The Best Associate's in Accounting in Wisconsin for 2026

Moraine Park Technical College's Accounting associate degree (AAS) is a 66-credit, two-year program available online and across three campuses: Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac, and West Bend. Coursework covers auditing, financial and cost principles, payroll preparation, tax accounting, risk management, and digital systems like QuickBooks, building toward roles such as accountant, cost accountant, staff accountant, and individual income tax preparer. The college cites local Lightcast wage data putting the field's entry-to-experienced range in its district at $40,263 to $55,379 a year, and offers stackable options along the way, including a Bookkeeper Technical Diploma and a Tax Preparer Assistant Certificate.

Moraine Park's 58% graduation rate and 87.1 Hakia Score place it fourth among Wisconsin's ranked associate's-in-accounting programs for 2026. In-state tuition is $4,462 versus $6,727 out-of-state, a $2,265 gap, in line with the other three programs on this list; the college's own cost estimate for the full degree runs $11,794.20 in tuition and fees. With 4,171 students enrolled across three physical campuses plus a fully online track, it fits students who need geographic flexibility in the Fond du Lac region more than students chasing the single highest completion rate here.

Gateway Technical College's Accounting associate degree is a 64-credit program offered on campus in Kenosha and Elkhorn or fully online. Coursework builds skill in QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, and professional income tax software, and students can stack in the Tax Preparer Assistant or Payroll Assistant certificates and the Accounting Assistant technical diploma along the way, plus a Computerized Accounting Using QuickBooks digital badge. Gateway also points students toward internships, study abroad, and its Collegiate DECA club for applied experience.

The program carries a 51% graduation rate and an 84.4 Hakia Score, the No. 5 accounting associate program in Wisconsin for 2026 on that composite. In-state tuition runs $4,485 a year against $6,728 out-of-state, a $2,243 annual premium for nonresidents; Gateway's own estimate for tuition, fees, books, and supplies across the full program totals $16,401. Nationally, the BLS reports a $54,920 median wage for accountants and auditors, context for where a later bachelor's transfer can lead. With 10,100 students enrolled campus-wide and 94.4% of accounting graduates employed within six months, Gateway fits students who want a fast, low-cost route into bookkeeping or staff accountant work.

Waukesha County Technical College's Accounting program is a 62-credit Associate of Applied Science built for a two-year finish, with August and January start dates and classes offered online, on campus, and in daytime blocks. Students learn to prepare, interpret, and analyze financial information and get hands-on with business accounting software; the program runs a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site through La Casa for live client work and includes capstone and internship placements. WCTC lists program-to-program transfer agreements that carry graduates toward a bachelor's degree and eventual CPA licensure.

WCTC's accounting associate posts a 44% graduation rate and an 82.7 Hakia Score, ranking No. 6 among Wisconsin's 2026 accounting associate programs. Tuition runs $4,485 a year in-state and $6,728 out-of-state, the same $2,243 nonresident gap seen across the state's technical college system. WCTC cites Lightcast wage data putting related Waukesha County roles at $46,400 to $73,600 a year, a range that straddles the $54,920 national median BLS reports for accountants and auditors. With 8,367 students enrolled and an application built on a high school transcript, ACT, or ACCUPLACER score rather than competitive admission, WCTC fits students who want a direct, credential-based route into accounts payable, receivable, or bookkeeping supervisory roles.

Northcentral Technical College's Accounting Associate Degree is a 62-credit program available 100% online or across NTC's Wausau, Antigo, Medford, Phillips, Spencer, and Wittenberg campuses. Coursework runs through general accounting, individual and payroll tax, cost accounting, and accounting information systems, and the program is structured so students sit for the NACPB Bookkeeper Certification exam, a $100 fee built into the Accounting Capstone term, before they graduate. The degree is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, and NTC lists direct transfer agreements into bachelor's programs at 13 partner colleges, including UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior.

NTC's accounting associate carries a 45% graduation rate and an 82.2 Hakia Score, the No. 7 ranked accounting associate program in Wisconsin for 2026. In-state tuition is $4,485 a year against $6,728 out-of-state, a $2,243 nonresident gap consistent with the state's technical college system. NTC's own Graduate Outcomes Report puts starting pay for completers between $21,216 and $51,428, below the $54,920 national median BLS reports for accountants and auditors, a gap that reflects the entry-level bookkeeping and payroll roles this associate degree targets. With 6,746 students enrolled system-wide, NTC fits students who want a bookkeeping certification built into the degree and a wide multi-school transfer map rather than a single university partner.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College's Accounting associate degree runs 65 credits across the Green Bay, Marinette, and Sturgeon Bay campuses, with day, evening, full-time, part-time, and online delivery. Students move through Accounting 1 and 2, payroll, intermediate, cost, and managerial accounting alongside personal and business tax courses, and can carry in credits from the Accounting Assistant technical diploma or Small Business Bookkeeping certificate. The program is ACBSP-accredited, and NWTC lists Certified Public Accountant among the roles graduates can reach with additional education, plus transfer agreements into four-year business degrees.

NWTC's accounting associate posts a 51% graduation rate, tied for the highest in this group, and an 81.8 Hakia Score that ranks it No. 8 among Wisconsin's 2026 accounting associate programs. In-state tuition runs $4,485 a year versus $6,728 out-of-state, the same $2,243 nonresident premium seen system-wide. NWTC's own Graduate Outcome Survey reports 92% of graduates employed, with 50% working in the accounting field, at a 3-year median wage of $44,500, below the $54,920 national median BLS reports for accountants and auditors, consistent with an associate-level bookkeeping and accounts-payable/receivable track. With 11,826 students enrolled, the largest of this group, NWTC fits students who want maximum schedule flexibility across three regional campuses.

Rasmussen University-Wisconsin is a private, for-profit institution in Green Bay, WI. Its Associate's in Accounting program ranks #9 of the 12 analyzed here with an 81.5 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 84.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 57% of its students, above the 52% average across the ranked schools. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 34% to 66%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 55 students.

On cost, Rasmussen University-Wisconsin charges $13,929 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $27,858 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,339 at Mid-State Technical College to $13,929 at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $54,920 national median salary reported by the BLS. That median runs roughly 4x the program's annual in-state tuition. For prospective students, the main draw here is its above-average completion.

Based in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, Mid-State Technical College is a public institution. Its Associate's in Accounting program lands at #10 of the 12 ranked here, earning an 80.2 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 84.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 52% of its students, above the 52% average across the ranked schools. Mid-State Technical College holds an open-admission policy, accepting every qualified applicant. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 34% to 66%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 3,144 students.

On cost, Mid-State Technical College charges $4,339 a year in-state, versus $6,508 for out-of-state students. Over two years that is about $8,678 in tuition for residents, against $13,016 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,339 at Mid-State Technical College to $13,929 at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin. Graduates step into a field with a $54,920 national median salary reported by the BLS. That median runs roughly 13x the program's annual in-state tuition. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with above-average completion.

Based in La Crosse, WI, Western Technical College is a public institution. Its Associate's in Accounting program lands at #11 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 78.4 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 84.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 34% of its students, below the 52% average across the ranked schools. Western Technical College holds an open-admission policy, accepting every qualified applicant. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 34% to 66%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 3,625 students.

On cost, Western Technical College charges $4,462 a year in-state, versus $6,720 for out-of-state students. Over two years that is about $8,924 in tuition for residents, against $13,440 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,339 at Mid-State Technical College to $13,929 at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin. Graduates step into a field with a $54,920 national median salary reported by the BLS. That median runs roughly 12x the program's annual in-state tuition. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Based in Cleveland, WI, Lakeshore Technical College is a public institution. Its Associate's in Accounting program lands at #12 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 75.7 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 84.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 50% of its students, below the 52% average across the ranked schools. Lakeshore Technical College holds an open-admission policy, accepting every qualified applicant. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 34% to 66%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 3,303 students.

On cost, Lakeshore Technical College charges $4,485 a year in-state, versus $6,728 for out-of-state students. Over two years that is about $8,970 in tuition for residents, against $13,456 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,339 at Mid-State Technical College to $13,929 at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin. Graduates step into a field with a $54,920 national median salary reported by the BLS. That median runs roughly 12x the program's annual in-state tuition. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.