Nine accredited B-schools offer 16 Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut to support the Nutmeg State’s profitable financial services sector between Manhattan and Boston.
Generating $229.3 billion annually, Connecticut’s economy currently employs more than 16,000 accountants and auditors. The BLS recognized the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk Metro for the United States’ 10th highest concentration of accounting jobs making $88,980 on average. Connecticut students unlock job opportunities at 655 licensed CPA firms, including KPMG, BlumShapiro, CohnReznick, Citrin Cooperman & Company, and Deloitte. Accounting expertise is also needed at Connecticut’s 19 Fortune 500 companies like Aetna, Xerox, Hartford Financial Services Group, and GE.
Analyze the numbers for these graduate accounting degrees in Connecticut to find your ideal fit.
Albertus Magnus College
Division of Professional and Graduate Studies
Named for the German Dominican friar canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1931, Albertus Magnus College is a private, nonprofit Catholic NAICU member providing liberal arts-based education to 1,470 full-time Falcons from its 50-acre, Palladian-style campus on Prospect Street near East Rock and online. Listed among Money magazine’s “10 Most Improved Colleges” for jumping 400 spots in 2016, Albertus Magnus is ranked the 527th best master’s university nationally in Washington Monthly. The Division of Professional and Graduate Studies is recognized by the U.S. News for the 205th best online education too.
Master of Science in Accounting
Satisfying CPA and AICPA Personal Financial Specialist certification requirements, the Master of Science in Accounting unlocks an average starting salary of $61,900 for Albertus Magnus post-grads to apply their in-depth, specialized knowledge of financial reporting standards. Admission requires 24 accounting credits and 22 business credits. The 30-credit curriculum lets students study via asynchronous, eight-week online sessions or a blended combination with evenings in New Haven. Small classes are delivered by PhD-level faculty trained at Hofstra, Claremont, Prescott, Hartford, and more.
Master of Business Administration: Accounting Concentration
Presently charging $2,514 per course, Albertus Magnus’ Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) is one of the online Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut where the strong conceptual foundation in business principles is customized with an Accounting Concentration. The “Flex” program involves accelerated, eight-week online or hybrid courses to finish the 48-credit, IACBE-accredited degree within two years. Expecting a minimum 2.8 GPA, the curriculum integrates courses like financial statement analysis and accounting concepts before a strategic management capstone.
Accreditation
• International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
700 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
(800) 394-9982
adults@albertus.edu
Central Connecticut State University
School of Business
Designated a CTOHE Center of Excellence, Central Connecticut State University is a public, co-educational commuter school tracing back to 1849 that’s now endowed for $63 million to employ 400 full-time faculty and serve 12,037 Blue Devils from 10 academic halls on its 165 suburban acres in “Hardware City.” Recognized as America’s 156th most liberal college on Niche, CCSU was named Connecticut’s fifth best bang for the buck by SmartAsset. As an AACSB Business Education Alliance member, the School of Business attracts recruiters from MetLife, The Hartford, Prudential, and more.
Masters of Science in Accounting
Placed fourth for CPA exam performance among Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut, CCSU’s Masters of Science in Accounting is a 30-credit option for graduates to develop practical financial expertise for analyzing and reporting cash transactions. Aligned with Becker prep, the curriculum takes 12 months full-time or 18 months part-time to target critical test content. Starting each May, the program offers evening, online, or hybrid courses from taxation to business intelligence for students with a GMAT formula score above 1100.
Part-Time MBA Program: Accounting Track
Directed by Dr. Mark Cistulli, the Part-Time MBA Program at CCSU supports mid-career business professionals striving for strategic managerial positions by conducting hybrid online and on-campus courses costing $634 in-state or $710 out-of-state per credit. Ranging from 30 to 54 credits based on background, the curriculum has a Central Track and four specialized tracks, including Accounting to fulfill CPA qualifications. Post-grads could also claim the Stanley Black and Decker Scholarship, conduct a master’s thesis on auditing, and join the Accounting Society.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
RVAC Building 449-02
1615 Stanley Street
New Britain, CT 06050
(860) 832-3226
grassola@ccsu.edu
Fairfield University
Charles F. Dolan School of Business
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, Fairfield University is one of 28 private, nonprofit Jesuit AJCU members endowed for $310 million to serve 4,991 Stags from a 200-acre suburban campus on Connecticut’s Gold Coast. Graded B+ as America’s 44th best Catholic university on Niche, Fairfield is ranked the second best Northern college and 38th top value by the USNWR. Boasting corporate sponsors like Bank of America and Symmetry, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business offers classes of 20-25 students as the 43rd best B-school according to Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
Master of Science in Accounting
Spanning May to May for a 12-month, full-time commitment, the Master of Science in Accounting suits Fairfield graduates in business environments that would benefit from advanced know-how on the ethical, legal, technological, and regulatory aspects of financial services. The 30-credit curriculum is directed by Dr. Dawn Massey to open students’ minds in three tracks: Assurance, Taxation, and Accounting Information Systems. With a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, the program prepares for CPA credentialing with opportunities for international experience in Australia or Ireland and Big Four internships.
Master of Business Administration in Accounting
Consisting of 54 credits currently costing $925 apiece, Fairfield’s Master of Business Administration in Accounting is another of the concentrated Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut that nurtures well-rounded managerial acumen for diverse industries. The AACSB-accredited curriculum begins with breadth courses, such as shareholder value and business legal environment, before 12 credits of CPA prep. Admission relies on bachelor’s prerequisites like college-level statistics, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and 500 GMAT score. Other MBA concentrations include Accounting Information Systems and Taxation.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
DSB Building, Room 2129
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, CT 06824
(203) 254-4070 ext. 2160
mcoyne@fairfield.edu
Post University
Malcolm Baldrige School of Business
Formerly affiliated with Teikyo University in Japan, Post University is a private, for-profit business-oriented institution named after Harry C. Post in 1976 that’s enrolling 7,317 Eagles for traditional courses in Waterbury or Wallingford and online programs given the Connecticut Quality Improvement Award. Ranked America’s 290th best college campus on Niche, Post is a BBB-accredited school deemed “Military Friendly” five times by Victory Media. The Malcolm Baldrige School of Business grants another of the online Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut with an 87 percent admission rate.
Master of Science in Accounting
Available wholly online or with accelerated evening courses at the Wallingford campus, the Master of Science in Accounting at Post takes a practitioner approach to instill the technical skills requisite for analyzing financial figures to improve organizational changes and revenue. The 30-credit curriculum also offers 18 credits of foundational courses for non-business bachelor’s holders. Within the CPA track, students take advanced labs for auditing, federal income tax, business regulations, and more. Program disclosures show grads finish the two-year degree for $18,750 total.
Accreditation
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
22 Masonic Avenue
Wallingford, CT 06492
(800) 345-2562
admissions@post.edu
Sacred Heart University
Jack Welch College of Business
Established in 1963 under diplomat Thomas Patrick Melady, Sacred Heart University is a private, faith-based AACU member of the Diocese of Bridgeport that’s serving 3,104 post-grad Pioneers from 250 acres in Fairfield. Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for 85,000 hours performed yearly, SHU was ranked the 10th fastest-growing Catholic college by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Emphasizing applied learning with the Innovation Center’s Problem-Based Learning Lab, the Jack Welch College of Business is also recognized by the U.S. News for the country’s 161st best part-time MBA degree.
M.S. in Accounting
Hosting the 2017-18 AICPA Tax School: Tax Staff Essentials, Sacred Heart’s M.S. in Accounting finishes the 150 hours of post-secondary study for graduates to handle financial services functions with tighter business regulations. The AACSB-accredited, 30-credit program is completed in 12 months with online courses and one Saturday seminar in Fairfield monthly. After core courses, students select from two in-demand specializations for Forensic Accounting or International Accounting. Majors benefit from guest speakers like Christine M. Oliver, Becker CPA Review, and the MSA Orientation.
Welch MBA Program: Accounting Concentration
Presently billing $875 per credit, the Welch MBA Program broadens Sacred Heart graduates’ big-picture administrative skills for the intricate business world before producing functional experts in five concentrations, including Accounting. At the Fairfield campus with trimester scheduling, this focused 36-credit degree suits aspiring CPAs needing evening courses from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Requisite courses like corporate financial management, business economics, taxation, and auditing are finished in 12 months full-time. MBA alumni have excelled with Pitney Bowes, People’s United Bank, North Street Capital, and more.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Martire Center, Room W306
5401 Park Avenue
Fairfield, CT 06825
(203) 365-7660
laperap@sacredheart.edu
University of Bridgeport
Ernest C. Trefz School of Business
Directed by President Neil Albert Salonen, the University of Bridgeport is a private, nonsectarian racially diverse institution founded in 1927 that’s using a $34.13 million endowment to educate 2,536 post-grad Knights from its Long Island Sound campus. Placed 14th nationally by the Institute for International Education (IIE), Bridgeport is ranked Connecticut’s fifth most conservative and 10th best small college on Niche. Named for the Trefz Corporation CEO since 2013, the Ernest C. Trefz School of Business occupies the Jacobson Wing to deliver the country’s 105th best online MBA according to the U.S. News.
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) with Accounting
Offering an optional CPA track, Bridgeport’s Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) is “Opening Doors, Building Futures” by using tech-based methods to instill the practical leadership solutions for today’s changing global economic climate. The 36-credit, online curriculum introduces six core courses before students choose from nine concentrations, including Accounting to analyze and interpret financial data. For the capstone experiential requirement, MBAs can choose a business plan, case study project, thesis, or internship unlike some Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut.
Accreditation
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Mandeville Hall, Room 105B
126 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
(203) 576-4767
amcadams@bridgeport.edu
University of Connecticut
School of Business
Occupying 4,400 rural acres in Storrs just a half-hour’s drive from Hartford, the University of Connecticut is a public, land-grant RU/VH institution led by Susan Herbst to educate 32,027 Huskies and employ 4,624 faculty on a $2.3 billion budget. Declared America’s 62nd best big college on Niche, UConn is crowned the 60th best national university and 36th most veteran-friendly campus by the U.S. News. Founded in 1941, the UConn School of Business was also ranked 46th globally in Financial Times to deliver one of the top-ranked Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut.
Master of Science in Accounting
Granted the USDLA Best Practices in Online Learning Award, UConn’s Master of Science in Accounting is a student-centered, distance program where post-grads prepare for professional practice as Certified Public Accountants with knowledge of GAAP and GAAS standards. The 30-credit curriculum begins with an in-residence, four-year course in May before two or three 12-week semesters asynchronously online. Course sequencing delves into enterprise risk management, business taxation, fraud examination, global financial reporting, and more for $825 per credit. There’s also a 15-credit Accounting Certificate for transition.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
2100 Hillside Road, Unit 1041
Storrs, CT 06268
(860) 486-2317
acct@business.uconn.edu
University of Hartford
Barney School of Business
Endowed for $144.99 million, the University of Hartford is a private, nonsectarian AEC research institution organized by President Walter Lee Harrison that’s attracting 1,675 post-grad Hawks from 48 states on its 350-acre campus in Bloomfield and beyond. Placed 161st on PayScale for a median mid-career salary of $88,400, Hartford is ranked America’s 343rd best private university with the 370th most grateful grads in Forbes magazine. Noted for one of Connecticut’s largest MBAs in Hartford Business Journal, the Barney School of Business was featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 295 Business Schools” for socially responsible leaders.
Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation
Extending GMAT waivers for a 3.3 GPA or better, Hartford’s Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation admits post-grads seeking an advanced wealth of financial services knowledge with an emphasis on regulations for paying money owed to federal and state governments. The 30-credit, AACSB-accredited program could be completed full-time within just seven months thanks to seven-week, online and on-site courses. During the fifth year of study, graduates could practice with Barney Consulting Services, join the Women of Barney, and tackle 225-hour internships.
Dual MSAT/MBA Degree
Hartford’s Barney School also provides one of the most unique Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut, the Dual MSAT/MBA Degree, that awards two degrees to combine financial and management backgrounds for advancement. The 54-credit curriculum offers a Taxation Track or Financial/Assurance Track after breadth courses like performance analysis, customer experience, and global business law. Charging approximately $24,860 annually, the program is open for application until August 1st, December 15th, and April 15th for graduates with a minimum GMAT score of 480.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Auerbach Hall, Room 406F
200 Bloomfield Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06117
(860) 768-4577
kingram@hartford.edu
University of New Haven
College of Business
Noted for alumni like James McCaffrey, Michael J. Rubio, and Dorinda Keenan Borer, the University of New Haven is a private, nonsectarian “Leader in Experimental Education” that’s located on 122 suburban acres in West Haven near the Oyster River to educate 1,800 post-grad Chargers. Ranked the Northeast’s 377th best bang for the buck in Washington Monthly, UNH is proclaimed the 381st best college that accepts the Common App in America on Niche. The College of Business has state-of-the-art facilities like the Bergami Learning Center for Finance and 43 full-time professors published in 178 peer-reviewed journals.
M.S. in Accounting
Conducted on-campus with a Bloomberg Laptop terminal, New Haven’s M.S. in Accounting turns post-grads into valuable business assets with in-sight understanding of financial reporting principles for the 21st century. The 36-credit curriculum map offers three concentrations for Corporate Accounting, Forensic Accounting, and Taxation. Courses from advanced auditing to valuation theory fulfill CPA requirements after the independent study project. Majors could also intern with Marcum LLP, receive mentoring through the Executive-in-Residence Program, participate in Speed Networking, and compete in the Corporate Challenge.
Flexible MBA with Accounting Concentration
Based at the Graduate Center in Orange, the Flexible MBA is another of the well-rounded Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut where evening, weekend, and online courses marry to create corporate thinkers for leadership responsibility. The 16-course, AACSB-accredited curriculum offers eight custom concentrations, such as Accounting to cover financial analysis, auditing, assurance services, and taxation for CPA licensure. Costing $870 per credit, the data-driven degree could also be paired with the Master of Public Administration or M.S. in Healthcare Administration.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Maxcy Hall, Room 126L
300 Boston Post Road
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 932-7356
CBoynton@newhaven.edu
From Bridgewater Associates to Travelers and Cigna, financial services generate 16.4 percent of Connecticut’s total GDP for unparalleled accounting prospects. That’s especially true because strict rule changes are leaving U.S. companies struggling against an accountant shortage. According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of hires at accounting firms surged to a record-high of 43,252 in 2014. Maximize your mathematical ability for this “hot” financial niche with one of these Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Connecticut.
See also: Top 35 Master of Accounting Online Degree Programs
