Arkansas Community Colleges
Accounting Programs
Accounting programs at community colleges in this state. Financial accounting, managerial accounting, and CPA-track coursework.
7 colleges · 45 sections · 11 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Accounting is one of the most direct community-college-to-career pathways in Arkansas: graduates with an associate in accounting step into bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, and entry-level staff accountant roles at small businesses and CPA firms across the state. The 45 sections this term at 7 Public 2-year colleges cover financial accounting, managerial accounting, tax prep, payroll, and QuickBooks.
For students aiming at the CPA license, an associate's covers roughly the first two years of the 150-credit-hour requirement — the rest comes from a bachelor's in accounting plus enough upper-division coursework to hit the threshold. Compare college below by graduate earnings and award counts; some Public 2-year programs have tighter articulation with university accounting programs than others.
Colleges offering Accounting
Pick a college to see its full plan — every required course, which ones transfer to the school you want, and what’s open now.
Accounting is a transfer program — community colleges offer the coursework; you earn the degree, and its earnings, at a four-year university. See where it transfers →
Accounting Availability Snapshot
How accounting sections are being offered across 7 colleges in Arkansas this term (45 sections total).
Delivery format
- online25 (56%)
- in person16 (36%)
- hybrid4 (9%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)12
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)7
- Asynchronous / TBA26
Start dates
Sections begin on 5 distinct dates. 3 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 9 distinct instructors across 7 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
National Park College1 program
General Education Core - 9 Credit Hours
9 credits- ELEC XXXENGLISH/COMMUNICATION - 6 CREDIT HOURSnot offered+ plan
- ENG 1113English Composition I*9 sections+ plan
- ENG 1123English Composition II*8 sections+ plan
- ELEC XXXMATHEMATICS - 3 CREDIT HOURS Select one of the following courses:not offered+ plan
- MATH 1123College Algebra*4 sections+ plan
- MATH 1213Math Reasoning*1 section+ plan
Accounting Core - 21 Credit Hours
21 credits- ACT 1013Payroll Accountingnot offered+ plan
- ACT 1103Principles of Financial Accounting**3 sections+ plan
- ACT 1113Principles of Managerial Accounting**3 sections+ plan
- ACT 1203Computerized Accountingnot offered+ plan
- BUS 1133Introduction To Income Taxes1 section+ plan
- CIS 1013Information Systems2 sections+ plan
- CIS 1173Spreadsheets Inot offered+ plan
30 Credit Hours
30 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
North Arkansas College2 programs
Common Accounting courses
- ACCT 2013Intro Managerial Acc(14 sections)
- ACCT 20003Accounting Principles I(10 sections)
- ACCT 2023Principles of Accounting II(8 sections)
- ACCT 28333Computerized Acct.(3 sections)
- ACCT 2003Financial Accounting(2 sections)
- ACCT 20103Accounting Principles II(2 sections)
- ACCT 10003Prin of Accounting I(2 sections)
- ACCT 1003Accounting I(1 section)
- ACCT 2033Payroll Accounting(1 section)
- ACCT 2043Computerized Accounting with Payroll(1 section)
- ACCT 1123Accounting I(1 section)
Career outlook for Accounting graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Arkansas’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I become a CPA with just an associate degree?
- No. The CPA license requires 150 college credit hours (typically a bachelor's plus 30 extra hours) — an associate is 60 hours. The associate is a great first step that covers the intro accounting sequence at much lower tuition, but you'll need to transfer to complete the bachelor's plus the extra credits.
- What's the difference between bookkeeping and accounting jobs?
- Bookkeepers record day-to-day transactions, manage AP/AR, and produce monthly trial balances. Accountants analyze the books, produce financial statements, handle tax compliance, and advise on financial decisions. An associate in accounting qualifies you for full-charge bookkeeper and staff-accountant roles; the higher-paying senior accountant and controller titles typically require a bachelor's.
- Does Arkansas have a high demand for accountants?
- Yes. Accounting is one of the most stable, highest-employment occupations in every state — every business needs at least one bookkeeper, and the field is largely recession-resistant because tax compliance and AP/AR don't go away in downturns. BLS projects 4% employment growth nationally through 2032.
- Does accounting credit transfer to a bachelor's in accounting?
- Yes, with the usual caveats — both colleges (CC and 4-year) must use the AICPA model curriculum for the credits to fully apply toward the upper-division accounting major. Arkansas's Public 2-year accounting programs are generally well-articulated with the state's flagship universities. Compare colleges below; articulation strength varies.
Compare Accounting programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Arkansas’s accounting programs stack up.
Other programs in Arkansas
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.