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Best 8 Accounting Schools in Florida in 2024

January 26, 2024 | Admin

Accounting Schools in Florida

Why Pursue a Career in Accounting?

Many people imagine accountants with a desk piled up to the ceiling with files and binders a jar of pencils and a lowly calculator. But accounting is a truly diverse degree that gives graduates a wide range of career choices to choose from.

Accounting classes cover principles, practices, and proven methods of recording and reporting the financial accomplishment of an organization, review auditing, and accounting procedures. Many Masters of Accounting programs act as a study guide for those getting ready for their CPA exam.

Top 5 Accounting Schools in Florida

Rank School Location
1The University of MiamiCoral Gables, Florida
2University of TampaTampa, Florida
3Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne, Florida
4University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida
5 University of South FloridaTampa, Florida

Job Security and Compensation

Students looking for a career with job security and a good income should consider a career as an accountant or auditor. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for accountants and auditors is just over $71,000.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics goes on to project the demand for accounts to grow at least 6% between 2018 and 2028. Studies show that the industry continues to add jobs at a steady rate, job functions may continue to change due to the effect that technology continues to have in our society.

What Career Options Do you Have with a master’s degree in Accounting?

Those that study has and do well in school will have a myriad of great jobs waiting for them upon graduation. Here are some top jobs that those with an online master’s degree in accounting may consider pursuing.

  • Auditor: An auditor inspects financial records or accuracy. There are many different types of accounting auditors including, international, external, governmental, and forensic. The auditor may be responsible for making sure taxes are files, organizing financial statements, and making sure all best-practices are being adhered to.
  • Information/Technology Accountant: As technology and information continue to increase, someone will always be needed to organize and report financial information. This role requires dual knowledge of both accounting procedures and technology solutions.
  • Financial Analyst: Students that choose a career as a financial analyst will review profit and loss and determine if the company is making money, and what changes need to be made to increase bottom line profits.
  • Forensic Account:  This is a very interesting position and is one of the fastest-growing jobs in law enforcement. Forensic accounting is the practice of investigating fraud using tools like auditing, going back into the financial history of a business to make sure proper records have been kept. Forensic accountants, perhaps more than others much be extremely detailed as their findings must hold up in a court of law with judges, attorneys, and juries.
  • Corporate Controller: Corporate controllers will oversee high-level financial strategies and supervise the accounting department. They are responsible for financial statements, payroll, budgets, tax compliance, and more.
  • Chief Financial Officer: The Job of a CFO is a big job, they should excel in financial management, business strategy, risk, and management. They need to hire qualified people that they can delegate important jobs. CFO’s are at the top-of-the-food-chain when it comes to accounting positions. They make bill salaries but also have huge responsibilities for an organization’s financial success on their shoulders.

Finding the Right Florida School for Your Masters in Accounting

If you are trying to narrow down the best accounting schools in Florida, hopefully, we have taken a bit of work out of the equation. We have narrowed our search to only include the Florida region, so students will not be pulled with trying to decide whether or not they want to stay and attend school in Florida or if they prefer another area.

Florida has a large number of schools with very impressive statistics for their school, programs, and graduates.

Best 8 Accounting Schools in Florida

1

The University of Miami

  • Coral Gables, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 81%

The Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami is the Business School for the University. It is considered a top school when it comes to encouraging students to develop innovative ideas. The school offers undergraduate and several graduate degree options including:

  • Master of Science in Accountancy
  • Master of Science in Taxation
  • Accelerated Master of Accounting

The University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School was founded in 1929 and offer undergrad business, MBA, Executive PMBA, and Ph.D.s. the school has 132 undergraduate, 148 master’s, and 67 doctorate programs. As of 2019, the school had 17,811 students enrolled in 12 separate colleges and schools.

School Overview

Tuition: 2020-2021 direct costs and fees: $69,484.00
Student to Faculty: 12:1
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2

University of Tampa

  • Tampa, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 58%

The University of Tampa offers an impressive Master’s of Science in Accounting program at The Sykes College of Business, which is ranked as one of the best business schools in the world by the Princeton Review. The school offers a complete line of resources, in high-tech facilities with some of the top faculty anywhere. The program challenges students with real-world experiences in the field of accounting. The curriculum helps expose students to specific areas of accounting as well as prepare them for the CPA exam. The curriculum focuses on:

  • Internal Audit
  • Federal Tax Accounting
  • Business Law for Management,
  • Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
  • Financial Accounting Theory

The University of Tampa is private and offers over 200 different programs of study. This includes 22 master’s degrees. The of the top programs at the school include international business, biology, marketing, finance, and communications. The University is organized into four colleges, College of Arts and Letters; College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education; College of Natural and Health Sciences; and Sykes College of Business.

School Overview

Tuition: Executive MBA Program (entered Fall 2019): $50,115 (total costs for two-year program)
Student to Faculty: 17:1
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3

Florida Institute of Technology

  • Melbourne, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 57%

The Florida Institute of Technology located in Melbourne offers students the opportunity to earn their Master of Science in Accounting and Financial Forensics and get intense guidance when it comes to tax fraud, money laundering, non-criminal investigations, financial discrepancies, risk assessment, and cybercrime. Students come out of this program with many key skills like:

  • Advanced investigation
  • Critical thinking
  • Financial auditing expertise
  • Information security
  • Fraud examinations

The Florida Institute of Technology is a private research university known for its four academic colleges. Engineering & Science, Aeronautics, Psychology & Liberal Arts, and Business. The university was founded in 1958 and took on its current name in 1966.

School Overview

Tuition: $600 per credit hour
Student to Faculty: 14:1
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4

University of Central Florida

  • Orlando, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 74%

The University of Central Florida’s Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting offers a Master of Science in Accounting with a specialization in either Assurance, Management, or Taxation. These programs were specifically prepared for students that are looking for careers as professional accountants and consultants in public accounting, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Skills learned throughout this program include:

  • Conduct research
  • Work as individuals and as teams
  • Present a written report or case, case analysis, or oral presentation to showcase findings

The University Of Central Florida is an academic college and offers numerous different courses of study including accounting, economics, finance, business, and many others. The University has over 230-degree programs in 13 different schools and colleges.

School Overview

Tuition: $369.65 per credit hour
Student to Faculty: 30:1
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5

University of South Florida

  • Tampa, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 69%

The University of South Florida’s Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy within the MUMA College of Business offers concentrations in assurance, corporate, taxation, and forensic accounting. The program has physical campuses across the Tampa Bay region, where students have a wide variety of resources available to them to conduct real-world accounting practices. Other areas of study within the Muma College of Business include:

  • MS in Business Analytics & Information Systems
  • Global MS in Business Analytics & Information Systems
  • MS in Cybersecurity
  • MS in Finance

The University of South Florida MBA program was established in 1965. Today the college has grown to offer over 14 different graduate programs. The graduate business program has been highly ranked for many years. The college boasts dual accreditation in both business and accounting.

School Overview

Tuition: $10,428
Student to Faculty: 23:1
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6

Florida Atlantic University

  • Boca Raton, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 54%

The Florida Atlantic University College of Business offers a variety of programs for students looking to compete in today’s growing global environment. Its accounting program has been ranked extremely high among others in the area. Some of the top accounting courses include:

  • Advanced Auditing Theory and Practice
  • Advanced Accounting Theory
  • Advanced Accounting Information Systems
  • Financial Statement Analysis

Florida Atlantic University is a public research university. The University has a 12-campus system. It offers more than 170 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The school opened in 1964 with an initial enrolment of just 867 students.

School Overview

Tuition: $371.82 per credit hour
The Student to Faculty: 21:1
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7

Florida Gulf Coast University

  • Fort Myers, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 100%

The Florida Gulf Coast University maintains academic excellence that encourages all students to do their best and excel. The faculty teaches sound learning processes, core skills, student learning outcomes, communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to align curricula with the expectation that bring about positive change. All students need to complete at least the following core principles:

1. Ability to demonstrate knowledge of ethical issues

2. Demonstrate knowledge of global factors that influence businesses

3. Communicate the importance of environmental responsibility

4. Understand concepts and definitions in accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, and operations.

Florida Gulf Coast University is a large institution with over 11,000 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Communications, and Business. The school is also considered an incubator for entrepreneurial endeavors. The school has 15,000 students enrolled, 63 undergraduate programs, 25 master’s programs, and 3 doctoral programs.

School Overview

Tuition: $373.38 per credit hour
Student to Faculty ratio: 22:1
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8

University of North Florida

  • Jacksonville, Florida
  • Graduation Rate: 61%

The University of North Florida, Master of Accountancy and Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree at the Coggins Graduate Program, offers virtually unlimited one-on-one learning opportunities. Their Master of Accountancy prepares students for advanced coursework with real-world experience in research and reporting. The School offers a wide range of different programs to choose from, including:

  • Accounting Program
  • Honors in Accounting
  • Finance Program
  • Accounting and Finance Faculty
  • Accounting and Finance Policies

The University of North Florida was established in 1965 and opened for classes in 1972. The university is divided into five colleges that offer 53 undergraduate degree options, 28 graduate degree programs, and seven doctoral degree programs.

School Overview

Tuition: $493.53 per credit hour
Student to Faculty: 19:1
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Methodology for Rating Schools Offering Accounting Degrees

It is never an easy task trying to determine the right educational venue for a degree. We have reviewed several top educational programs that focus on accounting programs. 

We have looked at the top schools and then reviewed different criteria, such as the size of the class, teacher to student ratio, online vs. hybrid and on-campus learning, graduation rate, and tuition. After reviewing all this information, we define a number for each school based on these and other criteria.

Our goal is to take some of the efforts away from students and do the work for them so they can get down to the business of earning their degree.

If there is a school omitted from this list or if any information is incorrect, please contact us so the appropriate edits/corrections can be made.

Find the program that’s right for you

Whether you’re trying to start your career or make a big change, we can help you find the perfect school to help you reach your goals.

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