Best Forensic Accounting Programs in Pennsylvania in 2027

• Top Bachelor's60.2 out of 100

  Waynesburg University

  Bachelor of Science in Forensic Accounting

  Pennsylvania · B.S.

  Waynesburg University's B.S. Review
• Top Master's86.5 out of 100

  York College of Pennsylvania

  Master of Accounting in Fraud and Forensics

  Pennsylvania · M.Acc.

  York College of Pennsylvania's M.Acc. Review

Pennsylvania's programs connect you to real employers and investigators across the state. Carlow University's optional cyber track ends with a capstone event at the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance in Pittsburgh. Waynesburg University partners with Schneider Downs, where two to three forensic accounting students intern each summer and most receive full-time offers when the internship ends.

DeSales University lists internships and placements at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, EY, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC. Marywood University says its graduates meet the accounting education requirements to work in agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Pennsylvania, like every state, expects 150 semester hours of college coursework for CPA licensure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Carlow University, Neumann University, Seton Hill University and DeSales University each describe a path that counts toward those hours. The Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy sets the exact rules, so confirm them with the board before you choose a program.

Bachelor's Programs Across Pennsylvania

Three Pennsylvania schools offer a bachelor's with a forensic focus, and each blends accounting with a different partner field.

Waynesburg University's Bachelor of Science in Forensic Accounting adds criminal justice courses to the business and accounting core, with white collar crime, criminal procedure and a mock trial in the law and evidence course. It is one of four forensic programs on campus, and a forensics laboratory gives you modern evidence-gathering practice. The business department holds accreditation from IACBE.

Marywood University's Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Crime Investigation blends accounting and criminal justice in northeast Pennsylvania. It covers auditing, business taxation, criminology and white collar crime, and prepares you for financial examination, fraud examination and private investigation.

DeSales University places forensic accounting as one of three tracks inside its Bachelor of Science in Accounting. The track gives you the academic background for the CFE credential, and a 4+1 path to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is designed to meet education requirements for CPA licensure.

Master's Programs With Online Options

Five master's programs serve Pennsylvania students who already hold a bachelor's degree, and four offer online study.

Carlow University's Master of Science in Fraud and Forensics takes one year in a cohort and is 100% online, with a virtual or in-person residency available through its agreement with the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance.

Tuition is $800 per credit hour, and neither the Graduate Record Examinations nor the Graduate Management Admission Test is required. Graduates are prepared for the CFE exam, and the degree qualifies for the 150 hours behind the CPA exam.

Neumann University's 30-credit Master of Science in Forensic Accounting and Cybercrime can be finished in 18 months, fully online, at $775 per credit. Neumann accounting undergraduates who keep a 3.0 grade point average are guaranteed acceptance.

York College of Pennsylvania's Master of Accounting in Fraud and Forensics is 30 credits in five seven-week sessions a year, at $710 per credit. Seton Hill University's online Master of Business Administration lets you pick one year or two. The University of Scranton's Master of Accountancy takes 12 to 18 months, on campus or online, with no application fee for domestic students.

Planning Your Route to the CFE and CPA

Two Pennsylvania schools, York College of Pennsylvania and Carlow University, work directly with the ACFE, which awards the CFE at 50 points plus two years of work related to fraud detection or deterrence. A bachelor's degree typically covers the 40 points you need to sit the exam, so you can test before your experience is complete.

Several Pennsylvania programs aim at the exam. DeSales University's forensic track gives you the academic background for the CFE. The University of Scranton prepares you for CPA licensure and the CFE exam, and it offers CPA exam preparation at a reduced rate through a partnership with UWorld. York College of Pennsylvania prepares students for the CPA, the CFE and the Certified Forensic Accountant credential from one degree.

If your goal is the CPA, start with the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy for the current education and exam rules. Then ask each school how its credits count. Neumann University says its credits count toward the 150 hours needed to sit for the exam, and Carlow University describes its degree as qualifying for the same hours.

Comparing Cost Across the State

In-state rates across these eight programs start at $710 per credit and the median is $822. The bachelor's programs quote tuition differently, so compare them by year.

Waynesburg University lists full-time tuition for 2026-2027 and says its average student receives institutional aid. Marywood University lists block tuition of $42,818 a year for full-time students. DeSales University says donor-funded scholarships help offset its cost, and advisors help with federal, state and private aid.

Among master's programs, York College of Pennsylvania lists $710 per credit and offers discounts for partner employers, alumni and government employees. Neumann University lists $775 per credit and a 20% discount for employees of partner institutions. Carlow University lists $800 per credit and is a Yellow Ribbon and Military Friendly college. The University of Scranton lists $895 per credit hour, and Seton Hill University lists $1,015.