Best Graduate Schools for Accounting
The Accounting ranking compares universities for graduate study using subject strength and applicant demand. This page shows positions 1–30 from the full ranking. Each position belongs to a university, not an individual degree program. Open a university's program count to see and compare its matching graduate programs. It gives particular weight to professional preparation, employer recognition and career outcomes in accounting.
| Rank | University | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Chicago | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 2 | Stanford University | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 4 | The University of Texas at Austin | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 5 | University of Southern California | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 6 | University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign | United States |
3 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 7 | University of Michigan--Ann Arbor | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
| 9 | University of California, Berkeley | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 10 | Harvard University | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 11 | Columbia University | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 12 | New York University | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 13 | University of Notre Dame | United States |
1 programMaster's Programs | ||
| 14 | Brigham Young University--Provo | United States |
1 programMaster's Programs | ||
| 15 | University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 16 | Duke University | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 17 | Yale University | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 18 | University of Toronto | Canada |
2 programs | ||
| 19 | London School of Economics and Political Science | United Kingdom |
4 programs | ||
| 20 | Cornell University | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 21 | Northwestern University | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 22 | Ohio State University--Columbus | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 23 | Indiana University--Bloomington | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 24 | University of Minnesota--Twin Cities | United States |
1 programMaster's Programs | ||
| 25 | Washington University in St. Louis | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 26 | University of Washington | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 27 | University of Georgia | United States |
1 programMaster's Programs | ||
| 28 | University of Florida | United States |
1 programMaster's Programs | ||
| 29 | Singapore Management University | Singapore |
3 programsDoctoral Programs | ||
| 30 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | Hong Kong |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
How this ranking is built
Graduate study is a career decision. These subject rankings help applicants compare where a degree may create the strongest long-term value, using evidence that reflects how graduate students actually choose and what they gain from their degrees.
We build subject rankings across 37 disciplines and publish the top 30 universities in each. Each university receives one position in the published table for that subject. That position reflects how the university performs across key ranking components, combined consistently for every institution in scope.
Key ranking components
- Research strengthDepth, quality, and influence of scholarship and faculty in the university or field.
- Employability and career outcomesGraduate placement, employer access, professional standing, alumni networks, and long-term options created by the degree.
- Global engagementInternational reach, cross-border relevance, and breadth of academic and professional networks.
- Learning experienceQuality and breadth of graduate study and the environment in which students learn, collaborate, and develop.
- Applicant demand and revealed preferenceApplication demand and choices admitted applicants make when they hold more than one offer.
Independent expert judgment calibrates the weight given to each component and checks that the resulting order makes sense. There is no one-size-fits-all balance across subjects: research-led fields place more emphasis on academic depth, while professional fields place more emphasis on career outcomes and professional training.
Questions About the Accounting Ranking
- What does the Accounting ranking measure?
- It compares the strength of graduate study in Accounting across universities using key ranking components: research strength; employability and career outcomes; global engagement; learning experience; and applicant demand and revealed preference. Independent expert judgment calibrates the weight given to each component for the field and checks that the resulting order makes sense.
- Does the Accounting ranking compare universities or individual programs?
- The ranking compares universities, not individual programs. Each university receives one position based on how its graduate offering in Accounting performs across the key ranking components. The programs listed beneath it help you explore your options; they do not receive separate ranks.
- How should I use the Accounting ranking to build my shortlist?
- Use it to identify universities worth investigating, then compare the linked programs for academic fit, admissions requirements, deadlines and costs. A higher position should inform your shortlist, not decide it for you.
- Which countries are represented in the Accounting ranking?
- United States (26), Canada (1), Hong Kong (1), Singapore (1), and United Kingdom (1). The ranking is global and does not use a country quota.
- Are higher-ranked universities usually harder to get into?
- Often, but not always. Applicant demand and revealed preference are only part of the ranking. Research strength, career outcomes, global engagement, learning experience and field-specific calibration also shape the order. Admission standards still vary by degree level, specialization and individual program, even within the same university.
Explore Rankings and Programs
Accounting Program Directories
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Doctoral Programs
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The complete Grad School Navigator subject ranking directory, grouped by field.