The Best Bachelor's in Accounting Programs of 2026

Florida State's Bachelor of Science in Accounting, through the Herbert Wertheim College of Business, builds on core courses in financial accounting and reporting, cost accounting, accounting information systems, federal income tax, and audit, combined with management, business analytics, and marketing coursework. Getting into upper-division accounting classes requires a B or better in ACG 2021 and ACG 2071 plus a passing score on FSU's own Accounting Competency Exam. The page is explicit that the bachelor's alone does not meet Florida's CPA licensure requirements: students need the Master of Accounting, and qualified students can use a combined bachelor's/master's pathway that counts up to nine credit hours toward both degrees.

FSU's Hakia Score is 97.4, close behind Wisconsin's, on an 86% graduation rate, the lowest of the four programs here but still well above the national norm, and a 24% admit rate that ties Florida as the most selective school on this list. In-state tuition is $4,640 a year, nearly identical to UF's $4,477, but out-of-state tuition is $19,084, a $14,444 annual gap that totals $57,776 over four years. That out-of-state price is less than half of UT Austin's $44,908 and well under Wisconsin's $40,506, making FSU the most affordable option here for students paying non-resident rates while still getting a comparably selective, comparably ranked program.

The BBA in accounting at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business is administered through the J.M. Tull School of Accounting. The curriculum covers accounting standards, financial statement preparation, product costing and budgeting, taxation, and auditing, risk assessment and control, alongside required coursework in accounting systems and professionalism in the business environment. Terry reports that more than 95% of its accounting graduates are employed within three months of graduation, with recent hires going to Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, Citi, Raymond James and The Home Depot.

Terry's Hakia Score of 97.2 is built on a 90% graduation rate and a 38% admit rate, selective for a public flagship enrolling 43,146 students. Georgia residents pay $10,034 a year, $40,136 over four years; nonresidents pay $30,272 a year, or $121,088 over four years, a premium of $80,952 across the degree. At $10,034 a year, Georgia's in-state rate is the lowest sticker price of the four programs in this group, for a program with a 90% graduation rate and direct recruiting pipelines into Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC.

The national median wage for accountants and auditors is $87,660 a year, per BLS Occupational Outlook data; it's the same figure nationwide, not a UGA-specific outcome. Measured against it, the $40,136 in-state cost of the full degree equals about 5.5 months of that median salary, one of the shortest tuition paybacks among these four programs.

Maryland's accounting major, housed in the Robert H. Smith School of Business, splits into two explicit tracks. The Public Accounting Track is built for CPA Exam eligibility: after a shared core of Intermediate Accounting I, Managerial Accounting and Accounting Systems, it requires Intermediate Accounting II, Taxation of Individuals, Ethics and Professionalism in Accounting, and Auditing Theory and Practice, the four courses the program flags as required for CPA licensure in Maryland. The Business and Accounting Advisory Track swaps some of that technical depth for a broader business elective, options include Negotiations, Operations Analytics, International Business Management and Entrepreneurship, for students headed into corporate roles that don't require CPA eligibility.

The catalog notes that 120 credits complete the accounting major, but Maryland, like most states, requires 150 credit hours before CPA licensure, tracked nationally by the AICPA, so Public Accounting Track students typically plan on coursework beyond the bachelor's degree before they're licensed. Maryland's Hakia Score of 97.2 rests on an 89% graduation rate and a 45% admit rate, the least selective of the four programs here, at a public university enrolling 41,725 students. In-state tuition is $10,087 a year, $40,348 over four years; out-of-state tuition is $39,464 a year, or $157,856 over four years, a gap of $117,508 across the degree, the largest dollar spread in this group.

The national median wage for accountants and auditors is $87,660 a year, per BLS Occupational Outlook data, the same figure nationwide and not a Maryland-specific result. Against it, the $40,348 in-state total equals about 5.5 months of that median salary; the $157,856 out-of-state total equals roughly 1.8 years of it, the real price of choosing Maryland's CPA-track curriculum as a nonresident.

Washington University's BSBA in Accounting, part of its undergraduate business program, requires 12 total units: a three-unit core course, Intermediate Financial Accounting I, plus nine units of electives. The elective list runs from standard technical training, Intermediate Financial Accounting II, Taxation of Business Entities, Auditing, Financial Statement Analysis, M&An Accounting, to specialized half-unit courses in Carbon Accounting and Not-for-Profit Accounting, a two-course Ethics sequence, and International Taxation and Advanced International Taxation. That menu lets a student weight the major toward audit, tax or specialized reporting without leaving the accounting department.

Washington University's Hakia Score of 97.2 is built on the strongest outcomes pair in this group: a 94% graduation rate against just a 12% admit rate, the tightest admission funnel of the four schools here, at a university enrolling 16,357 students total. Tuition is flat at $64,500 a year regardless of residency, $258,000 over four years before financial aid, versus $40,136 over four years for an in-state Georgia student, a difference of $217,864.

Set against the national median wage for accountants and auditors, $87,660 a year per BLS Occupational Outlook data (a national figure, not a Washington University-specific outcome), the $258,000 four-year sticker price equals about 2.9 years of that median salary before aid. That's the tradeoff behind the 94% graduation rate and 12% admit rate: a materially longer payback window than either public in-state option in this group, unless financial aid closes the gap.

Wake Forest's B.S. in Accountancy runs through the AACSB-accredited School of Business and builds the standard technical core, intermediate accounting, taxation, auditing, systems and ethics, paired with a ten-week paid accounting or finance internship built into the senior-year curriculum. The undergraduate degree feeds directly into Wake Forest's Master of Science in Accountancy: accountancy majors can apply during junior year, and the school reports its MSA program has held the #1 CPA pass rate ranking more often than any other school over the past 25 years, plus a #1 ranking in Big Four job placement and 100% employment for the MSA Class of 2024 six months after graduation. A new Accountancy Minor, launched for 2025-2026, packages five courses, Introductory Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting I and II, and a business tax course, for non-business majors.

Wake Forest's Hakia Score of 97.2 is built on an 89% graduation rate and a 22% admit rate, more selective than the two public flagships in this group, Georgia at 38% and Maryland at 45%, but less selective than Washington University's 12%, at a university enrolling 9,322 students. Tuition is flat at $66,470 a year regardless of residency, $265,880 over four years before aid, the highest sticker price of the four programs here.

Against the national median wage for accountants and auditors, $87,660 a year per BLS Occupational Outlook data (a national benchmark, not a Wake Forest-specific figure), the $265,880 four-year cost equals just over three years of that median salary before aid. The case for paying it is the junior-year MSA pathway: a fifth year converts the bachelor's into the credential the school reports has topped CPA pass-rate and Big Four placement rankings, rather than requiring a separate 150-credit program elsewhere.

Gies Business's accountancy major sits inside the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's undergraduate business core, then layers on upper-level courses in audit, tax, accounting information systems, and financial reporting. The program builds artificial intelligence directly into its coursework rather than treating it as an add-on: students use AI tools for forecasting, audit support, fraud analytics, and tax research inside their accounting classes. Illinois also runs a five-year path that lets students combine the bachelor's degree with a Master of Accounting Science (MAS), a running start on the credit hours needed for CPA or CMA credentials.

The numbers back the reputation: an 85% graduation rate and a 42% admit rate on a campus of 59,238 students, the data behind Hakia's 96.9 Hakia Score (rank #9 nationally in this analysis). In-state tuition is $14,975 a year, or $59,900 over four years, less than nine months of the $87,660 national median salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for accountants and auditors. Out-of-state tuition runs $36,804 a year, or $147,216 over four years, about $87,316 more than the in-state total.

Gies Business reports a $84,343 average starting salary and 97% successful career outcomes for its own graduates, and its page cites a #1 U.S. News & World Report ranking for undergraduate accountancy. This fits Illinois residents who want a flagship business school under $15,000 a year, and out-of-state students willing to pay closer to private-school tuition for a program built around CPA and CMA preparation; AICPA sets the licensure requirements that curriculum feeds into.

BYU's Marriott School offers a 64-credit-hour Bachelor of Science in Accounting built in three stages. Students first complete three prerequisites, Principles of Accounting 1 and 2 and Intro to Information Systems, with a minimum B grade required before declaring the major, which can only happen starting fall semester. A six-course pre-major block covers business law, economics, corporate finance, spreadsheets and business analysis, management communication, and marketing. The junior core then runs 11 courses deep, including Business and Accounting Information Systems, Cost and Managerial Accounting, Intermediate Financial Accounting 1 and 2, Fundamentals of Taxation, Financial Statement Auditing, a dedicated Data Analytics in Accounting course, and two professional development seminars.

BYU's catalog pairs technical learning outcomes with its religious mission: alongside mastering accounting and business content, students are expected to "express a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ," a reminder this is a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affiliated program with an honor code, not a secular accounting school. The program posts an 81% graduation rate and a 68% admit rate, the most accessible of the four programs profiled here, across an enrollment of 35,873. That combination underlies Hakia's 96.9 Hakia Score and rank #10 nationally in this analysis.

Tuition is the outlier: $6,688 a year, identical for in-state and out-of-state students. Four years totals $26,752, about four months of the $87,660 national median salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for accountants and auditors. This fits students comfortable with BYU's honor code and religious mission in exchange for the lowest sticker price of any accounting program on this list.

Wharton's accounting concentration starts with two required fundamentals, Accounting and Financial Reporting (ACCT 1010) and Strategic Cost Analysis (ACCT 1020), inside Wharton's broader core of corporate finance, monetary economics, managerial economics, ethics, marketing, and operations. Concentrators then take Financial Measurement and Disclosure (ACCT 2120) plus three electives chosen from a list that includes Accounting for Mergers, Acquisitions, and Complex Financial Structures; Climate and Financial Markets; Forensic Analytics; Accounting for Entrepreneurs; and Taxes and Business Strategy, or a valuation course through the finance department. The concentration sits inside a 37-course-unit degree that also requires a foreign-language requirement, three courses of cross-cultural content, and three upper-level "business breadth" courses taken outside the student's concentration.

Wharton's undergraduate program is the most selective and the most consistent-to-finish program in this group: a 5% admit rate against a 97% graduation rate, out of an undergraduate population of 29,109. That combination drives Hakia's 96.7 Hakia Score and rank #11 nationally in this analysis. Tuition is a flat $60,920 a year regardless of residency; four years totals $243,680, about 2.8 times the $87,660 national median salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for accountants and auditors.

This program fits applicants who can clear one of the lowest admit rates in undergraduate business education and pay full private tuition for early access to specialized electives, forensic analytics, M&An accounting, and climate-related financial reporting, that most bachelor's programs don't offer until graduate school.

Boston College's Carroll School splits accounting into two concentrations. The standard Accounting concentration, aimed at future CPAs, requires four core courses, Financial Accounting Standards and Theory I and II, Managerial Cost Analysis, and Federal Taxation, plus one additional course from a CPA-discipline list (Accounting Information Systems, Advanced Federal Taxation, or FAST III) and one elective from options that include Auditing and Other Assurance Services, ESG Reporting and Analysis, AI Applications in Business, and Forensic Accounting. Students who want to analyze financial statements rather than prepare them can instead take the four-course Accounting for Finance and Consulting concentration, built around Intermediate Accounting for Finance & Consulting and aimed at financial analysis, investment banking, and consulting roles.

The department is explicit that its CPA-track concentration alone will not clear a state's exam bar: most states require between 24 and 33 accounting credit hours (8 to 11 classes) to sit for the CPA exam, while BC's six-course concentration totals 18 credits, 21 once the required Financial Accounting core course is counted, so students must add electives from the department's list to reach the threshold. Auditing is called out as a requirement to sit for the CPA exam in every state, and Accounting Information Systems becomes a New York CPA exam requirement starting in 2027, according to the page.

Boston College posts a 91% graduation rate against a 16% admit rate, at an enrollment of 15,432, the smallest campus of the four programs profiled here. That combination underlies Hakia's 96.5 Hakia Score and rank #12 nationally. Tuition runs a flat $69,400 a year, the highest of this group; four years totals $277,600, about 3.2 times the $87,660 national median salary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for accountants and auditors, so the CPA-track concentration works best for students set on public accounting who plan extra electives around the state credit-hour requirement. AICPA and individual state boards set the exact CPA credit-hour thresholds referenced above.

Georgetown University is a private, nonprofit institution in Washington, DC. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program ranks #13 of the 25 analyzed here with a 96.3 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 2 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 95% of its students, above the 89% average across the ranked schools. Georgetown University admits 13% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Georgetown University charges $67,896 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $271,584 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is above-average completion paired with genuine selectivity.

Based in Notre Dame, IN, University of Notre Dame is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #14 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 96.2 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.1 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 95% of its students, above the 89% average across the ranked schools. University of Notre Dame admits 11% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, University of Notre Dame charges $64,518 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $258,072 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is above-average completion paired with genuine selectivity.

Based in Atlanta, GA, Emory University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #15 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 96.1 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.2 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 91% of its students, above the 89% average across the ranked schools. Emory University admits 11% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Emory University charges $63,400 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $253,600 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is above-average completion paired with genuine selectivity.

Texas A&M University-College Station is a public institution in College Station, TX. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program ranks #16 of the 25 analyzed here with a 96.0 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.3 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 84% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. Texas A&M University-College Station admits 57% of applicants, less selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, Texas A&M University-College Station charges $9,092 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $36,169 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $36,368 in tuition for residents, against $144,676 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Based in Raleigh, NC, North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #17 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 95.8 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.5 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 85% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. North Carolina State University at Raleigh admits 42% of applicants, less selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, North Carolina State University at Raleigh charges $6,535 a year in-state, roughly 5x the $30,583 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $26,140 in tuition for residents, against $122,332 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Based in Villanova, PA, Villanova University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #18 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 95.8 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.5 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 92% of its students, above the 89% average across the ranked schools. Villanova University admits 27% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Villanova University charges $66,838 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $267,352 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is above-average completion paired with genuine selectivity.

University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a public institution in Seattle, WA. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program ranks #19 of the 25 analyzed here with a 95.8 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.5 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 85% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. University of Washington-Seattle Campus admits 39% of applicants, less selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, University of Washington-Seattle Campus charges $11,869 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $42,105 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $47,476 in tuition for residents, against $168,420 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Based in West Lafayette, IN, Purdue University-Main Campus is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #20 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 95.6 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.7 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 83% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. Purdue University-Main Campus admits 50% of applicants, less selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Purdue University-Main Campus charges $9,718 a year in-state, roughly 2.9x the $28,520 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $38,872 in tuition for residents, against $114,080 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Washington and Lee University is a private, nonprofit institution in Lexington, VA. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program ranks #21 of the 25 analyzed here with a 95.5 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 2.8 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 94% of its students, above the 89% average across the ranked schools. Washington and Lee University admits 14% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Washington and Lee University charges $66,800 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $267,200 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is above-average completion paired with genuine selectivity.

Based in Storrs, CT, University of Connecticut is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #22 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 95.3 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 3 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 83% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. University of Connecticut admits 52% of applicants, less selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, University of Connecticut charges $17,010 a year in-state, roughly 2.3x the $39,678 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $68,040 in tuition for residents, against $158,712 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its an online option.

Lehigh University is a private, nonprofit institution in Bethlehem, PA. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program ranks #23 of the 25 analyzed here with a 95.3 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 3 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 88% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. Lehigh University admits 26% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Lehigh University charges $63,930 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $255,720 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its genuine selectivity.

Based in Lewisburg, PA, Bucknell University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #24 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 95.3 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 3 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 86% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. Bucknell University admits 29% of applicants, more selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 81% to 97%.

On cost, Bucknell University charges $67,446 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $269,784 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its genuine selectivity.

Based in Santa Clara, CA, Santa Clara University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #25 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 95.0 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 96.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs, 3.3 points behind top-ranked University of Florida. The program graduates 88% of its students, below the 89% average across the ranked schools. Santa Clara University admits 48% of applicants, less selective than the 31% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, Santa Clara University charges $60,639 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $242,556 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,477 at University of Florida to $69,400 at Boston College. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.