Public
What Stands OutJames Madison puts data analytics into the accounting major early: Spreadsheet Skills and Data Analysis for Accounting Information is recommended for sophomore spring, and Data Analytics for Accountants joins Corporate Financial Reporting, Accounting Information Systems, Federal Income Tax Accounting and Auditing and Assurance in the major courses that begin junior year.
You finish this 120-credit degree with one elective from Cybersecurity and Accounting Information Protection Strategies, Strategic Cost Accounting and Analytics, or Advanced Data Analytics and Emerging Technologies.
Most students add a fifth-year master's in accounting to reach the 150 semester hours most states set for CPA exam eligibility, and a review course for the test runs on campus after graduation. Every accounting faculty member holds a CPA or Certified Management Accountant credential, and Meet the Firms brings over 50 firms to campus each fall.
- Cost
- $850 per creditout-of-state, federal data
- Credits
- 120 credits
- Graduate Pay
- $98,767 median
Best Scores (out of 10)
How We Scored ItEarnings reach 9.4 on a $98,767 median, and 74% of students go on to graduate for a completion grade of 9.1. The business college holds AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting. Most students add a fifth-year M.S. in Accounting to reach the 150 hours most states require for the CPA exam.
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2
67.1- Fully Online
- Asynchronous
- Public
What Stands OutEight-week courses, many with no scheduled meeting time, define Old Dominion's online accounting major in its business administration degree. After a 42-credit business core, the major adds three Essentials of Financial Accounting courses, Managerial Accounting, Financial Auditing, Taxation of Individuals, Taxation of Business Entities and Accounting Information Systems, plus one international business course you choose. Up to 90 credits can transfer toward the 120 total.
Through the Dual Dominion option, undergraduates take up to nine hours of master's accounting courses and then finish the master's in one more year of study, reaching 150 credit hours. Tuition is $443 per credit hour for Virginia residents and $453 for out-of-state students, effective Fall 2026, and the accounting program holds its own AACSB accreditation.
- Cost
- $453 per credit
- Credits
- 120 credits
- Graduate Pay
- $73,157 median
Best Scores (out of 10)
How We Scored ItAt $453 per credit, or $443 for Virginia residents, cost scores 7.8, and up to 90 transfer credits and 8-week courses fit the degree around your schedule. Credential alignment is 10 through AACSB accounting accreditation, and 65 accounting degrees awarded annually hold track record at 8.
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3
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Bachelor of Science in Business, Accounting and Business Analysis
Virginia
66.7- On Campus
- Public
What Stands OutVirginia Tech's 122-credit accounting and business analysis major asks you to choose a six-credit specialization in financial accounting and auditing, tax, or information systems and controls, and the three tracks line up with the three discipline areas of the CPA exam. Everyone takes Financial Statement Auditing, Forensic Accounting and Artificial Intelligence in Accounting and Auditing, with analytics running from Introduction to Accounting Analytics to Applied Accounting Analytics.
An experience course is required, and you choose among Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, an accounting internship and the Justice for Fraud Victims Project. A Capstone in Business Problem-Solving finishes the college core. Students aiming for CPA licensure can apply to the Accelerated Master's program and usually earn both degrees in five years or less.
- Cost
- $1,432 per creditout-of-state, federal data
- Credits
- 122 credits
- Graduate Pay
- $99,528 median
Best Scores (out of 10)
In-State FactsFits students aiming for the CPA exam on the Blacksburg campus who want a 152-Hour Program that finishes both degrees in five years or less, plus preparation for the certified management accountant (CMA) and certified information systems auditor (CISA) exams.
Master's
Master's Degrees
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1
79.2- Fully Online
- Hybrid
- On Campus
- Evenings and Weekends
- Asynchronous
- Public
What Stands OutTen courses, five required and five elective, make up the 30 credits of George Mason's master's degree in accounting. The required core covers Advanced Issues in Financial Reporting, Fraud Examination, Advanced Issues in Taxation, Advanced Accounting Analytics and Global Accounting Environment, and you can steer your electives toward a graduate certificate in accounting analytics, forensic accounting, government accounting or government contracts.
Full-time students finish in 11 months and part-time students in 22, starting in fall or spring, either on the Fairfax campus in the evenings or online and asynchronous.
No graduate admission test is required, and applicants without an accounting degree first complete prerequisite courses and a virtual data camp. Online accounting tuition is $1,025 per credit hour plus a $169 mandatory student fee for 2026-27. The coursework meets CPA requirements in most states.
- Cost
- $1,025 per credit
- Credits
- 30 credits
- Graduate Pay
- $110,482 median
Best Scores (out of 10)
How We Scored ItA $110,482 median graduate salary earns 9.2 for earnings, 75% of students graduate (completion 9.2), and 76 accounting degrees awarded annually lift track record to 9.5. Two starts a year and no graduate entrance exam requirement put flexibility at 8 for this 30-credit degree.
Also on This List
More Programs on This List (2)
Every program here meets the list's criteria and is scored the same way. They're in alphabetical order, and each row links to the program page.
| School and Program | Degree | State | Cost per Credit | Graduate Pay | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University BS Bachelor of Science in Business with Accounting Concentration Visit school | Bachelor's | VA | $1,453* | $91,132 | Fully Online |
| Washington and Lee University BS Bachelor of Science in Accounting Visit school | Bachelor's | VA | $2,386* | $118,946 | On Campus |
Pay
What Accounting Jobs Pay in Virginia
What these jobs typically pay in Virginia each year, next to the U.S. median, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Occupation | Virginia Median | U.S. Median | Jobs in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,290 | $83,680 | 47,100 |
| Financial Managers | $185,220 | $166,570 | 20,850 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $105,490 | $102,740 | 10,410 |
Beyond the State
National Programs for Virginia Residents
The best programs from schools in other states. Before you apply, check each school's state authorization page to make sure it can enroll students from Virginia.
| Rank | School and Program | Degree | Score | Cost per Credit | Graduate Pay | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Houston BBA Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting Visit school | Bachelor's | 75.4 | $409 | $84,668 | Fully Online, On Campus |
| 2 | Appalachian State University BSBA Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting Visit school | Bachelor's | 74.8 | $509 | $85,580 | Fully Online, On Campus |
| 3 | University of Arizona BSBA Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting Visit school | Bachelor's | 74.7 | $525 | $93,729 | Fully Online |
Prices and Schools Across the State
Old Dominion lists a clear price. You'll pay $443 per credit as a Virginia resident and $453 if you live out of state. That makes the degree $53,160 for residents and $54,360 for everyone else. Active duty military students may qualify for a discounted rate.
George Mason's master's lists $1,025 per credit for tuition, which is $30,750 for 30 credits. You'll add a $169 per credit Mandatory Student Fee, plus up to $150 a course for materials. Washington and Lee, a private school, covers full tuition for undergraduates whose total family income is under $200,000 with typical assets and who meet eligibility requirements, beginning in 2027-28.
Paths Toward Virginia CPA Licensure
James Madison's catalog states that the 150-hour Virginia CPA education requirement includes 24 credits in accounting and 24 in business. Most students there earn the B.B.A. and then the fifth-year M.S. The college also offers a CPA exam review course on campus after you graduate.
Virginia Tech's major incorporates the coursework for CPA exam licensure. Its 152-Hour Program lets you finish a bachelor's and master's in 5 years or less, at undergraduate rates for graduate courses taken as a senior. George Mason's accelerated pathways combine the B.S. and M.S. toward the same 150 credits.
At Washington and Lee, you'll want to take all five upper-level accounting courses for Virginia's CPA education requirements, plus three more credits in business, economics or finance. The 45-credit major also has articulation agreements with the University of Virginia and Wake Forest University that give you an expedited route into a one-year graduate program. The CPA requirements guide walks through the state rules.
Choosing a Format That Fits Your Schedule
At James Madison, you can meet more than 50 firms at the fall Meet the Firms fair. Virginia Tech's ACIS department awards over $370,000 in scholarships to more than 100 students each year. At Washington and Lee, you'll hear from alumni at EY, PwC, KPMG and Deloitte at a fall panel, and student volunteers run a tax assistance site in the winter term.
If you need to study from home, Old Dominion's courses are asynchronous. At George Mason, you'll learn from the same faculty as on campus. George Mason's master's lets you earn graduate certificates alongside the degree, and its location near Washington suits government work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best Accounting Programs in Virginia in 2027?
What Do Accounting Degrees Cost in Virginia?
Which Virginia Accounting Programs Are Accredited?
Sources
- AACSB Accredited Schools List
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
- James Madison University Accounting Major
- Old Dominion University Online Accounting
- Virginia Tech Accounting and Business Analysis
- George Mason University Accounting Concentration
- George Mason University Master's in Accounting
- Washington and Lee University Accounting
- Washington and Lee University Financial Aid
- IPEDS Data Center
All sources retrieved .