Selecting a school based solely on a "prestige" name is a trap. I’ve seen it happen. A student picks a flashy Ivy League school only to realize the Big Four firms—Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG—actually spend their recruiting budget at a public state school three states away. If you are looking for colleges with good accounting programs, you have to look past the general university rankings. Accounting is a different beast.
Basically, you want a school that is a "target." In the accounting world, a target school means the big firms have a permanent office on campus, they wine and dine the juniors, and they offer internships like candy.
Honestly, the "best" school might be one you haven't even considered. It’s not just about the math. It’s about the CPA pass rates and the pipeline to a $75,000 starting salary.
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The heavy hitters you probably already know
The University of Texas at Austin (McCombs) is usually the name at the top of every list. For good reason. They’ve been ranked #1 for what feels like forever. Their Integrated Master in Professional Accounting (iMPA) is a beast. You stay for five years and walk out with both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s.
It’s efficient.
You’re also eligible to sit for the CPA exam the second you graduate. Texas firms basically treat McCombs like a draft board. If you can get in, you’re sorted. But it's competitive. The acceptance rate for the Master's side hovers around 29%.
Then there is Brigham Young University (BYU). If you want the best ROI, this is it. The tuition at the Marriott School of Business is famously low, especially if you’re a member of the LDS church, but even for non-members, it’s a steal.
BYU students are known for being incredibly "job-ready." They have a "Junior Core" curriculum. It’s a 24-credit-hour gauntlet that covers everything from tax to data analytics in one go. It’s brutal. But it’s why BYU grads have some of the highest CPA pass rates in the country.
Why the "Big Ten" schools dominate this field
If you want a classic "college experience" with massive football games and a top-tier accounting degree, look at the Big Ten.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Gies College of Business) is a powerhouse. They were one of the first to really lean into "Accountancy + Data Science." They realized years ago that being a "human calculator" is a dead career path. Now, they teach you how to use Python and SQL to audit massive datasets.
University of Michigan (Ross) and Indiana University (Kelley) are the other two titans here.
- Kelley (Indiana): They have a massive alumni network. Over 700 companies recruit there. The average starting salary for their accounting grads is north of $63,000, and that’s before bonuses.
- Ross (Michigan): It’s more of a "consulting-flavored" accounting program. If you want to end up on Wall Street or in high-level corporate strategy, Ross is your spot.
- Penn State (Smeal): Very strong recruiting in the Northeast, especially for the Philadelphia and New York offices.
The "secret" schools with insane CPA pass rates
Most people ignore Wake Forest. That's a mistake.
Wake Forest University consistently posts some of the highest CPA exam pass rates in the United States. They don't just teach the material; they drill it. Their School of Business has a 98%+ job placement rate.
Similarly, look at Villanova and Boston College.
- Villanova grads often see a $12,000+ "earnings boost" compared to the average accounting grad.
- Boston College (Carroll) focuses heavily on ethics. In a post-Enron, post-2008 world, firms value that "ethical decision-making" badge more than you’d think.
What really matters in 2026: The "CPA Evolution"
The accounting world just went through a massive shift called the CPA Evolution. The exam changed. It’s no longer just "debits on the left, credits on the right."
Now, the exam has a core and then a "discipline" you choose—like Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR) or Information Systems and Controls (ISC).
Colleges with good accounting programs have already rewritten their entire 300-level and 400-level courses to match this. If a school is still teaching from 2020 textbooks, run. You need a program that integrates:
- Cloud Accounting: If you aren't learning Xero or QuickBooks Online, you're behind.
- AI and Automation: Firms are using AI to handle manual entry. You need to be the one managing the AI.
- Data Visualization: Can you explain a balance sheet using a Power BI dashboard? If not, a McCombs or Gies grad will take your job.
Location is your silent partner
Don’t underestimate the power of being in a city.
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New York University (Stern) is expensive. Like, "sell a kidney" expensive. But your campus is basically Wall Street. 100% of their accounting students usually have an internship by junior year. The starting salaries in NYC often top $80,000 to $90,000 because of the cost of living adjustment.
If you want to work in government or forensic accounting (the "detective" side of money), Georgetown in D.C. is the gold standard. You’re right next to the GAO, the SEC, and the FBI.
The "Good Enough" vs. "Great" debate
You might be wondering: "Can I just go to my local state school and still get a good job?"
Sorta.
If your local school is AACSB accredited, you can still become a CPA. You can still get hired. But you’ll have to work ten times harder to get noticed by the "Big Four." You’ll be the one cold-calling recruiters on LinkedIn, whereas at a target school like USC (Leventhal) or Florida (Warrington), the recruiters are the ones cold-calling you.
Actionable steps to pick your school
Don't just look at the 2026 rankings. Do this instead:
Check the "Recruiter List"
Go to the school's career center website. Look for a PDF of "Companies that Hire Our Grads." If you don't see Deloitte, EY, PwC, or KPMG, it's not a top-tier accounting target.
Look at the 150-hour requirement
Most states require 150 credit hours to be a CPA. A standard degree is 120. See if the school has a "3+2" or "Integrated Master's" program. This saves you the headache of applying to a separate grad school later.
Ask about the "Beta Alpha Psi" chapter
This is the honor society for accounting. If the school has an active, "Superior Status" chapter, it means the students are connected and the firms are visiting often.
Compare the "Net Price"
Accounting isn't like film school; the curriculum is standardized. A $10,000/year degree from a solid state school like Ohio State or Texas A&M often yields the exact same starting salary as a $60,000/year private school degree.
Next steps for your search
Start by identifying three "target" schools and two "value" schools. Reach out to the accounting department—not the general admissions office—and ask specifically for their most recent CPA pass rates. If they hesitate to give you the numbers, keep looking. Your goal is a program that treats your education like a professional apprenticeship, not just a series of math classes.