Accounting Schools in Minnesota

Minnesota Accounting Schools

Minnesota State Board of Accountancy85 East 7th Place – Suite 125
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-296-7938
Fax: 651-282-2644
Email: doreen.frost@state.mn.us

When considering seeking a degree in accounting in Minnesota, you can choose from various types of schools, including community college, technical school, vocational school, or traditional four-year and beyond colleges, and various types of programs. A degree in accounting may lead to a career as an accountant or auditor, or it may lead to working in taxation, corporate accounting, or financial management. Researching the various degree program options is thus essential to finding a school with the program or programs within its curriculum that matches your interest.

Overview of Accounting Schools and Curriculum in Minnesota

In general, the curriculum for an accounting degree will include coursework in tax preparation and tax law, general accounting, corporate accounting, and management accounting. There will likely also be courses involving; general finance, bookkeeping and possibly related business courses covering such topics as business law and payroll procedures.

Total Accounting Schools: 96
Total Accounting Students: 24,373
Average Tuition: $13,780
Average Scholarship Package: $4,933
Average Grant Amount: $6,395
Average Classroom Size: 18 Students
Online Accounting Programs: 68
Average Online Tuition: $12,452
Online Undergraduate Programs: 65
Online Graduate Programs: 26
Top Accounting Schools:Gustavus Adolphus College
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
College of Saint Benedict
Largest Accounting School:University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
• 5,514 Students Currently Attending
Cheapest Accounting School:Pine Technical College
• $4,065 Annual Tuition Charges
School With Largest Financial Aid Packages:Gustavus Adolphus College
• $18,862 Average Financial Aid Award

Salary and Job Outlook for Accountants in Minnesota

Minnesota’s accountants earned an average salary of $70,390 as of May 2020, just slightly below the national average of $73,560 for this profession during this time. The top earning accountants (90th percentile) in Minnesota – largely those with graduate degrees, extensive experience, and the coveted CPA designation – earned about $109,800 during this time.

Some of the highest salaries among Minnesota’s accountants were in the La Cross-Onalaska (WI-MN) metro area as of May 2020, where they reported a top salary (90th percentile) of $106,660. The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington (MN-WI) posted one of strongest average salaries during this time, at $72,100.

Note that these salaries reflect base salaries only and not salary incentives like bonuses and stock options that can and do considerably boost an accountant’s overall compensation package, particularly among those in senior- and executive-level accounting positions.

Job growth among Minnesota’s accountants is expected to remain strong in the coming years. Between 2018 and 2028, the number of accounting jobs in Minnesota is projected to increase by 7% – much higher than the national projected growth rate of 4% for this profession during this time. The state also expects to see about 2,610 annual job openings in accounting during this ten-year period leading to 2028 due to a combination of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.

Upon earning your accounting degree (and the 150 credits required for certification), you may wish to take the CPA exam and apply for CPA certification. CPA certification is required for anyone filing a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), regardless of your state of residence. However, being certified as a CPA is not otherwise required for most jobs, but rather is an added credential that is desired by some companies.

While many students go on to earn their CPA and become public accountants and auditors after earning their accounting degree, many also take on positions such as bookkeeperauditing clerk, or general corporate accountant. In these positions, candidates would keep financial records for organizations, performing such tasks as entering transactions and checking records for accuracy.

May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market data for accountants and auditors represents state data, not school-specific information.

Job growth projections for 2018-2028 sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored O*Net database represents state data, not school-specific information.

Conditions in your area may vary. Data Accessed May 2021.