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Bank Accountant Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a bank accountant. Bank accountants usually study accounting, business, or finance. 72% of bank accountants hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 325 real bank accountant resumes to see exactly what bank accountant education sections show.
The most common colleges for bank accountants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online bank accountant courses to help get the education required to be a bank accountant.
There are certain bank accountant certifications that you should consider. These bank accountant certifications include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
What education do you need to become a bank accountant?
What degree do you need to be a bank accountant?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a bank accountant?
- Accounting, 39%
- Business, 31%
- Finance, 11%
- Economics, 3%
- Other Majors, 16%
Most common colleges for bank accountants
Bank Accountant Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 15.38% |
| University of South Carolina - Columbia | 7.69% |
| College of Southern Nevada | 7.69% |
| Cairn University | 5.77% |
| The University of West Florida | 5.77% |
Best majors for bank accountants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accounting | 38.9% |
| 2 | Business | 31.0% |
| 3 | Finance | 10.9% |
| 4 | Economics | 3.5% |
| 5 | Management | 2.2% |
Best colleges for bank accountants
The best colleges for bank accountants are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A bank accountant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for bank accountants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become bank accountants.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
20 best online courses for bank accountants
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1. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...
2. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course
Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...
3. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction
Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...
4. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
5. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals
Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
6. Excel Accounting Problem
Learn How to Create an Accounting Worksheet Using Microsoft Excel from a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...
7. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course
Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...
8. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily
Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...
9. Accounting, Finance and Banking - A Comprehensive Study
Learn Fundamentals to Advanced Concepts of three different but interrelated domains in a single course...
10. Accounting for Corporations - Financial Accounting
Demystifying Corporate Accounting: An In-depth Exploration of Financial Transactions in Corporations...
Top 10 most affordable universities for bank accountants
The most affordable schools for bank accountants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for bank accountants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for bank accountants.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
U
2. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,587
Cost of Attendance
13,043
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,942
Cost of Attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for bank accountants
The hardest universities for bank accountants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for bank accountants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for bank accountants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,445
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
20%
SAT Average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for bank accountants
The easiest schools for bank accountants to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a bank accountant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for bank accountants.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
70%
SAT Average
849
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
992
Average bank accountant salary by education level
| Bank Accountant education level | Bank Accountant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,571 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,314 |
| Doctorate Degree | $58,881 |
Bank Accountant Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025