Students who want to work in Washington and other parts of the country in accounting fields should consider enrolling in one of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington. Located on the West Coast, Washington is home to larger cities such as Seattle. Those large cities have both corporations who need accounting professionals and major accounting firms. Students who complete one of these programs can apply and take the CPA exam to find work as a certified accounting professional. As they look at all these schools, students should look closely at those that offer any type of test prep help.
See our ranking of the Top 15 Online Master’s in Forensic Accounting.
City University of Seattle
Programs
Conveniently located in Seattle, the City University of Seattle makes it easy for students today to go back to school and further their studies. The four main professors working in its graduate accounting program have decades of experience and like helping many of the adult students who sign up for this program. The City University of Seattle actually specializes in the education of adults. Its students primarily consist of those with full-time jobs who take classes at nights and on weekends. Prospective students can learn more about the program and its requirements as well as the professors they will work with before they apply.
Master of Professional Accounting
One of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington for students looking to live and work in the Seattle area is the Master of Professional Accounting that the City University of Seattle offers. This program is quite flexible and allows students to take just one class or up to three classes each semester. They can also take online courses. The program features five blocks and asks students to take classes from two of those blocks. They can study public accounting, information security audit, finance, global management or management accounting applications. Students will also take the seven classes that make up the accounting core.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
521 Wall St. Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98121
(888) 422-4898
Gonzaga University
School of Business Administration
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) granted accreditation to only 170 schools across the nation. Gonzaga University is proud of having this form of accreditation because it lets students know that they will learn more about business practices as they study accounting principles. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Gonzaga program as the 13th best graduate accounting program in the country. It has a 100% placement rate, which means that all of its graduates find work within three months of earning their degrees. More than 70% of its students pass the CPA exam on their first attempts too.
Master of Professional Accountancy (MAcc)
Students should always consider both placement and test passage rates when looking at schools. Gonzaga has high rates, which makes it one of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington. The university has its own forensics accounting lab that allows students to practice using software and trying forensic methods. They can also work with alumni and other students to get help before taking the CPA exam. Students will take one elective and 28 credits of core accounting classes. Those classes include Financial Accounting for Income Taxes, Audit Research and Practice, Advanced Topics in Financial Accounting and Advanced EXCEL.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
502 East Boone Avenue
Spokane, WA 99258-0102
(800) 986-9585
Seattle University
Albers School of Business and Economics
Another popular choice for students looking at Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington in and around Seattle is Seattle University. This private university has an affiliation with the Jesuit Catholic Church and allows students to network with alumni who work in the accounting field. Ranked as the number one top accounting graduate program in the northwest, this program also ranks as the 14th best accounting program, according to U.S. News and World Report. Students can enroll on a part-time basis and take no more than two classes each semester. They can also take a full course load and graduate in a single year.
Master of Professional Accounting
The graduate accounting program that the Seattle University Albers School of Business and Economics offers features multiple business certificates that students can earn. They can get certificates in internal auditing and other topics and use the credits they earn towards finishing their degrees. Students will take five core courses and four electives. Seattle University also requires that students take Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, which teaches them how to behave in responsible and ethical ways in the field. The university offers a number of electives for its accounting majors, including Valuation for Financial Reporting, Communication for Auditors and IT Audit.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
901 12th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 296-5700
University of Washington Bothell Campus
School of Business
The University of Washington ranks as the largest university system in the state and as one of the largest in the northwest in terms of both size and enrollment. One of the smaller campuses in this system is in Bothell. Known as UW Bothell and just Bothell, it’s home to a part-time MBA program that Bloomberg Businessweek ranks as the 13th best program in the country. This MBA program allows students to take accounting, finance and economics classes. Students can also earn a Master of Science in Accounting that focuses more on accounting and finance than business from the university.
MS Accounting
Accounting majors attended UW Bothell will find that its program ranks as one of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington and in the northwest. Designed to give students a higher return on their investment, it has a high passage rate among those who took the CPA exam for the first time and a high placement rate among graduates who found work within three to six months of completing the program. Available as both a full-time and a part-time program, it includes courses such as Financial Statement Analysis, Advanced Managerial Accounting, Strategic Cost Accounting and a seminar on Financial Accounting.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
18115 Campus Way NE
Bothell, WA 98011
(425) 352-3277
University of Washington Seattle Campus
Foster School of Business
The University of Washington has a campus in Seattle too that allows students to study accounting while they live and work in the big city. Many of its graduates find work in one of the city’s largest accounting firms after they graduate. The Foster School of Business oversees this program and accepts around 50 students into the program each year. Unlike other programs that start at different points during the year, this program requires that new students start in the fall. Prospective students must take the GMAT and submit their scores as well as submit transcripts and resumes when applying.
Master of Professional Accounting
Students studying accounting at the University of Washington Seattle have the chance to take classes in the fall, winter and summer. Though they must complete 48 credits of work, the university will accept credits earned at another graduate school or university with regional accreditation. Those who have a degree in a field other than accounting or business may need to take some university prerequisites. Students will also take classes that include Cases in Audit and Assurance, Communications in Professional Accounting and Business Ethics and Law for Accountants. As one of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington, this program also asks students to do a research project.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
460 PACCAR Hall
Box 353226
Seattle, WA 98195-3226
(206) 616-4964
University of Washington Tacoma Campus
Milgard School of Business
When designing its Master of Accounting program, the University of Washington Tacoma branch wanted to find a way to meet the needs of all students. That is why it decided to add both a part-time and a full-time program to its curriculum. The full-time program takes just nine months to finish. Students enrolled in the part-time program have up to two full years to finish their degrees. The university hosts information sessions several times each year that allow students to meet with faculty members and learn more about the program. Students can go online and register for an upcoming session.
Master of Accounting
One of the best Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington for students who have little accounting experience or knowledge is the UW Tacoma program. Its part-time program is suitable for those who need to know more about accounting. It features a larger number of classes than the nine-month program does and allows students to gain the foundation that they need in the advanced classes. The full program features 18 courses, including Business Finance, Auditing Standards and Principles, Intermediate Accounting and Planning, Control and Performance Evaluation. UW Tacoma requires that graduate accounting students either do an internship or an independent study project also.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
1900 Commerce St.
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 692-4400
Washington State University
Carson College of Business
Washington State University is a large public university with its flagship campus in Pullman. As one of the oldest schools in the state, it has a solid reputation for the degree programs and classes that it offers. The Pullman campus is home to its Carson College of Business, which believes that students should learn practical skills at the same time that they take their required classes. This is why the school encourages students to do internships and independent study projects. WSU, as many call this university, also offers test prep programs for students who want to take the CPA exam.
Masters of Accounting
Only 25% of accounting programs in Washington have AACSB accreditation, and Washington State University offers one of those programs. It emphasizes the importance of staying on top of current accounting trends and learning about those trends. This helps students understand new and emerging topics as they work in the field. Students will take two required classes and four electives in accounting and taxation subjects. They can take courses such as Contemporary Accounting Cases and Problems, Advanced Taxation and Accounting Theory. This ranks as one of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington because of its emphasis on new technology and trends.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
300 NE College Ave.
Pullman, WA 99163
(509) 335-3596
West Washington University
College of Business & Economics
Located in Bellingham, West Washington University offers a number of opportunities for students who want to live and work close to the coastline. Its College of Business & Economics offers some of the top Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington for students who want to earn a graduate degree in less time. It offers both a 3 +2 and a 4 + 1 program. The 3 + 2 is an integrated program that allows students to take three years of undergrad classes and two years of undergrad and grad classes. Each program allows students to earn both their degrees in five short years.
Master of Professional Accounting
Both the Master of Professional Accounting programs available at West Washington University requires that students enroll as undergrads. They’ll have the chance to take graduate courses without finishing a bachelor’s program first. Both programs feature both a capstone and a comprehensive exam. The capstone asks students to design and work on a research project based on a subject addressed in the capstone class. WWU requires that students take the comprehensive exam to ensure that they have the skills needed to move forward and take graduate courses. Those courses may include Advanced Accounting Information Systems, Environmental Accounting and Tax Research, Planning and Policy.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
516 High St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 650-3000
Colleges that offer test prep programs help students pass the CPA exam and any similar exam on their first attempt. They learn tips and tricks that can help as they study and take that test. Students will also learn advanced techniques and principles in any of the Master’s in Accounting programs in Washington.
