The Best Bachelor's in Accounting Programs in Oregon for 2027
Key Points: Best Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon
- Oregon State University ranks #1 in Oregon on an 85.0 Program Score, with a 70% graduation rate.
- Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies graduates the most students on this list (100%), from #5.
- Private schools hold most of the places on this list.
- The #1 program is also the lowest-tuition program on the list, so the best value and the best score are the same school.
- Programs analyzed
- 8
- In-state tuition range
- $11,910-$56,800
- Average graduation rate
- 67%
- Median salary (BLS)
- $87,660
The best accounting programs in Oregon are not the ones with the fanciest brochures. They are the ones that get students to a diploma affordably and place them in jobs that use the degree. This ranking scores 8 programs across the state on the Program Score, a composite of graduation rate, admission selectivity, net cost, and outcomes built from IPEDS and BLS data. What follows is a straight look at cost, licensure, accreditation, and format, so you can see exactly where each program stands before you apply, and why two schools with similar price tags can post very different graduation rates. It is written for a high school senior comparing acceptance letters and financial aid packages just as much as for a working adult weighing a return to school for a CPA-track credential.
In-state tuition among the 8 ranked programs runs from $11,910 to $56,800 a year, and that spread, not any single average, is the number that matters. Oregon State University anchors the cheap end at $11,910 with a 70% graduation rate. The state's priciest option on this list costs nearly five times as much. Averaged across the ranked group, the graduation rate lands at 67%, proof that a lower price tag here does not automatically mean a weaker outcome. If you want the strongest value pick among these eight schools, start with the public options before you pay a private sticker price for a comparable bachelor of accounting. Neither Oregon State nor University of Oregon shows up as an outlier on cost the way three of the private schools do, which is exactly why a single median figure across all 8 would flatten a real and useful distinction.
Whether you're choosing between a public university and a private college, or weighing an on-campus seat against an online bachelor of accounting, this guide walks through what actually separates the best accounting programs in Oregon from the rest, program by program, dollar by dollar.
How the Top Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon Compare
Oregon State leads at 85.0, and George Fox closes the chart at 76.8. Longer bars rank higher.
How We Rank Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon
Each Program Score runs from 0 to 100: outcomes count for 44%, selectivity and academics for 38%, and scale and value for 18%, all from federal data. See how the weights work.
The 8 Best Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon, Ranked for 2027
The 8 best Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon, ranked by outcomes.
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · Public · online option
- Grad rate
- 70%
- Admit rate
- 77%
- In-state
- $11,910
- Out-of-state
- $35,700
Oregon State University pairs the state's top Program Score, 85, with AACSB accreditation held by fewer than 2% of accounting programs worldwide, all at an $11,910 in-state price tag.
- Program Score 85
- 70% graduation rate
- $11,910 in-state tuition
- AACSB accredited, held by fewer than 2% of programs worldwide
Oregon State University's Accountancy program runs out of Corvallis, with a fully online Ecampus track and a hybrid option through OSU-Cascades, so you can earn the same degree without relocating. The program holds AACSB accreditation, a distinction the school says fewer than 2% of accounting programs worldwide hold. You can also add one of three options to the major: Dean's Academy, Information Security, Assurance and Analytics, or International Business, on top of core coursework in financial statement prep, tax compliance, and the full audit process. CPA exam education requirements vary by state, and OSU's page is upfront that you'll need to check the specific rules for wherever you plan to get licensed.
OSU posted Oregon's top Program Score, 85, built on a 70% graduation rate, a 77% admit rate, and an enrollment base of more than 37,000 students that gives the accounting program real institutional backing. In-state tuition is $11,910 a year; out-of-state students pay $35,700, nearly three times as much, so the biggest financial win here goes to Oregon residents or anyone using the Ecampus option instead of paying the out-of-state premium. It's the strongest fit if you want an AACSB-accredited degree at public-school pricing with a real online path already built in.
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR · Public
- Grad rate
- 72%
- Admit rate
- 88%
- In-state
- $12,726
- Out-of-state
- $39,922
University of Oregon's 3+1 Accounting Pathway lets AP or IB credit holders finish a bachelor's and a Master of Accounting on the same four-year timeline most students spend on a bachelor's alone.
- Program Score 83.9
- 72% graduation rate, tied for second-highest in this ranking
- $12,726 in-state tuition
- 3+1 Accounting Pathway to a Master of Accounting in 4 years total
University of Oregon's accounting major sits inside the Lundquist College of Business and leads to a BA or BS built around financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, and taxation. Students who enter with AP or IB credit can apply for the 3+1 Accounting Pathway, finishing the undergraduate degree in three years and the Master of Accounting in a fourth, so you can walk away with both degrees on the same four-year timeline most students spend on a bachelor's alone. Getting into the major itself takes a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a C- or better in every pre-business core course, so admission isn't automatic just because you enrolled at UO.
UO earned Oregon's second-highest Program Score, 83.9, with a 72% graduation rate, tied for the second-best mark in this ranking behind University of Portland's 80%, and an 88% admit rate that makes the university itself easy to get into (the accounting major's GPA gate does the real filtering later). In-state tuition runs $12,726 a year versus $39,922 out-of-state, a little over three times as much, so like OSU, this program rewards Oregon residency. It's built for students who want a faster route to a graduate accounting credential without transferring schools or tacking on a full extra year.
University of Portland
Portland, OR · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 80%
- Admit rate
- 89%
- In-state
- $56,800
- Out-of-state
- $56,800
University of Portland's 80% graduation rate is the highest among the 8 accounting programs in this ranking, and its 4+1 BBA/MBA folds the 150 credit hours of Oregon's one-year-experience CPA route into five years instead of six.
- Program Score 82
- 80% graduation rate, highest of the 8 programs in this ranking
- $56,800 flat tuition, same in-state and out-of-state
- 4+1 BBA/MBA meets Oregon's 150-credit-hour CPA route
University of Portland's BBA in Accounting centers on a 4+1 BBA/MBA option that adds a master's onto the bachelor's for a combined five-year timeline. The school states that path meets the 150-credit-hour requirement for one of Oregon's routes to CPA licensure, which answers the extra-credit-hour math that trips up a lot of accounting majors. Coursework runs through auditing, taxation, fraud and forensics, and advanced accounting, and you can specialize in a CPA tax, CPA business analytics, or corporate accounting concentration, or skip a concentration for electives if certification isn't the goal.
Portland's Program Score of 82 is anchored by the best graduation rate on this list, 80%, plus an 89% admit rate, one of the more open in this ranking, though George Fox's 94% admit rate is the highest among the 8 programs here. That access comes at a private-school price: tuition is a flat $56,800 a year regardless of residency, roughly 4.8 times OSU's in-state rate and about 1.6 times OSU's out-of-state rate. It's the pick for students who want the 150-credit-hour CPA path built into a single five-year plan and can afford the private tuition to get there.
Bushnell University
Eugene, OR · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 56%
- Admit rate
- 67%
- In-state
- $35,500
- Out-of-state
- $35,500
Bushnell University's accounting program is run by a CPA and CMA credentialed director and compresses a bachelor's and master's into a five-year Accelerated Dual Pathway, though its 56% graduation rate trails all but one of the 8 ranked programs, Warner Pacific's traditional track at 49%.
- Program Score 79.9
- $35,500 flat tuition
- 67% admit rate, second-most selective of the 8 programs here
- 4+1 Accelerated Dual Pathway to a bachelor's and master's in 5 years
Bushnell University's accounting major and minor sit in the School of Business, Leadership, & Technology, led by program director Shelly Hartzell, a CPA and CMA. The program page says the coursework builds the technical skills needed for the CPA exam, and students can aim toward public accounting, corporate accounting, or wealth management. Bushnell also runs an Accelerated Dual Pathway, a 4+1 option that combines the bachelor's with a master's degree in five years total through a streamlined application process rather than a separate graduate application.
Bushnell's Program Score of 79.9 ranks fourth among the 8 programs in this ranking, driven mainly by a 56% graduation rate, well below OSU's 70%, UO's 72%, and Portland's 80%. Admission stands at 67%, tighter than the public schools' and Portland's rates but not as selective as Warner Pacific's Professional and Graduate Studies program at 59%, the most selective of the 8. Tuition is a flat $35,500 a year regardless of residency, well under Portland's $56,800 but nearly three times OSU's in-state rate. University-wide enrollment is 761, a small campus, so this fits students who want a CPA-focused curriculum with a named faculty mentor and are comfortable trading a lower graduation rate for that scale and a private-school price below Portland's.
Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies
Portland, OR · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 100%
- Admit rate
- 59%
- In-state
- $14,640
- Out-of-state
- $14,640
Warner Pacific's Professional and Graduate Studies division prices its online accounting bachelor's at $14,640, the cheapest tuition among the 6 private programs in this ranking, and admits 59% of applicants.
- $14,640 tuition (in-state and out-of-state)
- 59% admit rate
- Program Score 79.4
- Accelerated online BA in Accounting for working adults
Warner Pacific University's Professional and Graduate Studies division runs the accelerated online Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, built for working adults who cannot sit in a Tuesday classroom. The school's program page frames it as the flexible alternative to Warner Pacific's traditional, in-person Bachelor of Science in Accounting, covering the same core ground: GAAP, federal tax law, accounting controls, and auditing. The school reports that 95% of its accounting graduates find work after graduation, a figure it states directly on the program page.
The numbers back the pitch for a working-adult track. Tuition runs $14,640, the same for Oregon residents and out-of-state students, below every other private program in this ranking, though still a bit higher than the two public options, Oregon State's $11,910 and University of Oregon's $12,726. Admissions accept 59% of applicants, the most selective admit rate of the 8 programs in this ranking, across a division enrollment of 257 students. The Program Score of 79.4 reflects that combination: an affordable online path tied to a recognized accounting curriculum, best suited to adult learners who need flexibility over a traditional four-year campus experience.
George Fox University
Newberg, OR · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 72%
- Admit rate
- 94%
- In-state
- $40,600
- Out-of-state
- $40,600
George Fox University admits 94% of applicants into a Business Administration major that works managerial accounting into a four-concentration curriculum, and 72% of its students graduate.
- 94% admit rate
- 72% graduation rate
- $40,600 tuition (flat rate)
- Four concentrations, incl. managerial accounting coursework
George Fox University's Business Administration major is the broad track: a Bachelor of Arts that lets students combine accounting, economics, finance, and marketing rather than lock into one lane early. The program page lists four concentrations, Management, Marketing, Finance, and Healthcare Administration, and the Management concentration specifically works managerial accounting into its coursework alongside strategic management and business law. The major is accredited through the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and it feeds directly into George Fox's MBA program for students who want to keep going.
Access here is wide open: George Fox admits 94% of applicants, tied for the highest admit rate in this ranking, and 72% of students who enroll go on to graduate, a completion rate that ties UO and George Fox's own accounting concentration, behind only University of Portland's 80%. Tuition runs a flat $40,600 for residents and non-residents alike, nearly three times Warner Pacific's online rate, the tradeoff for a much larger campus (enrollment 4,916) and access to the Ignite mentorship program, which pairs students with industry professionals. The Program Score of 79.4 weighs that strong completion and wide admission against tuition that's higher than every program here except University of Portland's $56,800. It fits a student who wants breadth across the business curriculum rather than a narrow accounting concentration, and who is not chasing the lowest price tag.
Warner Pacific University
Portland, OR · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 49%
- Admit rate
- 71%
- In-state
- $21,260
- Out-of-state
- $21,260
Warner Pacific University's on-campus BS in Accounting runs 57 major credits and reports 95% of its accounting graduates find work by graduation, even though the university's overall graduation rate is just 49%.
- 57 major credits, 2.5 min. HS GPA to enter
- 71% admit rate
- 49% graduation rate
- 95% of accounting grads report finding work (school-reported)
This is Warner Pacific University's traditional, in-person Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a four-year degree built around 57 major credits with a 2.5 minimum high school GPA for admission. The program page walks through a functional curriculum: GAAP, federal tax law, accounting controls, and auditing, alongside decision-making, risk analysis, and reporting skills meant to prepare graduates for roles like accountant, financial analyst, or budget analyst. The school states that 99% of its students receive some form of financial aid and that 95% of accounting graduates find work upon graduation, both figures it reports directly rather than figures independently verified here.
The honest tension is completion versus placement. Admissions accept 71% of applicants into a program with 378 total students, but the university's overall graduation rate sits at 49%, the lowest of the 8 Oregon programs in this ranking and well under George Fox's 72%. Tuition runs $21,260 flat, $6,620 more than Warner Pacific's own online accounting track through its Professional and Graduate Studies division. The Program Score of 77.3 reflects that gap: a specific, credit-mapped accounting curriculum with a stated placement claim, offset by a graduation rate that says a meaningful share of students who start here do not finish. It suits a student who wants the traditional campus experience and is confident about finishing what they start, not a low-risk bet for someone who needs more structure to stay on track.
George Fox University
Newberg, OR · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 72%
- Admit rate
- 94%
- In-state
- $40,600
- Out-of-state
- $40,600
George Fox University's accounting concentration reports 95% of students have accounting jobs by graduation and 100% have offers within six months, with eight CPA firms recruiting on campus.
- 95% of students have accounting jobs by graduation (school-reported)
- 100% report job offers within 6 months
- 94% admit rate / 72% graduation rate
- Curriculum includes Python and Tableau alongside CPA-track coursework
This is George Fox University's dedicated Accounting Concentration, housed inside its financial services major rather than sold as a standalone degree. The program page is specific about outcomes: the school reports that 95% of its accounting students have professional accounting jobs by graduation and 100% have an offer within six months, with eight CPA firms, international, regional, and local, recruiting students directly for internships and jobs. Curriculum leans technical, with the page citing coursework in advanced Excel, Python, and Tableau layered onto standard accounting topics, and it names graduate employers including KPMG, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Moss Adams, and Columbia Sportswear.
The underlying school numbers match George Fox's business major: a 94% admit rate and a 72% graduation rate, both strong relative to the other Oregon programs here, at a flat tuition of $40,600 across 4,916 total students. That puts this concentration just behind George Fox's own Business Administration major in Program Score, 76.8 versus 79.4, a gap that comes from a narrower program footprint rather than weaker outcomes. For context, the BLS puts the national median accountant and auditor salary at $87,660 a year, the baseline every school on this list is measured against. Between the two George Fox pages, this concentration is the better fit for a student who already wants to sit for the CPA exam and work in public accounting, given its named firm recruiting pipeline and data-tool coursework.
Graduation Rates at the Ranked Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon
The median school on this list graduates 72% of its students. The highest rates belong to Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies (100%) and University of Portland (80%). The top graduation rate is not at the #1 school, because the score also weighs selectivity, cost, and earnings.
- #5 Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies100% graduation rate
- #3 University of Portland80% graduation rate
- #2 University of Oregon72% graduation rate
Institution-wide graduation rates reported to IPEDS. They describe the whole school, not this program alone.
How Selective Are the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon?
Every school here that reports an admit rate takes at least half of its applicants; the median is 83%.
- #5 Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies59% admitted
- #4 Bushnell University67% admitted
- #7 Warner Pacific University71% admitted
Institution-wide admit rates for first-time applicants, reported to IPEDS. Open-admission schools do not report one.
Public and Private Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon
This list holds 2 public and 6 private nonprofit schools. Their median Program Scores: 84.5 public and 79.4 private nonprofit.
Control (public, private nonprofit, for-profit) as reported to IPEDS. Public schools usually charge residents less; private schools charge everyone the same rate.
Where the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon Are
The 8 ranked schools are spread across 4 cities. Portland (3), Eugene (2), and Newberg (2) are the only ones with more than one ranked school.
Main campus city as reported to IPEDS.
Campus Size Across the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon
Enrollment on this list runs from 257 at Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies to 37,163 at Oregon State University. Of the 8, 2 enroll 20,000 students or more and 6 enroll fewer than 5,000.
Total institution enrollment reported to IPEDS, all levels and programs.
What Graduates of the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in Oregon Earn
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years outEarnings, 4 yrs | Average net priceNet price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oregon State UniversityOregon State | $75,219 | $21,504 |
| #2 | University of OregonOregon | $85,438 | $22,547 |
| #3 | University of PortlandPortland | $95,686 | $28,803 |
| #5 | Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate StudiesWarner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies | $77,653 | |
| #6 | George Fox UniversityGeorge Fox | $83,423 | $31,648 |
| #7 | Warner Pacific UniversityWarner Pacific | $77,653 | $17,739 |
| #8 | George Fox UniversityGeorge Fox | $83,423 | $31,648 |
Graduates of Portland earn the most four years after finishing, a median of $95,686; the lowest figure here is $75,219 at Oregon State.
Oregon State, the highest-ranked of these schools (#1), comes in at $75,219.
Net price, what the average aided undergraduate pays after grants, ranges from $17,739 a year at Warner Pacific to $31,648 at George Fox.
College Scorecard, October 2026 release. Earnings cover each school's programs in this field at this degree level; net price is for full-time first-time undergraduates receiving aid.
What the Best Bachelor's in Accounting Programs in Oregon Cost
In-state tuition among the 8 accounting programs ranked here spans $11,910 to $56,800 a year, a gap wide enough that the sticker price alone tells you almost nothing about value. Oregon State University, the top-ranked program, charges $11,910 with a 70% graduation rate. University of Portland, ranked third, charges $56,800, nearly five times as much, but posts the highest graduation rate on the list at 80%.
University of Oregon lands second overall at $12,726 in-state tuition with a 72% graduation rate, essentially matching Oregon State's price for a two-point completion edge, an $816-a-year gap if you're picking between the state's two flagship publics rather than against the private options. Turn tuition into a per-point cost and the public schools win by a wide margin: Oregon State costs about $170 for every percentage point of its 70% graduation rate ($11,910 divided by 70), while University of Portland costs about $710 per point of its 80% rate ($56,800 divided by 80), more than four times as much per point of completion. Paying more does not reliably buy a better finish rate here.
Not every private option costs as much as University of Portland. Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies charges $14,640, close to the public schools, while Warner Pacific's traditional undergraduate track runs $21,260. Bushnell University sits in the middle of the range at $35,500. Across this list, the pattern holds: public tuition runs a third to a half of the typical private price, and the graduation-rate payoff for paying more is inconsistent. George Fox posts a 72% graduation rate at $40,600 while Warner Pacific's undergraduate program posts 49% at $21,260, a lower completion rate at a lower private price, not a higher one.
Run the four-year math and the gap gets even more concrete. Oregon State's total in-state tuition over four years is $47,640, four times $11,910. University of Portland's total is $227,200, four times $56,800, a $179,560 difference. The national median salary for accountants and auditors is $87,660 a year, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. That means the tuition gap alone equals about two years of a typical accountant's gross salary, before you even count interest on any loans. Unless a private school's smaller classes or internship network are worth two years of pay to you, the public option is the harder number to beat. Run the same math against your own expected debt load and interest rate before you sign a financial aid offer; the four-year totals above use sticker in-state tuition only and do not include books, housing, fees, or any aid you might qualify for.
Published annual tuition and required fees reported to IPEDS. Private schools charge one rate regardless of residency; public schools charge non-residents the out-of-state rate shown on each card.
How to Become a CPA in Oregon
Oregon's SB 797 replaced the old 120-hour exam threshold with a bachelor's degree on January 1, 2026 and opened a bachelor's-only license route with two years (4,000 hours) of supervised experience. 150 hours or a master's keeps the one-year route.
| Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's with an accounting concentration | 2 years | Available since January 2026 |
| 150 semester hours, or a master's | 1 year | Available |
To sit for the exam: a bachelor's degree with 24 upper-division accounting and 24 accounting-related semester hours. Every route also requires passing all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination.
A bachelor's in accounting from this list can now lead to a license in Oregon with no fifth year of coursework, by way of the two-year route. Taking the extra 30 credits now buys a shorter apprenticeship instead, one year of experience rather than two.
Checked against the Oregon Board of Accountancy and the law behind it in October 2026. These rules are changing state by state, so confirm them with the board before you plan a course schedule around them.
Accreditation That Matters for Bachelor's in Accounting Programs
The accreditation that matters most for accounting programs is AACSB, the specialized accreditor for business and accounting degree programs. AACSB accredits a minority of business schools worldwide, and its review covers faculty qualifications, curriculum rigor, and student outcomes on an ongoing cycle, not a one-time application fee.
Every school on this list also carries regional institutional accreditation, the baseline that makes your credits transferable and your degree eligible for federal financial aid. AACSB, where a school holds it, is a second, higher bar layered on top of that for the business program specifically, and it is the one worth asking about by name when you tour a campus or call admissions, since a school can be a legitimate, regionally accredited university without its business program holding the specialty accreditation employers in finance and accounting recognize first.
Check each school's accounting program page directly for its AACSB status before you apply, since accreditation can change and this ranking's data does not include a page-by-page accreditation audit. An accredited business school matters most if you plan to transfer credits, pursue a graduate degree later, or want recruiters at national firms to recognize the name without explanation.
Accreditation status can also affect your CPA pathway indirectly. Some state boards give more benefit of the doubt to coursework from an accredited program when they review your credit count, which matters if you are stacking credits from a community college or a second school. Ask an admissions counselor how a program handles transfer credit toward that total before you enroll somewhere else to save money and risk retaking courses later.
Bachelor's vs. Other Accounting Degree Levels
Every one of the 8 best accounting programs in Oregon ranked here is a Bachelor's. That is deliberate. A Bachelor's is the credential that satisfies Oregon's baseline coursework requirement for the CPA exam, the degree level with the most complete IPEDS graduation-rate and cost data, and the entry point most 18-to-22-year-old applicants are actually comparing when they search for accounting programs in this state.
That focus leaves out graduate accounting degrees like the Master of Accountancy, which some of these same schools may also offer, and it leaves out two-year and certificate options entirely. If you already hold a Bachelor's in another field, or you want the extra 30 credits toward the CPA's 150-hour route built into a single program, a graduate accounting degree is worth researching separately.
A Master of Accountancy typically adds 30 to 36 credit hours on top of a finished Bachelor's, which lines up closely with the 30 extra credits Oregon's 150-hour route requires. An integrated five-year Bachelor's-to-master's track usually costs less in total tuition than a standalone Bachelor's followed by a separate graduate program later, since you are not paying application fees and general-education requirements twice.
This ranking sticks to the Bachelor's because it is the decision point most readers comparing accounting degree options in Oregon are actually facing, and because it is the level IPEDS reports graduation-rate and cost data for most completely across all 8 schools. If you are already past that decision and weighing graduate programs instead, the same cost-per-outcome math in this guide still applies; just substitute the graduate tuition and timeline for the Bachelor's numbers here, and weigh the extra year of tuition against the extra year of a working accountant's salary before you decide it is worth it.
Online Bachelor's in Accounting Programs in Oregon
Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies is built for the working adult and adult-completion student, the kind of applicant online and accelerated accounting programs are designed for. It ranks fifth overall with a 79.4 Program Score and $14,640 in-state tuition, cheaper than every private competitor on this list except itself.
An online or accelerated format fits you if you're already working full time, you have transfer credit from a community college, or you need evening and weekend scheduling to keep a job while you finish a Bachelor's. It fits you less well if you want the recruiting pipeline and on-campus internship connections that come with a traditional four-year track, the kind Oregon State and University of Oregon, the two highest-ranked accounting programs in this list, are built around.
Before you commit to an online seat, confirm three things directly with the school: whether the online section is taught by the same faculty as the on-campus section, whether your diploma reads any differently for an online degree, and whether the program's AACSB status, where the school holds it, covers the online delivery format specifically. Most legitimate accredited programs answer all three the same way for online and on-campus students, but it is worth confirming before you enroll rather than after, especially if you are relocating out of state and need your degree and license to transfer cleanly.
None of the tuition figures in this ranking distinguish an online rate from an on-campus rate. If a school prices online coursework differently, and some do, that number will not show up in the $11,910-to-$56,800 range above. Ask for the specific online per-credit rate before you assume the published in-state tuition applies to a fully online bachelor of accounting. A per-credit quote also makes it easy to compare a slower, part-time online pace against the four-year full-time totals used everywhere else in this guide.
- #1 Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR
- #4 Bushnell UniversityEugene, OR
- #5 Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate StudiesPortland, OR
Based on each school reporting distance-education offerings to IPEDS. Whether this specific degree is fully online varies, so confirm the format with the school.
Accounting Careers and Salary Outlook
Nationally, accountants and auditors earn a median salary of $87,660 a year, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. That figure is the same whether you graduate from Oregon State or University of Portland. It reflects the national labor market for the occupation, not any single school's outcomes. For state-and-metro-level pay detail, the BLS also publishes Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics broken out by geography and by percentile, not just the median. Graduates of any of the 8 accounting programs in this ranking step into that same national labor market on day one, whichever school issued the diploma.
What separates graduates of the strongest accounting programs is not the salary ceiling, which is set nationally, but how fast they get to a CPA and how little debt they carry getting there. A graduate from Oregon State's $11,910-a-year program who passes the CPA exam on a normal timeline starts that same $87,660 median salary with roughly a quarter of the debt exposure of a University of Portland graduate paying $56,800 a year for the same eventual license. That is the real argument for starting the cost comparison with tuition, not with brand name.
Entry-level roles for new graduates cluster around staff accountant, junior auditor, and bookkeeping-adjacent positions at public accounting firms, corporate finance departments, and government agencies. Progression toward senior accountant, controller, or partner at a public firm generally tracks with CPA licensure, not just years on the job. None of that changes which school produced you: the credential and the experience carry you up the ladder from here, not the name on the diploma.
The CPA license is the biggest single lever on that salary over a career, bigger than the choice between any two of the 8 schools in this ranking. If cost is tight, the math above says start with the cheapest accredited option that gets you to graduation and to the CPA exam, not the most expensive one that might. Compare each school's total four-year cost against your realistic timeline to the CPA, not just the sticker price on a single year, before you decide which number actually represents your investment.