California Community Colleges
Accounting Programs
Accounting programs at community colleges in this state. Financial accounting, managerial accounting, and CPA-track coursework.
49 colleges · 976 sections · 230 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Accounting is one of the most direct community-college-to-career pathways in California: 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 976 sections this term at 49 California CCs 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 California CCs 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 49 colleges in California this term (976 sections total).
Delivery format
- online604 (62%)
- in person250 (26%)
- hybrid81 (8%)
- zoom41 (4%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)205
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)81
- Evening (5 PM and after)84
- Asynchronous / TBA606
Start dates
Sections begin on 33 distinct dates. 229 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 304 distinct instructors across 49 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Cuyamaca College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
33 credits- BUS 120Financial Accounting(4 cr)11 sections+ plan
- BUS 121Managerial Accounting(4 cr)7 sections+ plan
- BUS 122Intermediate Accounting(4 cr)1 section+ plan
- BUS 124Auditing(3 cr)not offered+ plan
- BUS 125Business Law: Legal Environment of Business(3 cr)11 sections+ plan
- BUS 128Business Communication(3 cr)10 sections+ plan
- BUS 150Individual Income Tax Accounting(3 cr)1 section+ plan
- BUS 162Analysis of Financial Statements(3 cr)not offered+ plan
- BUS 176Computerized Accounting Applications(2 cr)1 section+ plan
- CIS 110Principles of Information Systems(4 cr)2 sections+ plan
Source: College catalog
Evergreen Valley College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
- ACCTG 001APrinciples of Financial Accounting(4 cr)4 sections+ plan
- ACCTG 001BManagerial Accounting(4 cr)3 sections+ plan
- ACCTG 030QuickBooks(3 cr)2 sections+ plan
- ACCTG 062Cost Accounting(5 cr)1 section+ plan
- ACCTG 063Intermediate Accounting(5 cr)1 section+ plan
- ACCTG 097Introduction to Income Tax(3 cr)2 sections+ plan
- BIS 102Microsoft Excel(3 cr)2 sections+ plan
- BUS 071Legal Environment of Business(3 cr)9 sections+ plan
Source: College catalog
Foothill College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
48 credits- ACTG 67TAX ACCOUNTING(5 cr)not offered+ plan
- ACTG 51AINTERMEDIATE ACCOUNTING Inot offered+ plan
- ACTG 51BINTERMEDIATE ACCOUNTING IInot offered+ plan
- ACTG 51CINTERMEDIATE ACCOUNTING IIInot offered+ plan
- ACTG 52ADVANCED ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 53FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSISnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 54ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMSnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 55INFORMATION SYSTEMS & CONTROLS (ISC)not offered+ plan
- ACTG 56BUSINESS ANALYSIS & REPORTING (BAR)not offered+ plan
- ACTG 57TAX COMPLIANCE & PLANNINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 58AUDITINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 59FRAUD EXAMINATIONnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 60ACCOUNTING FOR SMALL BUSINESSnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 64ACOMPUTERIZED ACCOUNTING PRACTICE USING QUICKBOOKSnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 64BCOMPUTERIZED ACCOUNTING PRACTICE USING EXCELnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 65PAYROLL & BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 66COST ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 68AADVANCED TAX ACCOUNTING Inot offered+ plan
- ACTG 68BADVANCED TAX ACCOUNTING IInot offered+ plan
- ACTG 68CADVANCED TAX ACCOUNTING IIInot offered+ plan
- ACTG 70RINDEPENDENT STUDY IN ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 71RINDEPENDENT STUDY IN ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 72RINDEPENDENT STUDY IN ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 73RINDEPENDENT STUDY IN ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 75ACCOUNTING FOR GOVERNMENT & NOT-FOR-PROFITnot offered+ plan
- ACTG 76ETHICS IN ACCOUNTINGnot offered+ plan
- BUSI 11INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMSnot offeredor BUSI 11H+ plan
- BUSI 18BUSINESS LAW Inot offered+ plan
- BUSI 19BUSINESS LAW IInot offered+ plan
- BUSI 22PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESSnot offeredor BUSI 22H+ plan
Source: College catalog
Fullerton College6 programs
Mt San Antonio College8 programs
Pasadena City College2 programs
San Bernardino Valley College2 programs
San Joaquin Delta College3 programs
San Jose City College2 programs
Common Accounting courses
- ACCT 101Fundamentals of College Accounting(86 sections)
- ACCT 102Fundamentals of Accounting II(41 sections)
- ACCT 301Financial Accounting(32 sections)
- ACCT 1AFinancial Accountng(32 sections)
- ACCT 116AFinancial Accounting(27 sections)
- ACC 1APrinciples of Accounting I(25 sections)
- ACCT 100Quickbooks Computerized Acct(22 sections)
- ACCT 101AFFinancial Accounting(21 sections)
- ACCT 101CFinancial Accounting(20 sections)
- ACCT 001AFINANCIAL ACCOUNTING(19 sections)
- ACCT 2Financial Accounting(18 sections)
- ACCT 1BManagerial Acct(17 sections)
Career outlook for Accounting graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare California’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 California 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. California's California CCs 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 California’s accounting programs stack up.
Other programs in California
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.