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2025 Best Accounting Associate Degree Schools in California

27 Colleges in California
1,665 Associate Degrees
$37,978 Avg Early-Career Salary
Accounting is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #13 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual reviewed 27 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of accounting. Combined, these schools handed out 1,665 associate degrees in accounting to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Accounting School for Your Associate Degree

Best Accounting Associate Degree Schools in California Your choice of accounting for getting your associate degree school matters. Important measures of a quality accounting program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for accounting students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Accounting Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Accounting Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Accounting Associate Degree Schools in California ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Accounting in California

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for accounting students seeking a an associate degree.

10 Top California Schools for an Associate in Accounting

1
SWC Chula Vista crest
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, CA
31 Annual Graduates

Southwestern College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in accounting. SWC Chula Vista is a large public college located in the large city of Chula Vista.More information about a associate in accounting from Southwestern College

2
Cosumnes River crest
Cosumnes River College
Sacramento, CA
38 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Cosumnes River College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in accounting. Cosumnes River is a large public college located in the city of Sacramento.More information about a associate in accounting from Cosumnes River College

3
21 Annual Graduates

It's difficult to beat Cabrillo College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in accounting. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Aptos, Cabrillo College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.More information about a associate in accounting from Cabrillo College

4
San Bernardino Valley College crest
San Bernardino Valley College
San Bernardino, CA
40 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat San Bernardino Valley College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in accounting. Located in the medium-sized city of San Bernardino, San Bernardino Valley College is a public college with a large student population.More information about a associate in accounting from San Bernardino Valley College

5
Mission College crest
Mission College
Santa Clara, CA
12 Annual Graduates

Mission College is a medium-sized public college located in the city of Santa Clara.More information about a associate in accounting from Mission College

6
11 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Folsom, Folsom Lake is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in accounting from Folsom Lake College

7
Saddleback College crest
Saddleback College
Mission Viejo, CA
14 Annual Graduates

Saddleback College is a large public college located in the suburb of Mission Viejo.More information about a associate in accounting from Saddleback College

8
College of the Canyons crest
College of the Canyons
Santa Clarita, CA
134 Annual Graduates

Located in the suburb of Santa Clarita, College of the Canyons is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in accounting from College of the Canyons

9
American River crest
American River College
Sacramento, CA
44 Annual Graduates

Located in the suburb of Sacramento, American River is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in accounting from American River College

10
SAC crest
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA
26 Annual Graduates

SAC is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Santa Ana.More information about a associate in accounting from Santa Ana College

Best Accounting Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Accounting Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Oregon 147 160
Washington 131 417
Nevada 112 60
Hawaii 59 61
Alaska 54 57

View All Rankings >

One of 21 majors within the Business, Management & Marketing area of study, Accounting has other similar majors worth exploring.

Accounting Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping 1,642
Accounting and Business/Management 17
Accounting 6

Related Major Annual Graduates
Business Administration & Management 18,298
General Business/Commerce 1,266
Real Estate 398
Business Support & Assistant Services 392
General Sales & Marketing 264
Entrepreneurial Studies 233
Specialized Sales, Merchandising & Marketing 186
Hospitality Management 176
Construction Management 56
Finance & Financial Management 40

Notes and References

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