The Best Accounting Programs in New Jersey for 2026

Seton Hall's B.S.B. in Accounting runs through the Stillman School of Business, which the school describes as North Jersey's only AACSB-accredited business and accounting program. Coursework covers accounting theory, cost measurement, budgetary control, auditing, taxes, financial reporting, and information systems, and Stillman is one of a small number of schools partnered with SAP's enterprise resource planning software for hands-on IT training. Seton Hall reports a 95% career-related employment rate for graduates, 76% completing at least one internship, and a self-reported $52K average starting salary.

Seton Hall's Hakia Score of 87.5 ranks fourth among New Jersey's top accounting programs, with a 69% graduation rate and a 73% admit rate. Tuition is a flat $50,380 whether the student is a New Jersey resident or not, $36,158 more per year than Rutgers' in-state rate, or $144,632 more across four years. That premium fits students prioritizing small classes and AACSB accounting accreditation over the lowest sticker price; nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts median pay for accountants and auditors at $87,660 a year.

Thomas Edison State University's Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting is a fully online, 120-credit degree built for working adults. Coursework covers financial reporting, auditing, and tax preparation, and TESU lets students earn credit through its own courses, exams, or prior learning assessment. Students aiming for licensure can move directly into TESU's CPA and Master's Track, pairing the BSBA with a Master of Science in Management specializing in accounting and then an MBA with an accounting specialization; the program directs students to their state Board of Accountancy for the exact CPA exam requirements.

In-state tuition is $6,838 versus $8,856 out-of-state, a gap of just $2,018 since TESU prices distance learners the same regardless of residency. Enrollment of 7,544 makes it one of the larger accounting programs in this New Jersey group, reflecting its scale as an online provider. TESU's Hakia Score of 86.2 ranks it No. 5 among New Jersey accounting programs for 2026, a fit for career changers and working professionals who need flexible scheduling over a traditional campus experience.

Rutgers Business School Newark's accounting major runs through a 42-credit RBS core, financial and managerial accounting, business law, finance, management, and marketing, then layers on 30 credits of accounting-specific courses for students who declared the major fall 2022 or later: Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Auditing Analytics, Cost Accounting, and two Federal Tax courses. The department calls itself ranked No. 1 globally for accounting information systems research, and its program page lists graduates placed at Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and the IRS. Students can continue into Rutgers' Master's in Accounting and Analytics, Taxation, or Governmental Accounting, or a Ph.D. in Accounting.

Rutgers-Newark graduates 64% of students on a 71% admit rate, broader access paired with a Big Four recruiting pipeline. In-state tuition runs $14,222 against $33,734 out-of-state, a $19,512 gap that makes residency the biggest lever on cost here. Enrollment of 11,315 is the largest in this New Jersey group. Its Hakia Score of 86 places it No. 6 in New Jersey for 2026. Nationally, the BLS puts median pay for accountants and auditors at $87,660 a year, the benchmark this major's graduates enter, not a Rutgers-specific figure.

Ramapo College's Accounting major, housed in the Anisfield School of Business, is an on-campus program running students through Federal Taxation, Cost Accounting, Auditing, Corporate Finance, Management Statistics, Principles of Information Technology, and Business Ethics. Its 4+1 option pairs the bachelor's degree with a 30-credit Master of Accounting (MSAC): students start graduate courses in senior year, double-count credits, and finish with 150 total credits, the threshold most states require to sit for the CPA exam. Every major gets a faculty advisor, and the program lists internships at Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, EisnerAmper, WithumSmith+Brown, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ramapo graduates 70% of students on a 71% admit rate, the highest completion rate of the four programs in this group. In-state tuition is $16,777 against $27,708 out-of-state, a $10,931 gap. Enrollment sits at 5,981, the smallest of the four. Its Hakia Score of 85.6 places it No. 7 in New Jersey for 2026, a fit for students who want a residential campus and a direct five-year path to a CPA-eligible master's without transferring schools.

Rutgers University-Camden's Bachelor of Science in Accounting is built from 18 three-credit courses. Students start with Fundamentals of Financial Accounting and Fundamentals of Managerial Accounting, move through Intermediate Accounting I and II, Cost Accounting, Audit Theory and Practice, Individual Taxation, and Corporate Federal Tax Accounting, and can add Accounting Theory, Financial Statement Analysis, or an Honors Thesis in Accounting with faculty permission. The program also offers a for-credit Accounting Internship and Accounting Cooperative track for students who want workplace experience built into the degree.

Rutgers-Camden graduates 67% of students on a 66% admit rate. In-state tuition is $14,222, the same system-wide rate as Rutgers-Newark, versus $33,734 out-of-state, a $19,512 gap. Enrollment is 5,675, the smallest of the Rutgers campuses ranked here. Its Hakia Score of 85.6 places it No. 8 in New Jersey for 2026, a fit for students who want a tightly sequenced, course-by-course accounting curriculum on a smaller campus than Newark but at the same in-state tuition.

Based in Lawrenceville, NJ, Rider University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #9 of the 12 ranked here, earning an 81.3 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 85.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 61% of its students, below the 69% average across the ranked schools. Rider University admits 79% of applicants, less selective than the 73% average for the group. That is more open than the 58% rate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 57% to 86%.

On cost, Rider University charges $39,700 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $158,800 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $50,380 at Seton Hall University. 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 12 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Based in Montclair, NJ, Montclair State University is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #10 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 77.9 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 85.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 65% of its students, below the 69% average across the ranked schools. Montclair State University admits 88% of applicants, less selective than the 73% average for the group. That is more open than the 58% rate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 57% to 86%.

On cost, Montclair State University charges $14,790 a year in-state, versus $24,900 for out-of-state students. Over four years that is about $59,160 in tuition for residents, against $99,600 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $50,380 at Seton Hall University. Graduates step into a field with an $87,660 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 12 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Stockton University is a public institution in Galloway, NJ. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program ranks #11 of the 12 analyzed here with a 76.7 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 85.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 69% of its students, above the 69% average across the ranked schools. Stockton University admits 89% of applicants, less selective than the 73% average for the group. That is more open than the 58% rate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 57% to 86%.

On cost, Stockton University charges $13,606 a year in-state, versus $21,864 for out-of-state students. Over four years that is about $54,424 in tuition for residents, against $87,456 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $50,380 at Seton Hall University. 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 above-average completion.

Based in Caldwell, NJ, Caldwell University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Accounting program lands at #12 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 75.8 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 85.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 57% of its students, below the 69% average across the ranked schools. Caldwell University admits 71% of applicants, more selective than the 73% average for the group. That is more open than the 58% rate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 57% to 86%.

On cost, Caldwell University charges $38,470 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $153,880 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $50,380 at Seton Hall University. 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.