Best Online Certificate in Accounting Programs of 2023

Harper College is one of the largest community colleges in the United States. Approximately 300,000 students are enrolled in courses on Harper's campus in the northwest suburbs of Chicago or remotely online. They offer dozens of associate degrees and certification programs, including multiple professional certifications in accounting courses. Students can earn certifications like the Accounting Bookkeeper/Clerk Certificate, Accounting Assistant Certificate, and Professional Accounting-CPA Preparation Certificate. Harper's online accounting certifications are 100% online and take approximately 8 to 20 hours to complete. If they choose, students can also apply the credits they earn in their certification courses to an associate's degree.

Located in Kinston, North Carolina, Lenoir Community College offers some of the best online accounting certificates in the South. The online Account and Finance Certificates are popular with working professionals looking to add to their credentials. Lenoir's online accounting certifications include the Accounting Essential Certificate, Accounting and Finance Bookkeeping Certificate, and Small Business Accounting Certificate. These certifications require 14-15 credit hours to complete. As part of Lenoir's mission to provide affordable programs to those struggling financially, they have created the Ambassador Program, a leadership program with a $1,400 scholarship for eligible students each semester they are enrolled.

Foothill College in Los Altos, California, offers in-person and online degrees and certifications. They award over 1,000 technical and occupational certificates every year, including certificates in accounting. The Business and Social Sciences Division at Foothill College offers eight online certifications in accounting and bookkeeping. This range of options allows students to specialize in an area of accounting or bookkeeping that best fits their professional goals. These specializations include Certificates of Proficiency in payroll preparation, tax accounting, enrolled agent preparation, and financial accounting. Foothill's online certification courses are asynchronous and run on a quarter system. All high-school graduates and adults 18 or older will be granted automatic admission into the accounting certification program.

The University of Virginia's School of Continuing and Professional Studies is home to an online Accounting Certificate. This program ensures students are fully prepared to sit the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination. To complete the Accounting Certificate, students must take six required courses in introductory and intermediate accounting and four elective courses of their choice. Electives include courses in Fraud Examination, Forensic Accounting, Business Law, Corporate Governance and Ethics, and Federal Taxation. Tuition fees for this program are the same for both in-state and out-of-state students, so if students are looking for programs outside their home state, the University of Virginia's online Accounting Certificate may be a good fit.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks' eCampus is dedicated to creating a supportive, innovative online learning community. The Online Certificate in Accounting is a post-baccalaureate certification program that provides students with quality instruction and crucial support services such as time with a University of Alaska Career Coach. During their time in the certification program, students can earn microcredentials in Microsoft Excel introductory and advanced if they earn an A on Excel assignments. Microcredentials like these help students differentiate themselves in competitive job markets. Additionally, credits earned in Certificate in Accounting can be used towards the first year of the Applied Accounting associate's (A.A.S) if students are interested in pursuing a degree.

Champlain College is a private university with a brick-and-mortar base in Burlington, Vermont. They are known for small class sizes, individualized instruction, and accessibility to adult learners in both their on-campus and online classes. To provide access to more students, Champlain College's degree programs and certifications are available 100% online with 24/7 access to instructional materials and coursework. The Online Undergraduate Certificate in Accounting is a 16-credit-hour program taught by expert practitioners in the field. The program's courses can transfer to Champlain College's online accounting associate's and online accounting bachelor's degrees.

The University of California-Berkeley may be one of the most prestigious colleges on the west coast; however, many are unaware that the university offers the same quality instruction in their online degree and certification programs. For example, the online Certificate Program in Accounting provides up-to-date CPA education and hands-on training in the field to ensure alums are ready for a professional career in accounting and bookkeeping. UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and an experienced advisory board designed and approved the program. In most cases, students can complete the University of California-Berkeley's Certificate Program in Accounting can be completed within two years.

Florida State College at Jacksonville is an extension of the Florida College System with four physical campuses and various online degrees and certifications. The Business Department at FSCJ offers Accounting Technology Management, Accounting Technology Operations, and Accounting Technology Specialist Certificates to those interested in pursuing a career in the accounting industry. Whichever accounting certificate they choose, students can expect to complete the program within a year. At 12 total credit hours, the Accounting Technology Specialist Certificate has the shortest estimated completion time (5 months), while the Accounting Technology Management Certificate has the longest estimated completion time (11 months for 27 credit hours).

Golden Gate University is a private nonprofit university in San Francisco. Golden Gate's Graduate Certificate in Financial Accounting and Reporting is available as an online or hybrid program, allowing students to take advantage of both the flexibility of online coursework and face-to-face interactions with faculty, advisors, and staff. By enrolling in the Financial Account and Reporting Certificate, students may meet all necessary requirements to sit the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam. The 12-credit program is divided into six core curriculum classes and six elective hours. Because half of the certification program comprises elective courses, students can choose which areas of finance and accounting to emphasize in their coursework.

Auburn University's Graduate Certificate in Accountancy is a 12-credit hour program that students can complete in less than a year. Unlike other similar Online Certificates in Accounting, Auburn's Certificate in Accountancy has no required core curriculum. Instead, students are allowed to choose four courses out of 21 total options, making this program one of the most customizable options on the market. Additionally, Auburn University has a dedicated Online Student Resources page that provides students with the information and materials they need to succeed in the program, including access to advisors, scholarship opportunities, and career resources.