The Best Master's in Accounting in Florida for 2026

The University of South Florida's Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy, in the Muma College of Business, offers a Master of Science in Accountancy and Analytics with three specializations: assurance, corporate, and tax. The program is STEM-designated, which qualifies international graduates for up to three years of Optional Practical Training, and it is structured to satisfy Florida's CPA exam eligibility requirements. Classes meet on the Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses, and applicants can request a GMAT/GRE waiver by showing a 3.0 GPA in six core undergraduate accounting courses from an AACSB-accredited program, a prior master's degree, or passed sections of the CPA, CMA, or CA exam plus two years of relevant experience.

USF ranks fourth in Hakia's Florida list with a Hakia Score of 89.3, on a 77% graduation rate and a 43% admit rate. In-state tuition is $4,559 against $15,473 out-of-state, a $10,914 gap, the narrowest of Florida's top four programs. It fits applicants who want an analytics-focused, STEM-designated credential with multiple standardized-test waiver paths and flexibility across two Tampa Bay campuses.

The Master of Accountancy at the University of North Florida's Coggin College of Business dates to 1978 and carries its own AACSB accounting accreditation. The 33 credit-hour program lets students choose a general accounting track or a concentration in taxation, with small class sizes and faculty connected to Jacksonville's business community. Students entering without a related bachelor's degree take additional prerequisite courses, and the curriculum is built around meeting the coursework needed for CPA licensure.

UNF earns a Hakia Score of 88.1, the number 5 master's in accounting in Florida for 2026, on a 69% graduation rate and a 53% admit rate. In-state tuition runs $3,996 a year against $16,799 out-of-state, a gap of more than 4 times. That combination, a public price with a private-tier graduation rate, fits Florida residents targeting CPA-track coursework without paying private-school rates, even as the 16,154-student campus keeps MAcc cohorts small.

Florida Institute of Technology's online MBA in Accounting and Finance, run through the IACBE-accredited Nathan M. Bisk College of Business, pairs core MBA courses like managerial accounting and financial management with a 12 credit-hour accounting and finance specialization covering investment management and strategic cost management. The 36 credit-hour program runs in eight-week terms with multiple start dates, no GMAT or GRE required, and lists accountant and auditor among its target career paths.

Florida Tech's Hakia Score of 86.3 places it 6th among Florida's top master's-level accounting programs for 2026, built on a 40% admit rate and a flat $12,480 published annual tuition rate for every student, in-state or out. The school's own program page prices the complete 36 credit-hour track at $30,140.28 total, or about 15 months of study. With just 815 students enrolled, it suits working professionals who want an online accounting and finance credential, though it carries IACBE rather than AACSB accreditation.

The University of Tampa's Master of Science in Accounting, housed in the Sykes College of Business, runs 32 credit hours with full- and part-time schedules. Required courses include Advanced Accounting Analytics, Advanced Financial Accounting, and Advanced Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation, with electives ranging from Fraud Examination to Federal Taxation II and III to Mergers and Acquisitions. Students without an accounting background first complete 28 credit hours of prerequisites, and UTampa undergraduates can use a 4+1 track to take graduate courses at the undergraduate tuition rate during senior year, finishing the master's with one additional year of study.

UTampa's Hakia Score of 84.2 ranks it 7th among Florida's best master's in accounting programs for 2026, on a 64% graduation rate and a 40% admit rate, tied with Florida Tech as the most selective of this group. Tuition is a flat $32,096 regardless of residency, the highest of these four programs and roughly 8 times UNF's $3,996 in-state rate. The curriculum is built toward meeting coursework requirements for CPA licensure, and the 4+1 path is the clearest cost lever for current UTampa undergrads.

Florida Atlantic's School of Accounting offers the Master of Accounting - Traditional track, designed to lay the coursework foundation for the CPA exam, with concentrations in Accounting Information Systems and Taxation. The school also runs a separate Executive Master of Accounting with five concentrations, available on campus one Saturday a month or fully online, plus a standalone Master of Taxation; the GMAT or GRE is required for admission but waived for qualified applicants. FAU's College of Business holds AACSB accreditation.

FAU posts a Hakia Score of 83.8, ranking 8th among Florida's best master's in accounting programs for 2026, with a 63% graduation rate and a 66% admit rate, the most open of this group. In-state tuition is $2,522 a year against $14,374 out-of-state, a gap of nearly 5.7 times, the widest residency spread of these four schools. With 31,607 students enrolled, FAU fits Florida residents who want AACSB accounting credentials and CPA exam-track coursework at the lowest in-state price on this list.

Jacksonville University is a private, nonprofit institution in Jacksonville, FL. Its Master's in Accounting program ranks #9 of the 12 analyzed here with an 81.7 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 86.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 51% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. Jacksonville University admits 57% of applicants, less selective than the 51% average for the group. That is more open than the 24% rate at University of Florida, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 51% to 91%.

On cost, Jacksonville University charges $46,963 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $93,926 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $2,522 at Florida Atlantic University to $46,963 at Jacksonville 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 a $94,160 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 12 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

University of West Florida is a public institution in Pensacola, FL. Its Master's in Accounting program ranks #10 of the 12 analyzed here with an 80.2 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 86.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 59% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. University of West Florida admits 58% of applicants, less selective than the 51% average for the group. That is more open than the 24% rate at University of Florida, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 51% to 91%.

On cost, University of West Florida charges $3,735 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $16,004 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $7,470 in tuition for residents, against $32,008 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $2,522 at Florida Atlantic University to $46,963 at Jacksonville University. Graduates step into a field with a $94,160 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Nova Southeastern University is a private, nonprofit institution in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Its Master's in Accounting program ranks #11 of the 12 analyzed here with a 79.1 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 86.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 63% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. Nova Southeastern University admits 73% of applicants, less selective than the 51% average for the group. That is more open than the 24% rate at University of Florida, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 51% to 91%.

On cost, Nova Southeastern University charges $37,500 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $75,000 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $2,522 at Florida Atlantic University to $46,963 at Jacksonville 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 a $94,160 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 12 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Florida Gulf Coast University is a public institution in Fort Myers, FL. Its Master's in Accounting program ranks #12 of the 12 analyzed here with a 78.6 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 86.1 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 57% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. Florida Gulf Coast University admits 63% of applicants, less selective than the 51% average for the group. That is more open than the 24% rate at University of Florida, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 51% to 91%.

On cost, Florida Gulf Coast University charges $4,191 a year in-state, roughly 5x the $22,328 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $8,382 in tuition for residents, against $44,656 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $2,522 at Florida Atlantic University to $46,963 at Jacksonville University. Graduates step into a field with a $94,160 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.