Education & Training
Most accountants, regardless of specialty, will need to possess at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance. Many employers prefer candidates with a masters degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting or finance.
Trade Schools with Accounting Programs
- Houston
- Fort Worth, Forest Hill
- Irving
- San Antonio
- Denison, Van Alstyne
- Houston, Katy, Missouri City, Stafford
- Pasadena, Houston
- Cypress, Houston, Kingwood, Conroe, Tomball, Katy, Magnolia, Spring
- Gainesville, Corinth, Denton, Flower Mound, Bowie, Graham, Fort Worth
- Dallas
- Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio, Waco
- Arlington, Houston
- Fort Worth, Hurst, Arlington
- Temple, Taylor, Hutto
- Weatherford, Bridgeport
American Intercontinental University (AIU)
AIU's Bachelor of Accounting is a 180-quarter-credit degree with a standard length of 48 months, taught online and at the Atlanta and Houston campuses. It is AIU's only accounting credential; there is no associate degree or certificate. AIU's business programs are accredited by ACBSP. The 2026 catalog lists online tuition of $345 per credit (rates effective July 2023), with textbooks included, plus a $220 technology fee each term. AIU's March 2024 disclosure gives a 33% completion rate within 150% of normal time for online full-time starters.
CLC, Inc (Rating: 4.9 of 5)
The Office Professional and QuickBooks Training Program at CLC, Inc. is a 5-week entry-level course that teaches students the fundamentals of bookkeeping and how to use Intuit QuickBooks. Upon successful completion, participants earn both a CLC, Inc. certificate and an industry-recognized QuickBooks certification. The program costs $2,000, with tuition assistance available, and includes hands-on instruction in a small class setting to ensure individualized support.
DeVry University
DeVry offers accounting as an online undergraduate certificate, as an Accounting specialization in its 120-credit business administration bachelor's, and through Keller Graduate School of Management as graduate accounting certificates and master's degrees in Accounting and in Accounting and Financial Management. DeVry's business programs are accredited by ACBSP. Undergraduate tuition was $514 per credit hour and Keller graduate tuition $776 for July 2025 to May 2026 sessions, with lower rates for active-duty military.
ECPI University
ECPI University's Accounting bachelor's takes 2.5 years and is taught online and at the Virginia Beach, Newport News and Richmond (Glen Allen) campuses in Virginia. It belongs to ECPI's College of Business & Criminal Justice, which also offers business analytics and an MBA. Business tuition was $8,088 per semester on ECPI's undated tuition page (checked Oct 2026), below the technology rate of $8,976. ECPI publishes no list of states it can enroll online students from, so confirm eligibility for your state.
Grayson College
Accounting at Grayson College is a 60-credit AAS that ends with an accounting capstone course (ACNT 2302), a 30-credit certificate that requires passing an exit exam with at least 70%, and a 9-credit occupational skills award. A 15-credit Bookkeeping Certificate sits in the business programs for students who want the shortest route. The catalog names no professional certification for these awards. 2026-27 tuition and fees are $100 a credit in-district, $150 out-of-district and $210 for non-residents.
Houston City College
Houston City College's Accounting AAS (60 credits) and Accounting Certificate Level 1 (27 credits) are taught at nine HCC campuses and through HCC Global Online, which can enroll residents of NC-SARA member states. A Payroll Specialist certificate and an enhanced skills certificate in Data Analytics in Accounting & Tax build on them. At the 2026-27 in-district rate of $84.50 per credit including fees, the degree comes to about $5,070 before books; other Texans pay $180.50 a credit.
Interactive College of Technology
ICT teaches accounting as the Accounting and Professional Business Applications diploma or as an Office Technology AS degree with an accounting emphasis. The AS is 72 semester credits and, in the Texas catalog, 1,310 clock hours including a 135-hour externship. Students work in QuickBooks, with a course (BUS 131) aimed at Intuit's QuickBooks certification, plus Sage and Microsoft Office Specialist Word and Excel. Classes typically run Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 to 10 p.m. Federal data put Chamblee, GA tuition and fees at $11,330 (2024-25).
Lone Star College
Accounting at Lone Star College includes a Certificate Level I, an AAS and an advanced technical certificate, with separate Accounting – Tax Preparation and Tax Preparation certificates. The pathway page does not name the campuses for the credit programs. LSC-North Harris runs shorter non-credit Accounting Assistant/Bookkeeper and Payroll Assistant courses. Credit tuition is $111 per credit hour in-district and $249 for other Texans (2026-27).
North Central Texas College
NCTC's accounting programs have four levels: a 9-credit Bookkeeping occupational skills award, a 15-credit Bookkeeping Certificate, a 30-credit Accounting Technician Certificate and a 60-credit Accounting AAS. Many of the college's workforce courses mix face-to-face, hybrid and online classes. The 15-credit Bookkeeping Certificate costs $1,680 in-district, $1,980 for Graham ISD residents and $3,180 for other Texans at Fall 2026 rates.
South College
South College teaches an Associate of Science in Accounting, with concentrations that include tax preparation, and a Master of Science in Accounting, on campus in Knoxville and online. Its business school is accredited by IACBE. On the 2025-26 schedules, full-time tuition for the AS was a flat $5,775 a quarter on campus or $4,175 online, plus the $695 quarterly technology fee. The school reported all four of its 2023-24 accounting AS graduates in jobs.
Southern Careers Institute
The Business Accounting Specialist diploma is 806 clock hours, finished in 33 or 48 weeks depending on the shift, and is taught on campus or fully online, with an 86-hour externship. SCI names Certified Professional Bookkeeper, Microsoft Office Specialist (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word) and Intuit QuickBooks as the credentials it prepares students for. The 2026 catalog price is $18,450 for the whole program, the same at every campus and online. It is a diploma, not an accounting degree.
Strayer University
Strayer teaches accounting online at three levels: an associate in accounting, a Bachelor of Accounting or BBA accounting concentration, and an MS in Accounting. Courses run 11 weeks and cost $1,555 each at the undergraduate level and $1,715 for the MS (2026–27). New bachelor's students get Strayer's Learn and Earn scholarship, one tuition-free course for every three passed, capped at ten.
Tarrant County College
TCC has two accounting routes: an Accounting Information Management AAS and the Accounting Assistant AAS within Business Administration, each with Level 1 and Level 2 certificates. The college's current program list does not show a 9-credit bookkeeper award or which campuses teach each award, so check before enrolling. Fall 2026 tuition is $74 per credit hour for Tarrant County residents.
Temple College
Accounting at Temple College leads to an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting, taught at the Temple campus and the Hutto center. Students who want a shorter credit award can take the Level I Certificate in Bookkeeping, and the Workforce & Continuing Education division runs non-credit Accounting Fundamentals, Accounts Payable Specialist and QuickBooks courses. Credit tuition in 2024-25, the latest rate the college has confirmed, was $125 per semester hour in-district and $210 for out-of-district Texans.
Weatherford College
Weatherford College offers a 60-credit Accounting AAS and a 29-credit Accounting Certificate (Level 1), a shorter route into accounting support work. Its Corporate College also runs a non-credit Bookkeeping & QuickBooks course that prepares for Certiport's QuickBooks Certified User exam. Credit courses cost $125 per credit hour for Parker County residents and $220 for other Texans, plus $25 enrichment and $15 technology fees per credit (2026-27).
What Do You Study?
Coursework for a bachelor’s degree in accounting will include basic accounting, management accounting, business law, economics, financial statement analysis, marketing, management, and statistics.
Some of these courses may be transferred from an associate’s degree program.
Many students interested in becoming an accountant first purse an associate’s degree in accounting which will enable them to work as bookkeepers, accounts payable clerk accounts receivable clerks and auditing clerks thereby gaining valuable experience in the field.
Certification and Licensure
Many public accountants choose to pursue the CPA credential to enhance their marketability and earnings potential. The CPA credential is also necessary for any accountant who files reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The Texas State Board of Accountancy grants licenses to those interested in becoming Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). In accordance with the Uniform Accountancy Act, CPA candidates must possess at least a bachelor’s degree with a total of 150 semester hours of college credit, a minimum of one year of experience as a public accountant, and passing scores on the Uniform CPA Exam.
The required 150 hours includes the following coursework (applicable to all states):
- 36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours in such accounting specific courses as Taxation, Information Systems, Auditing, Financial, Cost and Managerial Accounting.
- 39 semester hours or 58 quarter hours in general business courses including 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours in business law. One of these courses may be completed during your freshman or sophomore year but the second must be an upper division course.
- 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours of upper division accounting coursework and 15 semester or 22 quarter hours of upper division general business courses.
- A maximum of 9 semester hours or 13 quarter hours of computer courses and 6 upper division semester hours or 8 quarter hours of statistics courses can apply toward the general business course requirement.
- A maximum of 3 semester or 4 quarter internship hours can be applied to the 36 semester hour requirement for accounting courses. Other internship hours may be applied to the general business hour requirement.
Other Certifications
The Institute of Management Accountants confers the designation Certified Management Accountant (CMA) to those candidates who possess a bachelor’s degree and attain a passing score on the Graduate Record Admission Test (GMAT). Applicants must have worked at least two years in management accounting, pass a four part exam, and meet continuing education requirements. The exam covers such topics as financial statement analysis, working-capital policy, capital structure, valuation issues, and risk management.
The Institute of Internal Auditors confers the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation to those who have graduated from accredited colleges and have a minimum of two years experience and have passed a four-art exam.
Salary Information
Median annual salary for accountants in the state of Texas:
| Area Name | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene | $35.91 | $74,690.00 |
| Amarillo | $35.59 | $74,030.00 |
| Austin-Round Rock | $41.33 | $85,970.00 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $37.45 | $77,890.00 |
| Big Thicket Region | $36.75 | $76,450.00 |
| Border Region | $32.51 | $67,610.00 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $31.30 | $65,100.00 |
| Coastal Plains | $34.89 | $72,570.00 |
| College Station-Bryan | $36.77 | $76,490.00 |
| Corpus Christi | $36.99 | $76,930.00 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $43.06 | $89,560.00 |
| El Paso | $33.19 | $69,020.00 |
| Hill Country | $35.46 | $73,750.00 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | $45.35 | $94,320.00 |
| Killeen-Temple | $37.43 | $77,850.00 |
| Laredo | $31.25 | $65,000.00 |
| Longview | $36.03 | $74,940.00 |
| Lubbock | $35.94 | $74,750.00 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $33.18 | $69,010.00 |
| Midland | $45.27 | $94,150.00 |
| North Texas | $37.28 | $77,540.00 |
| Odessa | $41.72 | $86,780.00 |
| San Angelo | $36.83 | $76,600.00 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $40.79 | $84,840.00 |
| Sherman-Denison | $35.89 | $74,640.00 |
| Texarkana | $34.23 | $71,190.00 |
| Tyler | $36.11 | $75,110.00 |
| Victoria | $37.97 | $78,980.00 |
| Waco | $37.70 | $78,420.00 |
| West Texas | $36.58 | $76,090.00 |
| Wichita Falls | $33.62 | $69,930.00 |
Occupation:Accountants and Auditors (SOC Code132011)
source: data.bls.gov
Career Overview
What Do They Do?
Accountants analyze and prepare financial documents on behalf of private firms, Federal, State, and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, as well as private individuals. Accountants also perform budget analysis, financial planning, and help new companies prepare financial projections and set up an accounting system.
Job Duties
Specific job responsibilities vary among the four specialty areas:
- public accounting
- management accounting
- government accounting
- internal auditing
Public Accountant Duties
The most popular career is that of public accountant who performs a range of accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting work on behalf of clients.
Some public accountants specialize in tax issues and advise corporations and individuals regarding tax advantages and disadvantages of various financial decisions.
Other public accountants concentrate on auditing financial records of both companies and individuals to ensure they have been properly completed.
Many public accounts are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and generally have their own practice or work for public accounting firm.
An interesting specialty within the field of public accounting is that of forensic accounting which involves the investigation and analysis of white-collar crimes such as securities fraud, embezzlement, bankruptcies.
Forensic public accountants combine their knowledge of finance principles with law and investigation methods to determine whether illegal activity has occurred.
Many forensic accountants work closely with law enforcement personnel and prosecutors during investigations and frequently provide testimony at trial.
Management Accountant Duties
Management accountants analyze the financial information of the companies for which they work. They perform budgeting, cost analysis, and asset management.
Government Accountant Duties
Government accountants work within the public sector and examine the financial records of government agencies and auditing companies and individuals who are subject to government regulation and taxation. Those employed by the Federal Government may work for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Internal Auditor Duties
Internal auditors verify internal controls of financial information and monitor financial mismanagement. They also evaluate their company’s management procedures, internal quality assurance controls to ensure that all financial records are accurate.
Technology has changed the nature of an accountant’s work. With the introduction of special financial software, accountants are able to summarize financial information in standardized formats.
Career Outlook
In an industry report, the Texas Workforce Solutions agency published data showing an average yearly increase of 2.6 percent in the employment of accountants in the state. This comes as no surprise since the companies primarily responsible for this healthy employment picture are technical and scientific corporations doing business with the many oil and gas exploration outfits in the state. Forensic accountants may find employment with the Federal Reserve Bank located in Dallas. Accountants familiar with the regulations of the International Financial Reporting Standards are needed to monitor global operations of such major companies as Marathon Oil and engineering giant URS Corporation.
Find out what to consider before choosing accounting as your career.
As per Texas Workforce Solutions other employers include:
Fortune 150/Global 500 petroleum refining company, Tesoro Corporation, which is headquartered in San Antonio, and industrial hygiene services company, ALS Environmental, with offices in Houston, both employ environmental accountants and auditors. The proliferation of oil and natural gas exploration in Texas necessitates the services of these specially trained professionals to help ensure compliance with environmental regulations so as to avoid EPA fees that could otherwise work to erode the bottom line.