The Best Master's in Accounting Programs in California for 2027

Loyola Marymount University (LMU) offers a 30-unit Master of Science in Accounting for students from all academic backgrounds. The school says it supports the path to a California CPA license and can be completed full time in as few as 9 months, part time in about 2 years, or over as long as 5 years, with completed prerequisites. Classes are on campus on weekdays and weeknights. Students take advanced accounting core courses and choose electives in accounting, finance, taxation and business analytics. The program is STEM-designated and offers a Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program scholarship opportunity. For the Class of 2025, LMU reports 100% full-time employment and a 38% Big 4 employment rate, both within 3 months of graduation. An undergraduate accounting degree is not required, but applicants need Financial Accounting and Managerial/Cost Accounting.

The program has a Program Score of 90.3 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. LMU's federal graduation rate is 79% and its admit rate is 45%. Applicants need a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher and GMAT or GRE scores unless waived. It fits career changers and accounting majors who want a short route toward CPA coursework.

The University of the Pacific's Master of Accounting (MAcc), housed in the Eberhardt School of Business in Stockton, is built to satisfy California's CPA education rules. Students with an accounting undergraduate degree finish in two semesters; those coming from another field finish in three to four. The curriculum layers in seven units of ethics coursework plus advanced classes in Forensic Accounting, Advanced Federal Taxation, and Financial Statement Analysis, and Eberhardt is AACSB accredited. The school's own page reports a 90% employment rate within six months of graduation, including placements at the Big Four, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC, and cites starting pay up to $72,000 within six months.

Pacific carries a Program Score of 83.1, second highest of these four, backed by a 69% graduation rate and a 71% admit rate. Tuition is $56,140, flat for in-state and out-of-state students since Pacific is private; enrollment across the university is 6,944. That $72,000 early-career figure sits below the BLS national median of $94,160 a year for accountants and auditors, consistent with an entry-level outcome that climbs with experience. One fact overrides the rest for anyone planning ahead: Pacific's own page states the MAcc will no longer be offered effective Summer 2026, so prospective applicants should confirm current status directly with the Eberhardt School before applying.

Mount Saint Mary's University does not run a standalone accounting master's; its accounting training sits inside the hybrid, weekend MBA program in Los Angeles as a Finance and Accounting concentration. That concentration is six units taken in the final semester, one advanced accounting course (3 units) and one advanced finance course (3 units), layered onto an MBA that runs 12 to 16 months, three to four semesters, with classes every other weekend and no GRE or GMAT required.

MSMU's Program Score is 80.7, third of these four, reflecting a 53% graduation rate against a 73% admit rate. Tuition is $48,104, flat for in-state and out-of-state students since MSMU is private nonprofit; total enrollment is 2,312. This path fits someone who wants a general management credential with an accounting tilt, not deep technical preparation for the CPA exam; the AICPA tracks the 150-hour education route many California CPA candidates take, and a 6-unit concentration alone will not cover it. The national median for the field, per the BLS, is $94,160 a year.

The Master of Science in Accountancy at California State University-Fullerton's College of Business and Economics comes in two formats. The traditional track starts in fall or spring, schedules two to four courses a semester in the evenings and takes 12 to 24 months depending on course load. The cohort track starts in fall only, begins with orientation and bootcamps about three weeks before the semester, and has students take four courses a semester, mostly during the day, finishing in 10 months on a full-time load. Both formats give students the 150 hours needed to be CPA eligible. The page lists an optional winter internship that lets full-time students earn while attending school, and describes added leadership skills as a key feature. The traditional track is built so students can balance a full-time career with part-time study.

Federal data show a 70% graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton and a 91% admit rate. The program earns a Program Score of 79.9 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. The traditional format suits working accountants, and the cohort format suits students who go straight from a bachelor's degree into a full-time year of study.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona's Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) prepares students for public accounting, financial management, auditing and taxation, with coursework aligned to CPA preparation. Students choose between two tracks: a general MSA that can be completed in two academic years, and an accelerated MSA finished in one year. The general track meets in the evenings, Monday through Thursday, plus Saturdays, while the accelerated track meets on Saturdays only. The school says both tracks are AACSB-accredited and were developed in partnership with the AICPA. Applicants need a four-year bachelor's degree, a resume, a personal statement and a 2.7 GPA or higher, with 3.0 recommended. The accelerated track expects a bachelor's in accounting or advanced standing accounting coursework. The school lists a GMAT score of 500 or higher, waived for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026.

Federal data show a 68% graduation rate at Cal Poly Pomona and a 75% admit rate, so admission is moderately selective. The program earns a Program Score of 77.2 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits working professionals who need evening or Saturday classes, and recent accounting graduates who want a one-year route toward the CPA.

Saint Mary's College of California offers a hybrid Master of Science in Accounting designed for working professionals. The program can be completed in as few as 12 months, with night and weekend classes, and the school says it meets the 150-hour CPA licensure requirement for California. Students move through a small cohort, with a stated class ratio of 14:1, and work on hands-on projects. A three-month summer bootcamp is available for students without an accounting background. The school reports that its accounting graduates work in auditing, bookkeeping, payroll processing, taxation and risk analysis. It also hosts a Meet the Firms recruiting event with representatives from firms such as KPMG, Deloitte and Moss Adams, and it reports AACSB accreditation for its business school.

The federal numbers cover the college as a whole: a 70% graduation rate and an 87% admit rate, so admission is broadly accessible. The program earns a Program Score of 76.1 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits career changers and accounting graduates who want a CPA-eligible credential on a working schedule. Check the school for current deadlines, since the page lists dates for fall 2026 entry.

The University of La Verne offers a Master of Science in Accounting through its College of Business. The degree requires eight core courses and two electives, 10 courses and 30 units in all, and some students must first complete foundation courses that the program director assigns after reviewing their transcripts and experience. The program takes one to two years, or six eight-week sessions, and can be taken part time or full time. Classes run year-round with five start terms per year, and evening courses are available. The curriculum is designed to help prepare students for the CPA exam and to meet some CPA licensure requirements. The page also points to a 4+1 program and a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Careers named include controller, chief financial officer, tax specialist and audit specialist.

The Program Score is 75.2 out of 100, which is the basis of this ranking. La Verne reports a 63% graduation rate and a 71% admit rate, and it enrolls about 5,021 students as a private nonprofit. The format suits working adults who want to pursue the CPA path on a flexible, part-time schedule, as well as recent undergraduates who can take the 4+1 route.

California State University-Northridge's Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAcc) is built for career changers and aspiring accounting professionals whose undergraduate degrees are not in accounting. Students can take it full time in one year or part time in two years, and they move through the curriculum as a cohort. The 32-unit program meets California's 150-hour requirement for CPA licensure, according to the school. Students use the Becker CPA review course while enrolled, and a required culminating CPA capstone course is meant to prepare them to sit for the exam before or upon graduation. The EY Center for Careers offers a career advancement program to MPAcc students. The school says its accounting program is separately accredited by AACSB, which it notes is true of few programs in California. Admission is described as highly selective, and information sessions are offered to applicants.

Federal data show a 57% graduation rate and a 93% admit rate at Cal State Northridge. The program earns a Program Score of 74.8 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits non-accounting graduates who want a CPA-focused route into the field with either a full-time or part-time schedule.