Nine Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa have shown academic excellence by earning ACBSP, AACSB, or IACBE business accreditation.
Studying accounting in the “Hawkeye State” offers hands-on industry training within the $124 billion economy. The BLS reports that Iowa’s workforce of 1.53 million includes 9,630 accountants making a median hourly wage of $31.48. Accounting grads are in-demand at top 20 Iowa employers like Principal Financial Group, Blank Children’s Hospital, State Public Policy Group, Pella Corp, and CRST International. Licensed accountants also find opportunities with 483 CPA firms statewide, such as Graf & Company, Gardiner Thomsen, Lodden Brooks, LWBJ Financial, and CliftonLarsonAllen.
If you’re hoping to join the 4,200 members of the Iowa Society of CPAs, here are the accredited graduate accounting schools in Iowa.
Drake University
College of Business & Public Administration
Originally established in 1881 by Francis Marion Drake and the Disciples of Christ, Drake University has become a private, nonsectarian higher learning institute endowed for $196 million that’s educating 2,057 post-grad Bulldogs under President Earl Martin from its 150-acre Des Moines campus. Applauded as America’s 17th best test-optional college on Niche, Drake is ranked the 141st top private university and 129th best value by Forbes. Belonging to the Princeton Review’s “Colleges That Pay You Back,” the College of Business & Public Administration has one of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa.
Master of Accounting
Chaired by Dr. Stephen Gara, Drake’s Master of Accounting has placed alums at 200+ companies across Iowa after finishing evening courses in two years part-time and satisfying the qualifications for Certified Public Accounting licensure. Emphasizing data-driven leadership, the 30-credit major currently charges $640 per credit to teach topics from corporate governance to tax planning and managerial accounting. Accepting the $50 application until January 1st or August 1st yearly, the program could be paired with the Financial Asset Analysis and Taxation Certificates.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
Aliber Hall 313
2847 University Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50311
(515) 271-2156
stephen.gara@drake.edu
Iowa State University
College of Business
Considered the birthplace of cooperative education in 1902, Iowa State University is a flagship public, space-grant RU/VH Big 12 member that’s endowed for $760.4 million to serve 5,096 post-grad Cyclones from its 1,984-acre Ames campus. Ranked 83rd among America’s best public values in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, ISU is named the 42nd best national university for contribution to the public good by Washington Monthly. Generally admitting GMAT scores between 610 and 730, the College of Business is recognized for the country’s 86th best MBA program by Poets & Quants and 63rd top B-school in Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
Master of Accounting
Affiliated with alums at Liberty Media, Central Region McGladrey, RSM, Deloitte, and more, ISU’s Master of Accounting is an accredited, 4+1 program where individuals spend four years completing the Bachelor of Science before an extra year of accounting courses for CPA eligibility. Coordinated by Director Anne Clem, the 150-credit option offers electives from decision models to governmental accounting and fraud prevention. Majors could also conduct VITA fieldwork, take the London Trip, and receive Graduate Business Career Services.
Full-Time MBA Accounting Specialization
Estimated to cost $5,406 in-state and $12,262 out-of-state per term, the Full-Time MBA becomes another of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa when post-grads select Accounting from the five nine-credit specializations. Taking a team-based, cohort approach, the 48-credit, GMAT-required major develops management skills for career advancement. Students might also join the Tepper International Case Competition, study abroad in China, attend the Pre-MBA Successful Start Program, volunteer via the Gerdin Citizenship Program, and pledge Beta Alpha Psi.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
Gerdin Business Building 1360
2167 Union Drive
Ames, IA 50011
(515) 294-8118
busgrad@iastate.edu
Kaplan University-Cedar Falls
School of Business
Reporting a graduation rate of 44 percent, Kaplan University-Cedar Falls is one of 15 regional campuses within the for-profit, NCA-accredited online system that’s operated by President Dr. Betty Vandenbosch to satisfy nearly 30,000 students with competency-based teaching. Located on the former Hamilton College campus in Forbes’ 54th best metro for education, Kaplan-Cedar Falls is ranked Iowa’s ninth most diverse college on Niche. Along with some of America’s 156th best online degrees according to the USNWR, the School of Business has one of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa for $460/credit.
Master of Science Degree in Accounting
Featuring funding like the Iowa National Guard Grant, the Master of Science Degree in Accounting from Kaplan-Cedar Falls is advised by Professor Micaela Davis with online courses accessible 24/7 to shape post-grads’ financial sector success. Accepting business-related bachelor’s majors, the 52-credit degree begins bimonthly with specialized tracks for Audit/Assurance Services, Finance, Government, and Tax. Students may also add the Graduate Certificate in Project Management, get the three-week Risk Free Trial, and receive support from the Center for Disability Services.
Accreditation
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
7009 Nordic Drive
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(800) 987-7734
tholian@kaplan.edu
Maharishi University of Management
Accounting Department
Placed in the top 10 percent for the NSSE Benchmarks for Effective Educational Practice, the Maharishi University of Management is a private, nonprofit business institute that’s integrating transcendental meditation into 16 majors for 754 scholars upon its 370-acre Fairfield campus in “Silicorn Valley.” Led by President John Hagelin, MUM is included in Sierra’s Coolest Schools and graded “A+” for diversity on Niche. The Accounting Department confers one of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa offering an average starting salary of $54,000 at companies like Lexmark, Rose Financial Services, KPMG, and RR Donnelley.
MBA in Accounting
Taking 11 to 15 months on-campus full-time, the Maharishi MBA in Accounting is directed by Dr. Andrew Bargerstock, a Lean Enterprise Institute 2009 Excellence Award winner, to position post-grads for long-term executive success with detailed financial reporting strategies. Integrating optional practical training, the 30-credit degree fulfills CPA and CMA exam guidelines fast while recharging students’ state of mind with consciousness-based education. Estimated to cost $26,530 total, the program includes competing on teams in the CAPSIM Foundation Simulation.
Accreditation
• International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
1000 N. Fourth St.
Fairfield, IA 52557
(641) 472-1128
andyb@mum.edu
St. Ambrose University
College of Business
Founded by Most Reverend John McMullen in 1882, St. Ambrose University stands atop a 118-acre oak grove campus in Davenport, Forbes’ 155th best city for business, as a private, Roman Catholic liberal arts school that’s endowed for $134.3 million with 864 post-grad Fighting Bees. Recognized for America’s 158th best college dorms on Niche, SAU is ranked the 259th best Midwestern value and 245th top national university by Washington Monthly. The College of Business delivers another of the ACBSP Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa with 74 percent admission.
Master of Accounting
Featuring a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, SAU’s Master of Accounting is chaired by Dr. Allison Ambrose with a mentoring model to nurture post-grads’ professional skills for financial services leadership at popular partners like HON Industries, Deloitte, John Deere, and Ipsco Steel. Available with full-time, accelerated or part-time, evening tracks, the 30-credit degree charges $915 per credit for courses from business valuation to accountancy law. Students could also obtain the George J. Till Accounting Scholarship, study in Singapore, and obtain 20-hour graduate assistantships.
Accreditation
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
Ambrose Hall 313H
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
(563) 333-6186
macc@sau.edu
University of Iowa
Tippie College of Business
Noted for CEO alums like Scott Heiferman, Kerry Killinger, and Ted Waitt, the University of Iowa is the Hawkeye State’s oldest public, space-grant RU/VH research hub endowed for $1.25 billion within the Big Ten to serve 8,858 post-grads from its 1,700-acre campus off Highway 6 in Johnson County. Ranked #14 for best career services by The Princeton Review, Iowa is declared the 47th top public school and 156th best value nationally on Forbes. The Tippie College of Business accepts an average GMAT score of 635 as America’s second best B-school for career placement in Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
Master of Accountancy (MAC)
Ranked #1 among Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa with a NASBA pass rate of 80 percent, the Master of Accountancy (MAC) produces tactical problem-solvers who sift through financial data to find improved organizational strategies. For $33,006 in-state and $51,064 out-of-state total, the 30-credit curriculum dives deeper into four tracks: Tax, Business Analytics, Managerial Accounting, and Financial Accounting/Auditing. Tippie post-grads could also consult with Rockwell Collins, go global to Paris, participate in the Hawkinson Institute, and join Women in Business.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
John Pappajohn Building 108
413 North Clinton St.
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 335-0862
tippie-business@uiowa.edu
University of Northern Iowa
Graduate College
Enrolling 1,801 post-grad Panthers in the Missouri Valley Conference, the University of Northern Iowa is a public, co-educational research institution tracing back to 1876 that’s now endowed for $103.2 million under President Mark Nook to deliver 90+ majors from its 900-acre campus in Black Hawk County. Lauded for America’s 102nd best college food on Niche, UNI is ranked the 20th best Midwestern school and second top public university by the U.S. News. The Graduate College features another of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa and the 133rd best part-time MBA nationally.
Accounting (MAcc)
Headed by Dr. Mary Christ, the Accounting (MAcc) at Northern Iowa has reached a CPA pass rate that’s six times the national average by sparking post-grads’ applied financial knowledge and leadership capacities for upper-level management roles. Requiring a minimum “B” average, the 30-credit degree has tenured faculty delivering close-knit courses like managerial accounting, fraud examination, accounting information systems, and risk management. Majors might also join Accounting Club, practice with the VITA Project, engage globally from Europe to Asia, and intern with Honkamp Krueger.
Accreditation
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
Curris Building 329
1227 W. 27th St.
Cedar Falls, IA 50614
(319) 273-2108
mary.christ@uni.edu
Upper Iowa University
School of Business
Given “Military Friendly” status, Upper Iowa University is a private, nonsectarian CIC teaching institution endowed for $15 million under President William R. Duffy that’s enrolling 6,158 Peacocks upon its 100-acre Fayette campus and online. Picked as America’s 404th most diverse college on Niche, UIU is ranked 25th by Online Degree Reviews and 211th among Midwestern values in Washington Monthly. Led by Dean Betty Whitesell, PhD, the School of Business holds a 17:1 student-faculty ratio to deliver one of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa for full-time yearly tuition at $28,850.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting
Delivered 100 percent online or at Fayette, Des Moines, Madison, Quad Cities, and Waterloo centers, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting suits UIU post-grads seeking the ethical management practices for today’s regulated financial services market. The 36-credit major offers six, eight-week terms annually for speeding through courses like corporate entrepreneurship, economic change, team building, and auditing. Students could supplement the “Education Built for Life” with the Post-Graduate Certificate in Organizational Development and study abroad trips to Belfast.
Accreditation
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Contact
605 Washington St.
P.O. Box 1857
Fayette, IA 52142
(563) 425-5840
whitesellb@uiu.edu
According to The Gazette, the job outlook for college grads is exceptional with 46 percent of employers reporting hiring increases in 2015. Forbes particularly recognized Iowa for having America’s 18th best economic climate with low unemployment at 3.1 percent. Therefore, attending one of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Iowa could mean shorter job searches down the road.
See also: Top 35 Online Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs 2017
