For accountants, the University of Illinois iMSA (32 credits, approx. $22,628β$28,928 for 2026-27, AACSB) is the strongest online master’s that also moves you toward the CPA’s 150-hour requirement; Penn State’s Master of Professional Accounting (30 credits, $1,048 per credit) is the safer choice if CPA eligibility is your only goal. For finance, Johns Hopkins Carey’s online MS in Finance ($2,060 per credit, 30 credits, approx. $61,800) buys a top-tier US brand and a CFA-oriented syllabus, while Penn State’s Master of Finance (33 credits, $1,089 per credit) does most of the same job for about $36,000. In the UK, the University of London’s MSc Professional Accountancy converts an ACCA qualification into a UCL-directed master’s from approx. Β£4,044, and Heriot-Watt, Aston and Bath offer full online MScs for Β£10,600βΒ£16,050.
Best online master’s finance and accounting rankings tend to mix three very different products: US degrees built to satisfy state CPA boards, UK degrees built to sit alongside ACCA, CIMA or CFA study, and general finance master’s aimed at corporate treasury, FP&A and banking careers. The price gap between them is enormous β the eight programs we shortlisted run from roughly Β£4,000 to more than $60,000 β and the wrong choice is expensive in both money and the professional recognition you do not get at the end. This guide compares the programs on total published fee for 2026 entry, verified on each school’s own page in September 2026, on delivery format and length, and on what each degree actually does for a professional qualification. It is part of the Kurums MBA and Business Education hub; readers weighing a specialised master’s against a general management degree should also read our guide to online master’s versus MBA.
Which online accounting master’s is best for CPA candidates?
Penn State’s Master of Professional Accounting states outright that it helps meet the 150-credit-hour requirement; Illinois’s iMSA says it helps prepare you for the exam but has not confirmed eligibility in all 55 jurisdictions. Check your own state board before enrolling in either.
Which online finance master’s is best for CFA candidates?
Johns Hopkins Carey and Penn State both build their finance curricula around CFA topics. Neither degree exempts you from any CFA level β nothing does β so treat them as structured preparation with a diploma attached.
Can ACCA members get credit toward a master’s?
Yes. The University of London MSc Professional Accountancy, directed by UCL, admits ACCA members and affiliates directly and lets them use the qualification as credit toward the MSc, which is why the full fee starts at approximately Β£4,044.
How much should I expect to pay?
Between about Β£4,000 and Β£16,000 for UK online degrees, $22,000β$36,000 for AACSB-accredited US public universities, and $60,000 or more for a private US brand such as Johns Hopkins.
At a glance: the shortlist
| Program | School / country | Format & length | Fee (as published 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iMSA β Online Master of Science in Accountancy | University of Illinois Gies, US | Online Β· 32 credits Β· 18β36 months | approx. $22,628β$28,928 (2026-27) | AACSB accounting degree at public-university price |
| MS in Finance (part-time, online) | Johns Hopkins Carey, US | Online Β· 30 credits Β· 2β3 years | $2,060 per credit, approx. $61,800 | Brand and CFA-oriented curriculum |
| MSc Professional Accountancy | University of London (UCL academic direction), UK | Online Β· under 1 year to 5 years | from approx. Β£4,044 (Band A) / Β£5,472 (Band B), 2026-27 | ACCA members and affiliates |
| MSc Accounting and Finance (online) | Aston Business School, UK | Online, part-time Β· 180 credits Β· approx. 2 years | approx. Β£11,050 UK / Β£16,050 international (confirm) | Triple-accredited UK degree with ACCA/CIMA entry routes |
| MSc Applied Economics (Banking and Financial Markets) | University of Bath, UK | Online Β· 180 credits Β· from 2 years 6 months | approx. Β£12,996 (Β£722 per 10 credits) | Bankers, regulators, central-bank staff |
| Master of Professional Accounting | Penn State World Campus, US | Online Β· 30 credits Β· 2.5β3 years | $1,048 per credit, approx. $31,440 (2026-27) | CPA 150-hour route |
| Master of Finance | Penn State World Campus, US | Online Β· 33 credits Β· 2 years | $1,089 per credit, approx. $35,937 (2026-27) | Corporate finance and CFA preparation |
| MSc Financial Management (online) | Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School, UK | Online, self-paced Β· 8 courses Β· 18 monthsβ3 years (up to 8) | Β£1,323 per course, approx. Β£10,584 | Pay-per-course, enrol any time |
| MS in Finance (Kelley Direct) | Indiana University Kelley, US | Online Β· 30 credits Β· 15 monthsβ3 years | Not published on the program page; request from school | CFO-track candidates (not shortlisted β fee unverified) |
How did we choose the best online finance and accounting master’s degrees?
We began with 22 online master’s degrees in finance, accounting, financial management and financial economics from AACSB-, EQUIS- or AMBA-accredited business schools and from UK universities with a long distance-learning record. Five criteria decided the shortlist. Verified fee for 2026 entry: we used the school’s own tuition page; where a figure was undated or looked stale (Aston) we say so rather than guess. Professional-qualification value: what the degree explicitly states about CPA, ACCA, CIMA or CFA β not what aggregator sites claim. Accreditation of the awarding school. Flexibility: self-paced or cohort, maximum duration, number of intakes. And fit for an international candidate: time-zone independence, fee tiers, English requirements. We excluded programs that could not show a fee for 2026 on their own site (Kelley’s MS in Finance appears in the table for reference only). No ranking site was used as an input, and paid listings play no part in the order.
The 8 best online master’s in finance and accounting in 2026
1. iMSA (Online Master of Science in Accountancy) β University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Gies College of Business
100% online Β· 32 credit hours Β· 18β36 months Β· $904 per credit for accounting courses, $379 for non-accounting electives; approx. $22,628β$28,928 total for 2026-27 Β· AACSB Β· No GMAT/GRE
Gies runs the largest online graduate business portfolio of any AACSB school, and the iMSA is its accounting flagship. Lectures are delivered on Coursera, but grading, live sessions and credit are Illinois’s own, and the diploma is identical to the on-campus MSA. The curriculum covers financial reporting, auditing, taxation, managerial accounting and data analytics for accountants β the analytics strand is a genuine differentiator for candidates heading to Big Four advisory or corporate finance. The price varies because accounting courses cost $904 per credit and electives $379, so a heavier accounting load costs more. The honest caveat is CPA eligibility: Illinois states it “has not made a determination” that the degree satisfies prerequisites in all 55 US jurisdictions, so candidates must check their state board. For non-US accountants, that is irrelevant and the degree stands on its own as a well-priced AACSB master’s from a top-three US accounting department.
2. Part-Time MS in Finance (online) β Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
Online Β· 30 credits Β· 2β3 years Β· $2,060 per credit, approx. $61,800 total as published 2026 Β· AACSB Β· GMAT/GRE optional Β· Rounds close 7 Oct, 11 Nov, 9 Dec 2026
Carey’s part-time MS in Finance is the online finance master’s with the most recognisable name on this list, and it is priced accordingly. The curriculum is built to track the CFA body of knowledge β corporate finance, investments, derivatives, fixed income, financial modelling β and Carey says a significant portion is dedicated to preparing students to sit the CFA exams. Classes are taught by the same faculty as the full-time Baltimore and Washington programs, and every applicant is considered for scholarships, which in practice takes the sticker price down for strong candidates. What you do not get, at least on the part-time track, is STEM designation, which Carey reserves for its full-time formats; that matters only to candidates planning US work visas. At roughly $61,800 before scholarships, the degree only makes financial sense if the Hopkins name opens doors in your market or an employer is paying. For a self-funded analyst in Istanbul or Dubai, Penn State delivers a similar syllabus at 60 per cent of the cost.
3. MSc Professional Accountancy β University of London, with academic direction from UCL School of Management
Online (or via recognised teaching centres) Β· Under 1 year to 5 years Β· Full programme from Β£4,044 (Band A countries) / Β£5,472 (Band B) for 2026-27; 15-credit modules Β£1,011 / Β£1,368 Β· Intakes October 2026 and April 2027
This is the most cost-effective master’s in the entire Kurums education section, and it exists because of a deliberate design choice: the programme is aimed at people who already hold or are completing a professional accountancy qualification. Full ACCA members and affiliates who have passed all examinations are admitted directly and use their qualification as credit, which is why the remaining route can be finished in under a year for roughly Β£4,000. Content is set and examined under UCL’s academic direction β strategic financial management, governance, and a research-based project β and the award is a University of London MSc, a name that travels well across the Gulf, Africa and South Asia where ACCA is the dominant qualification. It will not, on its own, get you a US CPA, and it is not a finance degree in the investment sense. For an ACCA-qualified controller who wants a master’s on the CV without repeating what they already know, nothing else comes close.
4. MSc Accounting and Finance (online) β Aston Business School, Aston University
Online, part-time Β· 180 credits (15-credit modules plus a 60-credit project) Β· approx. 2 years Β· approx. Β£11,050 UK / Β£16,050 international as shown on Aston University Online (undated β confirm before applying) Β· AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS
Aston is one of the few triple-accredited UK business schools to run a fully online accounting and finance MSc, and the entry rules make it unusually welcoming to part-qualified accountants: the school lists CIMA certificate and operational-level papers, or ACCA foundation-level papers, among the qualifications it accepts alongside a lower-second-class degree. The syllabus is a conventional accounting-and-finance mix β financial reporting, corporate finance, management accounting, investment analysis β ending in a 60-credit project that most working students base on their employer. Aston’s Birmingham base means a strong network with UK industrial and professional-services employers rather than City banks. The drawback, and the reason we say “confirm” beside the fee, is that Aston’s online-programme site carries dates that are clearly out of date, and we could not find a 2026 fee schedule on aston.ac.uk; treat the published figures as indicative. Ask the admissions team for the current fee and whether module-level ACCA or CIMA exemptions apply to the current syllabus.
5. MSc Applied Economics (Banking and Financial Markets) online β University of Bath
100% online Β· 180 credits Β· minimum 2 years 6 months Β· Β£722 per 10-credit unit, approx. Β£12,996 total as published 2026 Β· Starts January, May and September
Bath’s online offering is not a finance MSc in the CFA sense; it is an applied economics degree with a banking and financial-markets pathway, and that distinction decides who should choose it. Modules cover monetary economics, financial-market microstructure, banking regulation, econometrics and policy analysis, taught by Bath’s Department of Economics with the School of Management’s online-delivery team. It suits people in central banks, regulators, bank treasury and risk functions, sovereign funds and policy roles β the audience Bath explicitly names in its entry requirements, which ask for a first degree in a social-science or business discipline such as finance, accounting, banking or public finance. Fees are charged per unit, so you pay as you go, and three intakes a year mean short waits. The weakness is the same as its strength: a corporate-finance analyst who wants valuation, M&A and modelling will find the content too macro. For the banking and policy audience, it is well-priced and academically serious.
6. Master of Professional Accounting (online) β Penn State World Campus
100% online Β· 30 credits Β· 2.5β3 years at one or two courses per semester Β· $1,048 per credit, approx. $31,440 total for 2026-27 Β· AACSB Β· No GMAT/GRE
Penn State’s MPAcc is the most explicit of the US programs about the thing most accounting applicants care about: the school says the degree is designed to prepare students for the CPA exam and to help meet the 150-credit-hour education requirement. Coursework covers advanced financial reporting, audit and assurance, taxation, forensic accounting and accounting analytics, and the pace is set by you β two courses a semester finishes in about two and a half years, one course in three. World Campus is a mature operation with three decades of distance delivery, and Penn State’s alumni network in the US mid-Atlantic and among the large accounting firms is deep. The degree costs more than Illinois’s iMSA once you compare like for like, it lacks the iMSA’s data-analytics depth, and it is unapologetically US-centred: an ACCA-track candidate outside the United States gains little from it. For a US-based professional who needs the 150 hours and a credible AACSB name, it is the low-risk choice.
7. Master of Finance (online) β Penn State World Campus, Smeal-affiliated faculty
100% online Β· 33 credits Β· 2 years (fixed cohort sequence) Β· $1,089 per credit, approx. $35,937 total for 2026-27 Β· GMAT/GRE optional
The Penn State Master of Finance is the pragmatic alternative to Johns Hopkins: a structured two-year online sequence β two courses each fall and spring, one in the first summer, two in the second β covering corporate finance, investments, financial modelling, risk management and derivatives, with Penn State stating that the coursework can help prepare you for certifications such as the CFA. The fixed cohort rhythm is a strength for people who need external discipline and a weakness for anyone whose work travel makes a set weekly load hard to sustain. Instruction is asynchronous, so time zones are not a problem for candidates in Europe or the Middle East. There is no scholarship culture comparable to Carey’s, so the sticker price is usually the real price, and the Penn State brand carries less weight in investment banking than in corporate finance and treasury. If your goal is an FP&A, treasury or corporate-development role and you want a recognised US master’s at about $36,000, this is the one to shortlist.
8. MSc Financial Management (online) β Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School
100% online, self-paced Β· Five 20-credit core courses plus three options Β· Typically 18 monthsβ3 years, up to 8 years Β· Β£1,323 per course, approx. Β£10,584 for eight courses as published September 2026 Β· Enrol at any time
Edinburgh Business School has been delivering distance-learning master’s degrees since before the word “online” was in common use, and its MSc Financial Management keeps the model that made it popular with expatriate professionals: enrol whenever you like, pay per course, and sit exams at centres worldwide or online. The syllabus is applied corporate finance β financial analysis, corporate financial management, investment appraisal, risk, plus options in areas such as mergers and acquisitions and financial reporting β pitched at managers who need to run budgets and capital decisions rather than at aspiring portfolio managers. The pay-as-you-go structure means a course you fail costs you only that course’s fee, and the eight-year window is the most generous on this list. What Heriot-Watt lacks is prestige in the recruiting rooms of London and New York, and the self-directed format suits disciplined learners more than those who want a cohort. For a mid-career finance manager in Ankara, Lagos or Kuala Lumpur who wants a UK MSc at a controllable cost, it remains a sound choice.
Which online master’s degrees are recognised by CPA, ACCA, CFA or CIMA?
This is where most marketing copy is vague and most applicants are disappointed later. The table records only what each school states on its own pages as of September 2026. “Not stated” means the school makes no claim, not that recognition is impossible; and no master’s degree exempts anyone from CFA examinations, because the CFA Institute grants no exemptions to anyone.
| Program | CPA (US) | ACCA | CFA | CIMA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois iMSA | “Helps prepare you to sit for the CPA exam”; eligibility in all jurisdictions not determined β check state board | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Johns Hopkins MS in Finance | Not applicable | Not stated | Curriculum “dedicated to preparing you to sit for the CFA exam”; no exemption | Not stated |
| University of London MSc Professional Accountancy | Not stated | ACCA members and affiliates admitted and use qualification as credit toward the MSc | Not stated | Listed professional bodies may use qualifications as credit β confirm for CIMA |
| Aston MSc Accounting and Finance | Not stated | ACCA foundation-level papers accepted for entry; exemptions not stated | Not stated | CIMA certificate and operational-level papers accepted for entry; exemptions not stated |
| Bath MSc Applied Economics (B&FM) | Not applicable | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Penn State MPAcc | “Designed to prepare students for the CPA exam”; helps meet the 150-credit-hour requirement | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Penn State Master of Finance | Not applicable | Not stated | Coursework “can help to prepare you” for the CFA; no exemption | Not stated |
| Heriot-Watt MSc Financial Management | Not applicable | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Finance or accounting master’s: which pays off for your career?
Accounting master’s degrees have the clearer economics. They exist to satisfy licensing rules (CPA in the US) or to convert a professional qualification into an academic one (ACCA to MSc), and the pay-off is a known step: audit senior to manager, controller to finance director, or eligibility to sign off accounts. If you already hold ACCA or CIMA, the University of London route at roughly Β£4,000 is close to a free option, and the return is almost entirely in credentials for promotion boards and visa points rather than new knowledge.
Finance master’s degrees are a bet on a move β into investment analysis, corporate development, treasury or risk β and their value depends far more on the school’s brand and network than an accounting degree’s does. That is why the price range is wider: Johns Hopkins charges roughly $61,800 for essentially the same CFA-aligned topics that Penn State teaches for $36,000 and Heriot-Watt for Β£10,600. The brand premium is worth paying only when you expect to compete for roles where the recruiter sorts CVs by school. For an internal promotion inside a multinational’s finance function, the cheaper AACSB or UK degree does the same job. Candidates who cannot decide between the two tracks usually want a general management credential instead; our online master’s versus MBA comparison sets out when that is true, and the best online MBA programs guide lists the alternatives.
What does an online finance master’s really cost once you add the extras?
Three additions matter. Professional exam fees: the whole point of most of these degrees is a qualification the degree does not include. Budget separately for CPA exam sections and licensing, ACCA exam and annual subscription fees, or three CFA levels with their registration costs; over two to three years these add several thousand dollars to any of the programs above. Fee tiers: the University of London’s Band A and Band B pricing and Aston’s UK and international rates mean the same degree can cost 35β45 per cent more depending on your passport and residence. Penn State and Illinois charge the same per-credit rate to everyone, which is unusual among US publics. Currency: a sterling fee looks attractive from a dollar-earning country and painful from a lira- or rand-earning one, and a two-year cohort program locks you into that exposure. Heriot-Watt’s and Bath’s pay-per-course models let you slow down if your currency moves against you; Johns Hopkins’s per-credit billing does the same at a much higher base. Finally, remember that AACSB or triple accreditation matters mainly in Europe, the Gulf and Asia; in the US the school’s name matters more than the badge.
Every accredited online master’s we track, including finance, accounting, analytics and management degrees, is listed in the online master’s degrees directory. Readers whose interest is quantitative rather than accounting-led should compare the analytics options in our guide to the best online master’s in business analytics and data science, and anyone preparing for a professional exam can find prep courses in the Kurums courses directory.
When is an online finance or accounting master’s the wrong choice?
When you are under 26 with under three years’ experience and can afford a year out: a full-time MSc Finance at a top European or US school delivers a placement season and a peer network that no online program replicates, and most finance recruiters still weight full-time degrees more heavily for entry-level analyst roles. When the qualification you actually need is the CFA charter or ACCA membership and your employer already funds exam prep: a master’s on top is redundant until you are aiming at leadership roles. And when the degree is a proxy for a US work visa: only the full-time Johns Hopkins formats are STEM-designated, so a part-time online finance degree will not help there. In each of those cases the money is better spent on the qualification itself, or on a short executive-education certificate that signals the same intent for a fraction of the fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an online master’s in finance respected by employers?
Yes, when it comes from a school employers already know. Johns Hopkins, Illinois, Penn State, Bath and the University of London all award the same degree title online as on campus, and the diploma does not say “online”. Employers in corporate finance and accounting care mainly about the school and any professional qualification you hold; recruiters for front-office investment roles still prefer full-time degrees.
Which online master’s is cheapest for an ACCA member?
The University of London MSc Professional Accountancy, with academic direction from UCL. ACCA members and affiliates use their qualification as credit and complete the remaining modules for approximately Β£4,044 (Band A countries) or Β£5,472 (Band B) for 2026-27, often in under a year. It is the only program on this list that explicitly converts ACCA into master’s credit.
Does an online accounting master’s make me eligible for the CPA exam?
Not automatically. CPA eligibility is set by each US state board, and requirements differ. Penn State says its Master of Professional Accounting helps meet the 150-credit-hour requirement; Illinois says the iMSA helps prepare you for the exam but has not determined eligibility in all jurisdictions. Check your state board’s course-content rules before you enrol, not after.
Do I need the GMAT for these programs?
No program on the shortlist requires it. Illinois and Penn State’s MPAcc state that no GMAT or GRE is required; Johns Hopkins and Penn State’s Master of Finance make it optional; the UK programs do not use it. Admission rests on your first degree, transcripts, professional qualifications and, for non-native speakers, an English test such as IELTS.
Can I study these degrees from TΓΌrkiye, the Gulf or Africa?
Yes. All eight programs are open to international students and all are asynchronous or self-paced, so time zones are not a barrier. Check three things: whether a fee tier applies to your country (University of London Band A or B), whether exams require a local test centre, and whether your first degree is recognised by the awarding university. English-language tests are usually required if your degree was not taught in English.
How long does an online finance master’s take alongside a full-time job?
Plan on two years. Penn State’s Master of Finance runs a fixed two-year sequence; Johns Hopkins allows two to three years; Illinois 18 to 36 months; Bath a minimum of two and a half years; Heriot-Watt typically 18 months to three years with an eight-year limit. The University of London route can be under a year for ACCA holders. Expect 10β15 hours a week.
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