Best institutions to study Auditing
A program that prepares individuals, including certified accountants, to perform independent internal and external appraisals to evaluate organizational financial and operational activities, ensure compliance with laws and policies, safeguard assets, and promote effective planning and resource allocation.
17 U.S. institutions graduated 208 Auditing students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 52.0303, a specialization of Accounting and Related Services (CIP 52.03), and leads most directly to the Accountants and Auditors occupation (BLS SOC 13-2011).
About Auditing programs
A program that prepares individuals, including certified accountants, to perform independent internal and external appraisals to evaluate organizational financial and operational activities, ensure compliance with laws and policies, safeguard assets, and promote effective planning and resource allocation. Includes instruction in advanced accounting, audit tools and techniques, sampling, risk and control, audit planning, audit function management, law and regulations, environmental auditing, information technology applications, professional standards and ethics, and specific industry and service sector problems.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Auditing program, part of the broader Accounting and Related Services field, prepares individuals to conduct independent evaluations of financial and operational activities within organizations. This program is designed for those who aim to ensure compliance with laws and policies while safeguarding assets and promoting effective resource allocation. It is ideal for aspiring accountants and auditors seeking to enhance their expertise in auditing practices.
Students in the Auditing program will gain essential skills in advanced accounting, audit tools and techniques, risk management, and compliance with legal standards. Coursework typically includes instruction in audit planning, environmental auditing, and the application of information technology in auditing processes.
Credentials awarded
What Auditing graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Postbaccalaureate certificate85 graduates / yr · 5 institutions41%
- Master's degree78 graduates / yr · 6 institutions38%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year25 graduates / yr · 4 institutions12%
- Bachelor's degree20 graduates / yr · 4 institutions9.6%
Graduates over time
Auditing completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 110 |
| 2013 | 188 |
| 2014 | 128 |
| 2015 | 153 |
| 2016 | 176 |
| 2017 | 158 |
| 2018 | 222 |
| 2019 | 177 |
| 2020 | 161 |
| 2021 | 175 |
| 2022 | 179 |
| 2023 | 170 |
| 2024 | 178 |
| 2025 | 208 |
Top 17 institutions for Auditing, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicMaster's | 53 | 85% | — | $62,731 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicPost-degree cert.Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 43 | 84% | — | $67,186 |
| 3 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicPost-degree cert. | 37 | 68% | — | $67,291 |
| 4 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MNPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 12 | 40% | — | $58,497 |
| 5 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UTPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 12 | 46% | $11,580 | $58,784 |
| 6 | Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Ponce Ponce, PRPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 11 | 49% | $13,112 | $15,925 |
| 7 | NUC University Bayamon, PRPrivate for-profitPost-degree cert. | 8 | 54% | $9,377 | $23,656 |
| 8 | Davenport University Grand Rapids, MIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 57% | $22,126 | $49,970 |
| 9 | East Texas A&M University Commerce, TXPublicMaster's | 6 | 43% | — | $40,517 |
| 10 | Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KSPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 5 | 57% | — | $43,624 |
| 11 | Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, INPublicPost-degree cert. | 3 | 54% | — | — |
| 12 | Daemen University Amherst, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 59% | $16,826 | — |
| 13 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, COPublicPost-degree cert.Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 32% | — | $54,030 |
| 14 | Cambridge College Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 11% | — | — |
| 15 | McMurry University Abilene, TXPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 44% | $20,277 | — |
| 16 | Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PRPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 40% | $10,234 | $15,925 |
| 17 | Carlow University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 60% | $19,953 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Accounting and Related Services field (CIP 52.03) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 13 states & territories
Where Auditing graduates come from. Each state links to all Accounting and Related Services programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1 | 53 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus53 / yr |
| Texas | 3 | 51 | Texas A&M University - College Station43 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 37 | George Mason University37 / yr |
| Puerto Rico | 3 | 21 | Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Ponce11 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 12 | Saint Cloud State University12 / yr |
| Utah | 1 | 12 | Western Governors University12 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 6 | Davenport University6 / yr |
| Kansas | 1 | 5 | Pittsburg State University5 / yr |
| Indiana | 1 | 3 | Indiana University - Indianapolis3 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 3 | Daemen University3 / yr |
| Colorado | 1 | 2 | Metropolitan State University of Denver2 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 2 | Cambridge College2 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 1 | Carlow University1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 13-2011, Accountants and Auditors, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Auditing program can pursue careers as accountants and auditors, with a job outlook that is about as fast as average, projecting a growth rate of 4.6%. There are approximately 124,200 annual openings in this field, with a median wage of $81,680. A typical educational requirement is a bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 52.0303
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Accountants and Auditorsprimary SOC 13-2011 | $83,680 | +4.6% About as fast as average | ~124,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Business Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1011 | $99,080 | +5.7% Faster than average | ~8,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Financial Examiners SOC 13-2061 | $94,160 | +18.5% Much faster than average | ~5,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Auditing programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
- Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
- Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
- Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
- Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
Tools and technology used
Other Accounting and Related Services specializations
The 5 other 6-digit CIP codes under Accounting and Related Services (CIP 52.03).
- AccountingCIP 52.030160,383 graduates / yr1,352 institutions
- Accounting Technology/CIP 52.0302
Technician and Bookkeeping 18,452 graduates / yr644 institutions - Accounting and FinanceCIP 52.03043,776 graduates / yr134 institutions
- Accounting and Business/CIP 52.0305
Management 1,487 graduates / yr101 institutions - Accounting and Related ServicesCIP 52.0399643 graduates / yr39 institutions
Common questions
What types of degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a postbaccalaureate certificate, a master's degree, or a bachelor's degree.
What skills will I develop in the Auditing program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, mathematics, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue after completing this program?+
You can work as an accountant, auditor, or financial examiner.
What is the job outlook for auditing professionals?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an estimated growth rate of 4.6%.
What is the CIP code for Auditing?+
Auditing is CIP 52.0303 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Accounting and Related Services (CIP 52.03). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals, including certified accountants, to perform independent internal and external appraisals to evaluate organizational financial and operational activities, ensure compliance with laws and policies, safeguard assets, and promote effective planning and resource allocation. Includes instruction in advanced accounting, audit tools and techniques, sampling, risk and control, audit planning, audit function management, law and regulations, environmental auditing, information technology applications, professional standards and ethics, and specific industry and service sector problems.
How many institutions offer Auditing programs?+
17 U.S. institutions reported Auditing graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 13 states & territories, awarding 208 credentials in the year. That is 0.2% of all Accounting and Related Services graduates.
How much do Auditing graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Accountants and Auditors occupation, which Auditing most directly leads to, pays a median of $83,680 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Accounting and Related Services field report median earnings of $54,030 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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