The Top Accounting MBA
Online Programs

Although it is not necessary to have a graduate degree to become an accountant, an individual can improve his or her career with an accounting MBA online. Many top corporations are actively seeking ethical individuals who have graduated with an online Master of Business Administration in accounting. Graduates from most online MBA accounting programs have learned how to properly report financial information while complying with federal laws meant to prevent business corruption. Graduating from one of the top online accounting MBA schools can lead directly to a position with a top regional or national company.

Top MBA programs in accounting typically last about one year and cover topics within financial reporting and auditing. Students interested in an online MBA in accounting must be ready to analyze statistical data and apply mathematical formulas to obtain financial information. Internships arranged through the best accounting MBA schools online give students professional experience accounting, which often leads to a permanent position.

How can I tell if an online MBA accounting degree is right for me?

Students interested in pursuing an accounting MBA online should be interested finance, statistics and law.

Additional common characteristics amongst many online MBA accounting students are:

• A capacity for evaluating information to determine compliance with standards
• An ability for organizing, planning, and prioritizing work
• A skill for getting information
• A desire for analyzing data or information
• A capacity for processing information

How long does it take to earn an MBA online accounting degree?

The time it takes to earn an accounting MBA degree online is comparable to the time it takes to earn other MBAs online. To complete this degree it on average takes 2 years of full-time schooling. But, students are able to complete the course in a more convenient manner at some schools that have part-time or accelerated programs.

What are the prerequisites and admission requirements for MBA accounting schools online?

A bachelor’s degree is required before students can gain admission to online MBA accounting programs. While having a bachelor’s degree in areas including business administration, business, finance, and entrepreneurship may be ideal for those wanting to enroll in a good MBA accounting online program, it is generally not required.

In addition to requiring students to have a bachelor’s degree, many online MBA in accounting programs base admission on the following criteria:

• Personal interviews
• Essays
• Graduate Management Admission Test scores (GMAT)
• Academic transcripts

What courses will I take in accounting MBA programs online?

The first year of MBA accounting online programs consists of accounting fundamentals that must be understood by individuals in various business executive roles. These courses typically include basic taxation, financial reporting, cost accounting, auditing theory and accounting theory.

The second half of an online Master of Business Administration in accounting program focuses on advanced topics within financial and corporate accounting. Courses such as advanced accounting and corporate finance help keep students abreast of recent legal developments that affect their future jobs. Other advanced courses taken by MBA online accounting students are accounting information systems, operations control and organizational behavior.

Some students enrolled in online accounting MBA programs complete an internship during the course of their studies. These internships can prove very useful. Through them, students get a chance to put their learning into practical use. They also often make valuable business contacts.

What are the best online MBA in accounting books I should consider reading?

Some books students interested in accounting MBA careers may find on point include:

1. Who’s Counting? A Lean Accounting Business Novel (Jerrold M. Solomon) – This novel explores the concepts of lean accounting and applies its principles to the global economy of the 21st century.

2. Activity-Based Cost Management: An Executive’s Guide (Gary Cokins) – Cokins’s text examines the concept of activity-based costing and how it can keep cost margins low as the Internet continues to benefit consumers over corporations.

3. The CFO Guidebook (Steven M. Bragg) – This book discusses the role of a chief financial officer in a company, fundraising and issues in public companies.

4. Red to Black in 30 Days (Allen B. Bostrum) – This text features a 30-day survival plan for failing businesses, including cash control and expenditure reduction.

5. Accounting Demystified (Jeffrey R. Haber) – Beginning students of accounting will learn from this book’s descriptions and tutorials in basic accounting.

What are my future job prospects if I pursue accounting MBA jobs?

Graduating from a school that tops the accredited online accounting MBA rankings gives a student the chance to work for corporations that offer competitive wages. As of May 2011, there were 830,030 individuals employed by the U.S. accounting and tax preparation industry. Depending on the career path, a graduating student’s accounting MBA salary can vary by $60,000 or more annually:

• Financial Managers – $152,070
• Financial Analysts – $78,160
• Financial Examiners – $79,610
• Management Analysts – $100,260

Job growth in the financial fields may be slightly slower than other occupational growth, but it is expected to remain steady. Positions for accountants will grow by 16% between 2010 and 2020, while financial management jobs will only grow by 9% in the same period. In many cases, job growth is the result of ever increasing laws that regulate financial activities among corporations.

Many employers prefer graduates who have studied from a program that has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB accredited accounting MBA programs are thought to provide students with a quality education.

What are the top online schools to pursue an online Accounting MBA degree?

• Saint Leo University Online
• Western International University
• University of Phoenix
• University of the Southwest
• Grand Canyon University