Online Master of Accounting (MAcc) programs in California can help you qualify for CPA licensure, boost your earning potential, and gain in-demand skills without putting your life on hold. These flexible programs are designed for busy professionals looking to advance in the accounting field. Let Master’s Match guide you through top online MAcc options in California, including program highlights, career outcomes, and everything you need to make an informed, strategic decision about your future.
Author: Quinn Dannies, MA
Expertise: Graduate EducationOnline LearningStudent SuccessEditor: Jordan Cosselman
- Which Student Are You?
Which Accounting Program Track Fits You Best?
Read more - Inside Real Programs
An inside look at actual online programs, exploring their structure, curriculum, costs, admission criteria, and more…
Read more - Salary/Pay
How much I can expect to earn after graduation, what national averages are, and what the overall outlook is for this field…
Read more - Program Types
The variety of online master’s programs offered in the state, from full-time and part-time to accelerated formats…
Read more - Cost Breakdown
A clear overview of how much my degree might cost and the factors influencing total expenses…
Read more - FAQs
Insightful and guiding answers to common questions prospective students like myself have about earning this degree…
Read more - Top Schools
Best Online Master's in Accounting Programs in CA
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Which Accounting Program Track Fits You Best?
California has its own CPA licensure requirements, and the accounting master’s program you choose needs to line up with those credit-hour rules, not just look good on paper. A mismatch can mean retaking coursework or delaying your exam eligibility. The guide below helps you sort out which program type fits your goals.
Which Accounting Student Persona Matches You Best?
The Career Starter
Fresh out of your bachelor’s program, you’re ready to sharpen your accounting skills fast, sit for the CPA, and land a full-time accounting role — wherever in California that takes you.
Without a full-time job pulling at your schedule, an accelerated, full-time program can shrink the gap between graduation and your first accounting job — and that pace suits most CPA-track students well. If you’re based in California, you’ll find plenty of full-time programs built around this kind of timeline, including options geared toward graduates who still need to reach the 150 credit-hour mark AICPA describes.
The Career Changer
Switching in from finance, business, or something entirely different, you need coursework that starts with the accounting basics rather than assuming you already know them, as you work toward a fresh career in the field.
Rather than assume you walked in with an accounting degree, career-changer programs put financial accounting, cost accounting, and auditing early in the curriculum so you’re building fundamentals instead of scrambling to catch up. Since the format is fully online, California-based career changers can keep earning a paycheck at their current job while working toward CPA eligibility.
The Promotion Seeker
Already established in accounting or finance, you’re after a credential that positions you for a senior accountant, controller, or manager title, typically while wrapping up the extra credit hours your state expects for CPA licensure.
Because you’re still working, part-time pacing gives you room to pick up the additional credits most states ask for beyond a bachelor’s degree before you can sit for the CPA exam. Whichever part of California you’re in, look for a program that lines its coursework up with your state board’s requirements, since the accounting and business-credit mix boards look for isn’t identical everywhere. A hybrid format also keeps you in the room with faculty and classmates now and then, without asking you to give up your job to do it.
The Working Balancer
Between a full-time job and the crunch of busy season at a public accounting firm, you need a master’s you can move through on your own timeline rather than one built around fixed class hours.
With a fully online, asynchronous format, you set your own study hours instead of logging into live lectures in the middle of tax or audit season — a plus whether you’re working in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, or anywhere else in California. Pacing the degree part-time keeps the weekly workload manageable, so it complements your job rather than fighting it for your time.
The CPA Candidate
For you, accounting is the career and the CPA license is the credential that will define it, so you’re looking for a program engineered around your state’s 150-hour requirement and the CPA exam itself — not a generic accounting degree.
Look for a CPA-focused MAcc that builds its extra credits around your state board’s specific CPA education requirements rather than a loose set of electives — and since a growing number of states also recognize an experience-based alternative pathway, it’s worth checking whether California is among them before you choose a program. Many of these programs weave CPA exam review right into coursework, covering the core sections along with one of the newer discipline sections under the CPA Evolution model — Business Analysis & Reporting, Information Systems & Controls, or Tax Compliance & Planning. And if you’re near one of California’s larger metro areas, an in-person program can put you closer to the public accounting firms actively recruiting CPA candidates.
The Accounting Specialist
A broad accounting foundation isn’t really the point for you — you’re aiming at a specific niche, whether that’s forensic accounting and fraud examination, internal audit, or analytics, and want a curriculum shaped around it.
A specialized concentration pushes past the standard accounting curriculum, adding electives in fraud examination, internal controls, or analytics tools like SQL and Python on top of the core coursework. It’s worth seeking out coursework that’s explicitly aligned to the certification tied to your niche — the CFE for forensic accounting, or the CIA for an audit-focused track, for example. California is home to plenty of hybrid programs that pair faculty with real specialized industry experience while still leaving room for the flexibility most working specialists need.
Program Breakdown: Three Online MAcc Programs in California
National University
National University’s Master of Accounting (MAcc) is designed with CPA and CMA exam prep in mind. Students choose between:
- Standard track for non-accounting majors
- Accelerated track for accounting graduates
Courses run year-round in four-week intensives, allowing motivated learners to finish in as little as nine months. The program is fully online, but classes can also be taken at NU’s California campuses.
National University offers an online Master of Accounting (MAcc) program that aligns with Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam content.
Duration: 9-14 months
Mode: 100% online or hybrid
Cost: $477 per quarter unit; approx. $22,065 total tuition
Admissions Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, transcripts, résumé/CV, application
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Sacramento State (CSU Sacramento)
CSU Sacramento offers an AACSB-accredited online MSA through its College of Business. The program follows an accelerated 18-month format where students take one six-week course at a time.
All coursework is asynchronous and aligned with CPA exam subjects like advanced accounting, auditing, tax, and ethics. As a public university program, Sac State balances reputation with affordability, especially for in-state students.
Duration: 18 months
Mode: 100% online
Cost: $740 per semester unit | ~$22,200 total
Admissions Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, transcripts (GPA requirements may apply), statement of purpose, résumé, 2 letters of recommendation
University of San Francisco — Online MS in Accounting
The University of San Francisco offers a two-year online MSA designed for part-time students. Coursework blends live sessions with on-demand study and emphasizes ethical leadership and analytics alongside meeting California’s 150-hour CPA requirement.
No prior accounting background is required — the curriculum includes foundational accounting for students from other fields. USF’s AACSB-accredited School of Management adds prestige, and multiple start dates (fall and spring) help working professionals plan ahead.
Duration: 24 months
Mode: 100% online with some live sessions
Cost: $1,700 per unit
Admissions Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, transcripts, résumé/CV, statement of purpose, 2 letters of recommendation, interview (by invitation)
Accounting Salary Potential in California
California is one of the largest and most competitive markets for accounting professionals in the country, with major demand from tech companies, entertainment studios, financial services firms, and the state’s vast public sector. Graduates with an accounting degree work as senior auditors, tax managers, controllers, and CFOs — navigating one of the most complex regulatory and tax environments in the US. Advanced credentials including a master’s degree and CPA licensure are particularly valuable in California’s competitive market.
Accountants and auditors in California consistently earn above the national median, reflecting the state’s high cost of living and strong demand from major industries. Compensation scales with specialization and the sector you work in.
Use the salary table below to see what accountants and auditors earn in California, and benchmark accounting career pay in the state’s key markets.
Accountants and Auditors
| Area | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $79,620 | $102,670 | $133,810 |
| California | $97,050 | $125,850 | $160,520 |
| Chico, CA | $77,680 | $97,540 | $126,280 |
| El Centro, CA | $76,280 | $97,940 | $126,290 |
| Fresno, CA | $78,690 | $101,500 | $128,600 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $78,300 | $99,630 | $128,840 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $94,360 | $122,290 | $154,630 |
| Merced, CA | $80,420 | $104,630 | $130,930 |
| Modesto, CA | $83,560 | $104,730 | $134,750 |
| Napa, CA | $99,640 | $123,250 | $151,890 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $90,340 | $115,440 | $141,090 |
| Redding, CA | $78,990 | $101,350 | $127,830 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $83,920 | $105,580 | $135,140 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $92,110 | $108,950 | $131,840 |
| Salinas, CA | $83,810 | $112,940 | $142,030 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $96,340 | $125,190 | $157,720 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $110,730 | $143,590 | $180,060 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $121,700 | $156,700 | $196,890 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $88,160 | $107,710 | $133,180 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $84,920 | $108,940 | $135,540 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $91,610 | $119,850 | $154,470 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $94,690 | $124,550 | $151,790 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $83,570 | $107,150 | $137,590 |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,800 | $118,470 | $143,470 |
| Visalia, CA | $79,400 | $99,560 | $127,070 |
| Yuba City, CA | $78,530 | $102,660 | $131,260 |
Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm
Data does not reflect school-specific information.
Online Accounting Master’s Program Formats
Different students need different program structures. California MAcc programs usually fall into three categories:
Accelerated Programs
- Completion in ~1 year with heavy course loads or short modules.
- Best for recent grads or those able to pause work.
- Pros: Quick career impact, faster CPA eligibility.
- Cons: Demanding workload, tough to balance with full-time jobs.
Part-Time/Flexible Programs
- Spread over 2+ years, often with asynchronous classes.
- Tailored for working professionals.
- Pros: Maintain income, apply skills immediately, reduced stress.
- Cons: Takes longer; requires long-term motivation.
Hybrid Programs
- Blend of online and on-campus courses.
- Good for students near campus who value some in-person interaction.
- Pros: More networking and face time with faculty.
- Cons: Requires commuting; less flexibility.
How Much Do Online MAcc Programs Cost in California?
Cost is a key factor when comparing online MAcc programs in California. Tuition can vary widely between public and private institutions, but in-state students benefit from lower public university rates. Generally, you’ll find total program costs range from around $20,000 up to $40,000+ for an online accounting master’s in California.
Online-specific factors can also influence cost. For instance, fully online students might save on commuting or campus fees, and many California schools offer the same per-credit rate for online courses as for on-campus.
Be sure to inquire about financial aid and scholarships too — some programs offer scholarships or discounts for online cohorts. Below is a quick snapshot of three example programs and their costs for in-state students:
| School | Credits | Cost/Credit | Est. Total Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| National University | 45 | $477 | $22,065 |
| Sacramento State (CSU) | 30 | $740 | $22,200 |
| University of San Francisco | 30 | $1,275 | $38,250 |
FAQs From Online MAcc Students
Are online MAcc programs accredited and respected by employers?
Yes — as long as you choose a program at a properly accredited school, your online MAcc will hold weight. Look for regional accreditation, which ensures the overall institution meets quality standards. Many business schools also have specialized Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, which is the gold standard for business/accounting programs. For example, Sacramento State’s online MSA is AACSB-accredited.
An accredited online MAcc covers the same curriculum as on-campus and is often taught by the same faculty. Employers in California are familiar with online degrees now (especially post-2020) and generally care more about the school’s reputation and your skills than the delivery format. If the program is accredited and you achieve your CPA or other goals, an online MAcc will be respected in the job market.
Do I need a bachelor’s degree in accounting to get into a MAcc program?
Not necessarily. Many California MAcc programs welcome students from non-accounting backgrounds and provide foundational courses to get you up to speed. For instance, National University’s MAcc explicitly has a pathway for those with little or no prior accounting coursework.
Generally, you do need a bachelor’s degree in any major. If your degree wasn’t in accounting or a related field, you may have to take a few prerequisite courses, and some programs include these as part of the curriculum or offer a short “bootcamp.” Always check the admissions requirements: some schools list specific coursework or a minimum GPA.
Will an online MAcc help me meet the CPA requirements in California?
Yes. One big reason to earn a Master of Accounting is to satisfy the 150 semester hours needed for CPA licensure. California, like most states, requires CPA candidates to have 150 college credit hours (including specific accounting and business courses). A typical bachelor’s is 120 hours, so a MAcc bridges that gap.
Reputable programs are also designed with the CPA in mind, covering advanced topics tested on the exam (audits, financial reporting, regulation, etc.) and often including an ethics course required by the California Board of Accountancy. For example, USF’s online MSA explicitly ensures students meet CPA educational requirements through its curriculum.
After finishing your MAcc, you’ll have the academic qualifications to sit for the CPA exam in California. Keep in mind you’ll still need to pass the exam and fulfill the state’s experience requirement for licensure.
How long does it take to complete an online MAcc, and can I work full-time while in the program?
The length of online MAcc programs can range from one to two-plus years, and many students do continue working while studying. If you go full-time in an accelerated program, you might finish in 9–12 months, but this could be tough to juggle with a full-time job due to the intensive course load.
Alternatively, part-time programs are specifically designed for working professionals — these typically take around two years. You might take one course at a time, or two in a semester, depending on the program’s structure. The flexibility of online learning generally makes it feasible to work and study; coursework is often asynchronous, meaning you choose when to watch lectures or complete assignments each week.
The key is time management — expect to spend 10-15 hours per week, per class, on readings and assignments. Employers may be supportive as well, since you’re upskilling, and some even offer tuition assistance. So yes, you can absolutely work full-time during an online MAcc, just plan your schedule carefully.
What’s the difference between a Master of Accounting (MAcc) and an MBA with an accounting concentration?
A Master of Accounting (including MAcc or MS in Accounting) is a specialized graduate degree focused entirely on accounting, whereas an MBA covers a broad range of business topics with maybe a few accounting electives. In a MAcc program, nearly all your courses will dive deep into accounting subjects — advanced financial accounting, auditing, taxation, accounting information systems, forensic accounting, etc. This means you develop expertise that prepares you for accounting-specific roles and satisfies accounting education requirements in detail.
Best Online Master’s in Accounting Programs in CA
Azusa Pacific University
Best for: accounting specialists
Golden Gate University
Best for: accounting specialists
California Baptist University
Best for: accounting specialists
University of La Verne
Best for: accounting specialists
University of San Diego
Best for: accounting specialists
Dominican University of California
Best for: accounting specialists
