The 30 Most Affordable Online Accounting Degree Programs

Accounting Degree Review, a website about accounting degrees and related topics, has released its 2014-2015 ranking of the 30 most affordable online accounting bachelor’s degrees. Western Governors University’s online program led the way with an annual tuition of only $5,780. The fifth ranked school, Western International University, was notable because it recently reduced its tuition by 51 percent. When most colleges and universities are raising or keeping their tuition the same, last year Western International University dropped their tuition from $14,900 to $7,600. The school’s current tuition is $7,738.

All the schools in the ranking have a tuition cost lower than $12,300 and the average tuition was just under $10,000 at $9,963. The complete list of programs can be found at http://www.accounting-degree.org/most-affordable-online-bachelors-degrees-in-accounting.

The schools include:

Western Governors University – Salt Lake City, Utah
Chadron State College – Chadron, Nebraska
American Military University – Charles Town, West Virginia
American Public University – Charles Town, West Virginia
Western International University – Tempe, Arizona
Central Methodist University – Fayette, Missouri
Columbia College – Columbia, Missouri
Bemidji State University – Bemidji, Minnesota
SUNY Empire State College – Saratoga Springs, New York
Thomas Edison State College – Trenton, New Jersey
Clarion University – Clarion, Pennsylvania
Southern Oregon University – Ashland, Oregon
Southern New Hampshire University – Manchester, New Hampshire
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine – Standish, Maine
Indiana State University – Terre Haute, Indiana
Colorado State University – Fort Collins, Colorado
Baker College – Flint, Michigan
Liberty University – Lynchburg, Virginia
University of Minnesota, Crookston – Crookston, Minnesota
Washington State University – Pullman, Washington
Belhaven University – Jackson, Mississippi
New England College – Henniker, New Hampshire
Regent University – Virginia Beach, Virginia
University of the Southwest – Hobbs, New Mexico
University of Northwestern Ohio – Lima, Ohio
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale – Carbondale, Illinois
Indiana Tech – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Limestone College – Gaffney, South Carolina
Upper Iowa University – Fayette, Iowa
Bellevue University – Bellevue, Nebraska

(More information on each school, including annual tuition and other factors, can be viewed on the Accounting Degree Review website.)

The ranking was created in response to rising college costs and the student loan epidemic. In the last 30 years, college tuition has grown much faster than the inflation rate. This phenomenon combined with the stagnation of the U.S. economy has left many people saddled with enormous amounts of student loan debt. More and more students are looking to attend a school with low tuition and the ranking helps them compare costs and research schools.

Over 80 regionally accredited schools offering online bachelor’s in accounting degrees were considered for the ranking by Accounting Degree Review. The site restricted their selections to schools with regional accreditation because it the highest form of institutional accreditation and offers advantages over other forms of accreditation.

Dee Barizo, Editor of Accounting Degree Review, was surprised to find so much variety within the top 30 schools. “There were schools with huge enrollments. There were small schools. There were public and private schools. There were nonprofit and not-for-profit schools. Every type of institution seemed to be represented,” Barizo said. “This is great news for students who want an affordable education. Not only are there many schools to choose from with low tuition costs, but the schools are different from each other to meet the needs of different students.”

Accounting Degree Review is an online resource dedicated to helping students that are interested in the accounting industry. The site publishes articles to help individuals succeed in the classroom and workplace. Along with school rankings, Accounting Degree Review covers related topics including accounting scholarships, internships, and jobs.

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