Financial services career prospects across the Southwest heat up for graduates of master’s in accounting degree programs in Arizona.
From Flagstaff to Phoenix, Arizona generates the United States’ 21st largest GSP at $259 billion. In 2014, the high-tech economy employed over 193,000 Arizonans in financial activities. Accounting knowledge comes in handy at Arizona’s 1,018 licensed CPA firms, such as BeachFleischman and McGladrey LLP. Other major employers of accountants in Arizona include Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, American Express, and Pinnacle West Capital Corp.
Join the ranks with the Grand Canyon State’s 19,000+ CPAs by attending one of these graduate accounting schools in Arizona.
Arizona State University
W.P. Carey School of Business
Affiliated with four Nobel laureates, Arizona State University is a public, RU/VH research hub generating over $600 million in external funding while teaching over 50,200 students upon its main 632-acre urban campus in Greater Phoenix’s East Valley Section. Placed 45th in The Princeton Review’s “Top 50 Green Colleges,” ASU Tempe was ranked the 81st best public college and 204th best value by Forbes magazine. The W.P. Carey School of Business has America’s 25th best full-time MBA and 30th top graduate accounting education according to the Public Accounting Report.
Master of Accountancy (MACC)
Admitting a team-based cohort of around 70 graduates with an average GPA of 3.6, the Master of Accountancy (MACC) is an accelerated, nine-month ASU program that builds advanced financial expertise for long-term value. Courses like fraud prevention, auditing, business strategy, and corporate governance will fulfill the 150-hour CPA requirement in Arizona and California. Students may also pursue the Master of Legal Studies concurrently, research in the JPMorgan Chase Center, and study with W.P. Carey China.
Master of Taxation (MTax)
ASU’s Master of Taxation (MTax) stands out among master’s in accounting degree programs in Arizona for focusing on the highly technical skills demanded for following reporting rules under the Internal Revenue Code. Satisfying CPA requirements, the 30-credit degree takes only nine months with courses from family tax planning to multi-jurisdictional tax. Costing $24,800 in-state and $41,900 out-of-state total, the program has 100 percent job placement at firms like KPMG, Henry & Horne, and Deloitte US.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
McCord Hall, Room 350
450 E. Lemon Street
Tempe, AZ 85287
(480) 965-3332
wpcgradenrollment@asuonline.asu.edu
Grand Canyon University
Colangelo College of Business
Opened by Arizona Southern Baptists in 1949, Grand Canyon University is a top-five non-profit, online school for entrepreneurs in Fortune that’s directed by CEO Brian Mueller to educate over 75,200 Lopes. Placed within America’s top 10 percent for business majors on College Factual, GCU was ranked the 281st best national university by high school counselors on the U.S. News survey. Named after the former Phoenix Suns owner, the Jerry Colangelo College of Business offers two faith-based master’s in accounting degree programs in Arizona and online via the LoudCloud Classroom.
Master of Science in Accounting
Unlocking careers with a median salary of $72,560, GCU’s Master of Science in Accounting enrolls post-bachelor’s students with a minimum 2.8 GPA on a rolling basis to teach the legal, ethical practices for reporting financial transactions. From FASB codification to IRS regulations, the 34-credit program delivers accelerated, eight-week courses online or in Phoenix. Becoming a Certified Public Accountant can occur within 18 months for $560 per credit. The ACBSP-accredited courses like taxation, auditing, and financial compliance lead to an applied capstone.
Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Accounting
Taking 29 months on average, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) offers eight-week online or evening courses at GCU Phoenix to prepare socially responsible leaders for seven emphasis fields, including Accounting. The 54-credit curriculum instills the bookkeeping and financial reporting skills to pass the Uniform CPA exam. Presently billing $560 per credit, the program covers topics from strategic finance to business probability. Graduate admission hinges on scoring at least 500 on the GMAT or 300 on the GRE.
Accreditation
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
3300 W. Camelback Road
P.O. Box 11097
Phoenix, AZ 85017
(602) 639-7500
campusadmissions@gcu.edu
Northern Arizona University
W.A. Franke College of Business
Located on 707 acres in Flagstaff, USA Today’s #4 best small college town, Northern Arizona University educates around 30,300 Lumberjacks and employs 1,090 full-time faculty as a public, co-educational research center. Ranked America’s 163rd top public university on Niche, NAU was the 90th best bang for the buck in Washington Monthly’s Western rankings. Given Military Times’ 2016 “Best for Vets Business School” badge, the W.A. Franke College offers team-based learning and networking with CEO Warren Buffet in one of the master’s in accounting degree programs in Arizona.
Full-Time MBA, MBA-ACC
Limiting cohorts to 50 students, Northern Arizona’s Full-Time MBA is a fast-paced, 10-month business administration program at the Flagstaff campus that’s offering two emphases: Applied Management or Accounting. Picking the latter specializes the 36-credit curriculum for earning the CPA certificate and making smart financial decisions in the public or private sectors. Students from 15 Western states pay the in-state tuition rate of $780 per credit for studying business valuation, auditing, taxation, and more affordably. Graduate assistantships can provide up to $11,000 too.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
101 E. McConnell Drive
P.O. Box 5638
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
(928) 523-7342
fcb-gradprog@nau.edu
The University of Arizona
Eller College of Management
Led by President Ann Weaver Hart, The University of Arizona is a public, RU/VH research-intensive AAU member with enrollment pushing 43,000 upon a 380-acre urban campus designed by Roy Place around Centennial Hall in sunny Tucson. Crowned the 99th “Best College for Business” on Niche, UA is ranked the 60th top public college and 179th best value nationwide by Forbes magazine. Placed 37th for master’s education on the Public Accounting Report’s 34th Annual Professors Survey, the Eller College of Management upholds AACSB standards for 17 graduate degrees.
Master of Accounting (MAcc)
Boasting a 71 percent CPA exam pass rate, the Master of Accounting (MAcc) prepares UA Wildcats for advancing into certified careers where financial and managerial training are prized. The 30-credit curriculum splits into the Audit Track and Tax Track for specialized face-to-face courses from business law to QuickBooks technology. Accepting students with an average GMAT score of 535, the program offers post-graduate career assistance with mentoring from PhD-level faculty trained at Duke, Mizzou, Penn State, and more.
Master of Science in Accounting (MSA)
Another of UA’s master’s in accounting degree programs in Arizona confers a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) for greater flexibility in pursuing careers in professional accounting and consulting practice. Focused on international students, the 30-credit curriculum fulfills CPA qualifications with courses like audit simulation, cost analysis, and IFRS standards. Some may pursue the Dual M.S. Finance/M.S. Accounting track for additional credits. Recruiters from firms like Deloitte, Grant Thornton, Clifton Larson Allen, and KLK hire grads.
Master of Science in Accounting Online
Currently costing $1,025 per unit or $30,750 total, the Master of Science in Accounting Online suits Arizona professionals seeking ideal work-life-school balance while advancing their business acumen for CPA credentialing. The 30-unit degree can be finished in only 12 months with 12 units of electives from finance to marketing and management information systems. On average, admitted students have 25.5 months of relevant experience. Online students can still access the Eller Professional Development Center and Beta Alpha Psi Chapter.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
McClelland Hall, Room 301
1130 E. Helen Street
Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-2620
alexmiller@email.arizona.edu
According to the AICPA, accounting is “one degree with 360 degrees of possibilities” in today’s management occupations that are poised to grow by 6 percent through 2024. The BLS reports that graduate study in accounting will prepare you for nearly 143,000 new job openings, especially if you’re a Certified Public Accountant. In-demand titles include external auditor, account director, treasurer, credit manager, tax consultant, comptroller, and financial planner. Master’s graduates could even land the coveted Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) position for an average yearly salary of $150,907.
Keep these eight master’s in accounting degree programs in Arizona in mind for your career advancement.
See also: Top 20 Master of Accounting Online Degree Programs
