Massachusetts Community Colleges
Accounting Programs
Accounting programs at community colleges in this state. Financial accounting, managerial accounting, and CPA-track coursework.
4 colleges · 65 sections · 15 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Accounting is one of the most direct community-college-to-career pathways in Massachusetts: 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 65 sections this term at 4 MassCC 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 MassCC programs have tighter articulation with university accounting programs than others.
Earnings & outcomes for Accounting graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 5203 — Accounting and Related Services. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Accounting
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunker Hill Community College | 38 | 8 | 13 | 71 | $52,425 |
| Holyoke Community College | 12 | 5 | 5 | 7 | — |
| Springfield Technical Community College | 12 | 3 | 6 | 2 | $44,197 |
| Greenfield Community College | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
Accounting Availability Snapshot
How accounting sections are being offered across 4 colleges in Massachusetts this term (65 sections total).
Delivery format
- online26 (40%)
- in person22 (34%)
- hybrid17 (26%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)24
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)11
- Evening (5 PM and after)4
- Asynchronous / TBA26
Start dates
Sections begin on 4 distinct dates. 1 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 12 distinct instructors across 4 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Bristol Community College2 programs
Bunker Hill Community College2 programs
Cape Cod Community College1 program
Holyoke Community College2 programs
Massasoit Community College1 program
MassBay Community College3 programs
Middlesex Community College3 programs
North Shore Community College4 programs
Northern Essex Community College1 program
Requirements
- ACC 101Introductory Accounting I(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 102Introductory Accounting II(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 201Intermediate Accounting I(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 202Intermediate Accounting II(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 203Managerial Accounting(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 204Tax Accounting(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 205Computerized Accounting Systems(3 cr)not offered
- BUS 101Introduction to Business(3 cr)not offered
- BUS 105Managerial Business Communications(3 cr)not offered
- COP 110Internship Education(3 cr)not offered
- BUS 211Business Law I(3 cr)not offered
- CIS 110Computer Applications(3 cr)not offered
- COM 111Public Speaking(3 cr)not offered
- ECO 201Micro Economics(3 cr)not offered
- ECO 202Macro Economics(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 101English Composition I(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 102English Composition II(3 cr)not offered
- MAT 125Statistics(4 cr)not offered
- MKT 210Principles of Marketing(3 cr)not offered
- PSY 105Organizational Behavior(3 cr)not offered
- SOC 101Introduction to Sociology(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Quinsigamond Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
28 credits- ACC 101Placement into college level Financial Accounting I(3 cr)not offered
- CIS 111Introduction to Microcomputer(3 cr)not offered
- ECO 215Principles of Macroeconomics(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 101Placement into college level Composition I(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 102Financial Accounting II(3 cr)not offered
- ACC 231Computerized Accounting OR(0 cr)not offered
- ECO 2163 Principles of Microeconomics(0 cr)not offered
- ACC 222Managerial Accounting OR(0 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Roxbury Community College2 programs
Common Accounting courses
- ACC 101Accounting 1(20 sections)
- ACC 102Accounting 2(16 sections)
- ACC 111Principles of Accounting I(5 sections)
- ACC 203Management Accounting(4 sections)
- ACC 112Principles of Accounting II(3 sections)
- ACC 260Manag Acctg(3 sections)
- ACC 105Accounting Information Sys(2 sections)
- ACC 151Concepts of Financial Accounting I(2 sections)
- ACC 201Interm Accounting I(2 sections)
- ACC 202Interm Accounting II(2 sections)
- ACC 205Managerial Accounting(2 sections)
- ACC 115Computerized Accounting(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 Massachusetts’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Massachusetts's typical pay is about 24% above the typical state — a strong sign of healthy local demand.
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 Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts's MassCC 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 Massachusetts’s accounting programs stack up.
Other programs in Massachusetts
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.