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Value Colleges named Syracuse University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill its top three online master’s in accounting programs for 2022. The ranking was announced on September 23, 2021; it is a historical list, not a current recommendation or a guarantee that any program fits your budget, career plans or CPA requirements.
What were Value Colleges’ top online accounting master’s programs for 2022?
Value Colleges’ “Top 25 Best Value Online Master’s in Accounting Degrees for 2022” ranked these schools in its first three positions:
| 2022 rank | University |
|---|---|
| No. 1 | Syracuse University |
| No. 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| No. 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Value Colleges announced the ranking on September 23, 2021. It said it used verified data, including data from IPEDS and Niche, and considered cost and student satisfaction. The announcement does not provide a complete scoring formula, so the positions should be read as that publisher’s results—not as a definitive measure of which school is best for every student.
How should you use a 2022 ranking when choosing a program now?
Use the historic list to identify schools to investigate, not to decide where to enroll. Program formats, admissions rules, tuition and rankings can change. The 2022 list also does not provide enough historical program-level detail to reliably reconstruct full profiles for all 25 schools. Do not treat current school pages as evidence of what a program cost or offered in 2022.
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Compare each program’s current official information against your own background and intended career path. The factors below can change the total cost, time commitment and usefulness of a degree:
- Prior education: Check whether the program requires an accounting bachelor’s degree, offers prerequisite or bridge coursework, or has an advanced-standing path for applicants with prior accounting credits.
- Full cost: Look beyond the per-credit tuition rate. Ask for the total tuition and mandatory fees for your route, and check whether books, materials or other charges are excluded. Confirm whether your residency affects the price.
- Time and workload: Compare credit requirements, course sequence, term schedule and estimated completion time. If you plan to keep working, ask about weekly workload and whether courses meet at set times.
- Delivery: “Online” can mean asynchronous coursework, live sessions, or a mix. Confirm whether you must attend synchronous classes or campus activities, and whether those requirements work with your schedule and location.
- Curriculum and career direction: Review required and elective courses in areas such as auditing, tax, financial reporting, analytics, information systems and fraud. Choose coursework that supports your goals rather than assuming every accounting master’s has the same focus.
- Accreditation: Verify institutional accreditation and investigate any relevant business-school or accounting-specific accreditation with the school and accreditor. Accreditation does not by itself establish program fit, price or CPA eligibility.
- Career support: Ask what advising, recruiting, networking and career services are available to online students. A ranking alone does not establish employment outcomes or salary gains.
Will an online accounting master’s meet CPA education requirements?
It may help you complete accounting education requirements, but the answer depends on your existing coursework and the rules of the jurisdiction where you plan to seek licensure. CPA education, examination and licensure requirements are jurisdiction-specific; a school’s general statement about exam eligibility does not establish that you meet every requirement in your state.
Rank #2
- Identify the state or other jurisdiction where you intend to pursue CPA licensure.
- Review that jurisdiction’s current requirements and ask its board how your existing credits and the proposed program would be evaluated.
- Ask the school to explain which courses are intended to satisfy the requirements, including any prerequisites or additional credits you may need.
- Confirm the board’s answer before enrolling, then separately check examination and licensure steps beyond education.
For example, the University of Oklahoma says its MAcc fulfills educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam in nearly all U.S. jurisdictions, while Ohio University directs prospective students to check state-specific requirements. “Nearly all” is not the same as every jurisdiction, and neither statement replaces confirmation with the relevant board.
What do current online program examples look like?
The following details are from official university program pages accessed October 4, 2026. They are current-page examples for comparing program features—not details from Value Colleges’ 2022 ranking. Published requirements, prices and formats can change, so check the official page and confirm details with the school before applying.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Program | Current published structure and format | Other stated features |
|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma Online MAcc | 100% online. Standard track: 51 credits, 21+ months, and $51,765 in tuition and fees. Advanced-standing track: 33 credits, 15+ months, and $35,525 in tuition and fees. The university’s page says books and additional materials are excluded from these published amounts. | The university says the program fulfills CPA exam educational requirements in nearly all U.S. jurisdictions. Source: University of Oklahoma Online MAcc page, accessed October 4, 2026. |
| University of Connecticut Online MSA | Fully online, 30-credit program. Cost and completion time are not stated here. Source: UConn Online MSA page, accessed October 4, 2026. | The page describes the program as AACSB-accredited and says it provides additional accounting credit hours to complete CPA educational requirements. Source: UConn Online MSA page, accessed October 4, 2026. |
| Ohio University Online Master of Accountancy and Analytics | Cost, credit total and completion time are not stated here. The page describes live engagement and synchronous sessions. Source: Ohio University program page, accessed October 4, 2026. | Analytics is integrated through the curriculum, and a bridge pathway is available for applicants without an accounting bachelor’s degree. The page emphasizes CPA exam preparation and advises students to check state requirements. Source: Ohio University program page, accessed October 4, 2026. |
| Pace Online MS in Accounting | Cost, credit total, completion time and delivery schedule are not stated here. Source: Pace program page, accessed October 4, 2026. | The page describes coursework in auditing, reporting, analytics, statistics and technology, plus Becker CPA Review coursework. Students with an accounting degree may be able to waive foundation classes; verify current eligibility and course details with Pace. Source: Pace Online MS in Accounting page, accessed October 4, 2026. |
Compare the paths rather than just the headline degree names. For example, OU’s published advanced-standing route is shorter and has fewer credits than its standard route, while Ohio University describes a bridge option for applicants without an accounting bachelor’s. Those options address different starting points; confirm which one you qualify for and the full cost of your own course plan.
Which other 2022 ranking is easy to confuse with this list?
NC State’s Jenkins Master of Accounting program page reports a No. 7 placement in College Consensus’s 2022 “Best Online Master’s in Accounting Programs.” That is a separate ranking from Value Colleges’ 2022 list above. NC State also describes the Department of Accounting as having supplemental AACSB accounting accreditation. Keep the two publishers’ rankings distinct when comparing results.
Rank #4
What the ranking can—and cannot—tell you
Value Colleges’ editors described accounting as “one of those professional career paths that is as close as they come to a sure thing.” That is promotional editorial language, not a measured conclusion about employment, pay or job security. The 2022 ranking does not establish employment growth, salary outcomes, CPA pass rates or return on investment for its listed programs.
A school’s placement can help you build a shortlist, but your best choice depends on your prior credits, finances, schedule, learning preferences, career interests and intended licensing jurisdiction. Compare current official program details and verify CPA education requirements with the board where you plan to apply.
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