Pennsylvania is one of the most historic states in the U.S. Founded by Quakers in the late 17th century, it even hosted the first Continental Congress in 1774. Today, the Keystone State maintains its reputation as a business center, as it is home to a diverse breadth of industries and the sixth-highest number of Fortune 500 companies in the United States.

Earning an accounting degree in Pennsylvania is a smart career move. With too few new certified public accountants (CPAs) licensed in the last three years to meet demand, accountants are sought after by businesses, government organizations, and individuals across the state. So, if you complete your two- or four-year degree at one of the state's many institutions of higher learning, you'll have a built-in network that can help you make decisions to develop your career.

There are many accounting opportunities to choose from after you complete a degree program. Graduates with associate degrees can pursue jobs as bookkeeping and auditing clerks, while bachelor's degree-holders can find work as securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents or compliance officers. After completing master's degrees, professionals can secure high-paying jobs as accountants and auditors, financial managers, or personal financial advisors.

Pennsylvania at a Glance

Why Go to College for Accounting in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania is a highly educated state with nearly 20% of adults over 25 holding bachelor's degrees and almost 13% holding master's degrees, according to U.S. Census data. The state also has 187 institutions of higher learning, ranging from two-year community colleges to the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania. The state offers accounting students plenty of choices: public and private schools, two-year vs. four-year universities, and online vs. hybrid vs. in-person course delivery.

Attending college in Pennsylvania may give you a leg up on others who also want to become accountants in the state's big cities. Many college graduates in the Northeast want to live in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. In a recent survey by Handshake, 76% of students graduating from Northeastern colleges wanted to stay in the Northeast. Within this 76%, Pittsburgh was the fifth-most desirable city and Philadelphia was the eighth.

To make yourself even more desirable for accounting jobs in these cities, you may want to attend college in Pennsylvania. If you do, you may be able to secure an internship that will help you make connections at accounting firms or other organizations. In 2021, Forbes reported that networking helps individuals land more than 80% of jobs, so you may want to start early.

Even if you don't envision yourself in a big city, accountants are in short supply across Pennsylvania. Your college or graduate school peers may start landing accounting jobs that will, in turn, help you grow your career.

Education Statistics for Pennsylvania

Accreditation for Pennsylvania Schools

Postsecondary institutions need to be accredited to ensure they are meeting quality standards achieved by similar colleges or universities. When a degree-granting institution is not accredited, it has not met the evaluation criteria set by a neutral party. Pennsylvania colleges and universities are evaluated by the accrediting body Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

There are two types of accreditation: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation involves evaluating a college or university as a complete entity. Programmatic accreditation focuses on a single program and deems that graduates are prepared for roles in a specific field. Some graduate schools seek accounting program accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), for example.

Delivery Formats for an Accounting Degree in Pennsylvania

Choosing the right accounting school in Pennsylvania is a different process for each student. Some prioritize institutions' prestige or graduate placement, while others care more about cost or the time it takes to earn a degree.

But students aspiring to land accounting jobs in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or Pittsburgh should also consider which delivery format works best for them. There are three common degree delivery formats: in person, online, and hybrid. Some programs require students to take all their classes on campus, while others meet entirely online.

A hybrid program involves taking classes both on campus and online. Sometimes, a single class is a hybrid if it has in-person sessions as well as online coursework. A program is also considered hybrid if students can choose to take some of their classes in person and some of them online.

On-Campus Programs

Some students choose to attend accounting programs at traditional, on-campus colleges in Pennsylvania. More than half of students in Pennsylvania enroll in on-campus programs, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

In this type of program, you'll have more opportunities to connect with your professors and peers face to face. On the other hand, this delivery method may be difficult for working or nontraditional students, as well as parents, since on-campus programs often require commuting or even residency.

Online Programs

Online programs give students more flexibility about when and how they will complete their coursework. Over 17% of college students in Pennsylvania enrolled in fully online classes in 2021, per NCES.

Though some online courses have virtual meetings, students who study in fully online programs do not have to commute or meet a residency requirement. However, online programs may make it more difficult for students to connect with their professors or peers, so less outgoing students may find it difficult to grow a network that would help them become accountants in Pennsylvania.

Hybrid Programs

Hybrid programs combine online and in-person learning. Sometimes, this combination is in a single class that has fewer in-person sessions. Alternatively, a program may be called "hybrid" if students can choose to take online or in-person classes. Over one-quarter of Pennsylvania college students undertook a hybrid program of study in 2021, according to NCES.

Hybrid programs are sometimes considered the best of both worlds in that they combine the best aspects of the other types of delivery methods. However, some of the problems that may arise in both in-person and online learning may crop up in this modality, as well.

Paying for Your Accounting Degree

Whether you plan to enroll in a public or private school, paying for college can be daunting. However, students do not have to pay for their education out of pocket. There are many financial aid options to help you fund your education.

Grants, for instance, are a type of financial aid that only need to be repaid if you finish your program or meet other requirements. Postsecondary institutions and companies also offer scholarships, typically based on merit or field of study, that don't need to be repaid.

Students can also take out loans that they will eventually need to pay back, with interest, after they finish their degree. Colleges and universities often offer students loans as part of their financial aid packages.

In-State vs. Out-of-State Tuition

Public colleges offer lower tuition costs for students who live in the same state. Students attending public universities out of state are typically charged considerably more. In order to become a resident of Pennsylvania, you must live in the state for at least 12 months before enrolling at a postsecondary institution.

Some states offer tuition reciprocity where students from nearby states can receive in-state tuition. However, Pennsylvania doesn't participate in any such agreements with neighboring states, meaning that only state residents are eligible to pay lower tuition rates.

However, students from the nearby states of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia may be able to secure grants or funding offered by their own state governments to attend postsecondary institutions in Pennsylvania.

Cost of Living in Pennsylvania

Students may face additional costs to attend college beyond tuition, including room and board, food, and other necessities. So, prospective learners may want to take a state's cost of living into account when choosing colleges.

Pennsylvania's cost of living index is 102.5 in comparison with the national number of 100. This means that basic expenses in the state are slightly more expensive than average. To add context to this figure, a state with a 200 cost of living index would be twice as expensive as the national average.

Careers for Accounting Graduates in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania bills itself as having the most diverse state industry in the United States. Some of the state's top industries requiring accountants at various stages in their careers include advanced manufacturing, food processing and manufacturing, energy production and transition, corporate headquarters, life sciences and medical technology, distribution and logistics, plastics and chemicals, and robotics and AI.

Accountants are highly sought after in Pennsylvania. A long-term accountant shortage has been driving steep competition for talent for several years. In 2022, the number of newly accredited certified public accountants did not fill the roles left open by retirees. That year, only 25,000 people became CPAs in the state, a number that has remained stagnant since 2019. To attract talent, firms, especially large ones, are boosting accountant pay and job flexibility options.

If you are interested in working in accounting firms, most of the larger ones are in bigger cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, however, one of the top 100 accounting firms by net revenue is in the small city of Lancaster.

Popular Accounting Jobs in Philadelphia

Pennsylvania Employment Trends

The tables above indicates that there is a need for accounting professionals at all levels in Pennsylvania. If you would like to enter the field with only an associate degree, pursuing a role as a payroll clerk in the state will earn you a higher salary ($53,450 in 2022) than the national average ($52,300, the same year), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Individuals with bachelor's degrees may want to consider roles as compliance officers, cost estimators, or tax preparers. All of these roles paid slightly less in Pennsylvania in 2022 than they did nationally.

If you plan on pursuing a master's degree, the most lucrative accounting profession in Pennsylvania is a personal financial advisor. These professionals earned an average of $163,400 per year in the state in 2022, higher than the national average of $137,740, according to the BLS.

Pennsylvania Requirements for Certified Public Accountants

Though it is not required to become a certified public accountant to practice in Pennsylvania, this licensure demonstrates your expertise in the profession. Each state has its own requirements for becoming a certified public accountant.

To become a CPA in Pennsylvania, you must have completed at least 150 semester hours with at least 24 credits in finance or tax, accounting and auditing, and business law. The state also requires an additional 12 of those 150 semester hours to be in accounting and auditing or tax subjects.

Further, before you achieve your CPA licensure in Pennsylvania, you must have at least two years, or 3,200 hours, of experience in the field, gained in a government, industry, academic, or public practice setting if you have earned a bachelor's degree. If you have received your master's or postgraduate degree, you only need one year of experience (1,600 hours).

You will also need to pass the four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination with at least a 75 %. The timeframe for completing all four exams is 18 months.

Best Accounting Schools in PA

Take the first step toward becoming an accountant by choosing one of the best accounting programs in Pennsylvania. Explore the list below of 2023's top five PA accounting schools.

Learn about our ranking methodology

Questions About Accounting in Pennsylvania

Is accounting a good career in Pennsylvania?

Projections Central estimates that the number of accounting jobs in Pennsylvania will increase by 7.1% between 2020 and 2030. The state also requires many types of accounting professionals, ranging from associate degree-level bookkeeping and auditing clerk roles to master's degree-level financial managers.

How much do accountants earn in Pennsylvania?

Accountants' salaries vary depending on their education levels and experience. On average, an accountant's salary will range from $46,240-$163,400.

What accounting jobs are there in Pennsylvania?

Some of the accounting jobs in Pennsylvania include payroll clerks, credit counselors, property appraisers and assessors, tax examiners and collectors, financial or budget analysts, and personal financial advisors. Each role requires unique qualifications and experience.

Can I get an accounting degree in Pennsylvania?

The state has 187 postsecondary institutions, many of which grant associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees in accounting. Students can earn their degrees in person, online, or in a hybrid model that combines both online and in-person learning.