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If you’d like to learn more about the Accounting program, we’d love to talk with you.
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Estimated Program Cost
Financial Aid
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Program Overview
Madison College students choose to pursue a degree in accounting because of the variety of exciting career paths it offers.
Accounting Careers
Accounting professionals are in high demand by companies and organizations everywhere, so you can apply your skills to work in your community or take them anywhere. Employment opportunities in accounting exist in all industries, including financial, manufacturing, retail, service, non-profit and government institutions.
Madison College's two-year Accounting associate degree will get you ready for a range of professional positions in the field of accounting, including staff accountant, public accountant, cost accountant, tax accountant, account manager, account specialist or payroll accountant.
Real-world, Hands-on Learning
Madison College's accounting program teaches you real-world accounting concepts through hands-on learning. Our expert faculty will support your academic success by providing valuable feedback on your coursework to ensure you develop your accounting skills correctly.
Accounting Year 1
In your first year, you’ll learn essential accounting principles and develop a general understanding of business, finance and taxes. In addition, you’ll be skilled in using business tools like Microsoft Office Excel and QuickBooks.
Bonus: You'll automatically earn the Accounting Assistant technical diploma after completing the first-year curriculum!
Accounting Year 2
You'll expand your accounting knowledge in your second year learning intermediate accounting concepts, and gaining experience in cost management, payroll systems, economics and business law.
In your final term, you'll confidently complete a project demonstrating the accounting knowledge and skills you acquired in the program to perform real-world accounting for a small business. This capstone project is an instant resume-builder for you to showcase your newly acquired accounting talents to prospective employers.
Flexible Course Offerings
You can attend full- or part-time while taking courses in-person or online. Study close to home, whether in Madison at Truax or Goodman South campuses or regionally at our Reedsburg, Portage, Fort Atkinson or Watertown campuses.
Start Your Four-Year Degree Here!
Your accounting associate degree credits transfer if you plan to earn your bachelor’s degree to advance to a higher-level position in the field. We have transfer agreements with many four-year colleges, both inside and outside the state of Wisconsin.
What Is Accounting?
Learn more about accounting careers and Madison College accounting program options.
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Curriculum and Experience
Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2024-2025 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.
Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:
- Progress toward your specific requirements
- Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements
If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.
First SemesterSecond SemesterThird SemesterFourth SemesterExciting careers in business are waiting for you at Madison College.
Watch the video to learn more.
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Admission
To Apply
Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities, so apply today!
International students who wish to apply for, maintain, or transfer their F-1 student visa status to Madison College are required to complete the International Admission Process.
Note: It is recommended to only apply for a semester that has already started if you are currently enrolled in classes or you have verified that classes are still available for that semester.
Application Dates
Spring 2025
- Application open
- Application completion deadline is April 15, 2025
Summer 2025
- Application open
- Application completion deadline is July 15, 2025
Fall 2025
- Application open
- Application completion deadline is November 15, 2025
Admission Requirements
All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.
1. Admission Application
The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.
2. Education Completion
Official transcripts must be sent from the institutions you attended and indicate one of the following:
- High school (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
- GED/HSED transcript
- College transcript(s) showing:
- Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
- At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
- The credits must be completed at a single college and cannot be combined with other transcripts
- Any transfer credit listed on a transcript does not count toward the 30-credit minimum
All high school and/or college transcripts are recommended to be submitted for Credit for Prior Learning evaluation.
Additional Notes
- Class capacity is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
- Course prerequisites differ from admission requirements; admission into a program does not guarantee eligibility to enroll in courses or success in the program. Refer to program curriculum for details.
After Acceptance
Once you are admitted into your program, review the Start of Semester Checklist to prepare for your first day of classes at Madison College.
Questions?
Contact the Enrollment Center at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
Get Started!
Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Accounting career.
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Transfer Opportunities
UW System Schools
The terms of the B.S in Leadership & Org Studies agreement are limited to students who complete selective A.A.S or A.A.A. degrees and are admitted to the Organizational Studies emphasis at UW-Oshkosh. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higherWisconsin Private Schools
Students witn an AA, AS or AAS are Advanced Core. Advanced Core requires students to have earned at least 60 credits. Students transferring prior to completion or with less than 60 credits are standard core and credits are evaluated course by course.Student who earn an Associate Degree from Madison College can transfer a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 72 credits to Lakeland College to be applied to the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree.Completion of an A.A.S. Degree at Madison College after 2015, and meeting admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a B.B.A degree in Technical Sales at MSOE.Bachelor of Science in Business Management and LeadershipOut-of-State Schools
Students who complete any associate degree at Madison Area Technical College will have no additional general education core curriculum requirements to meet but must satisfy the Kirkpatrick Signature Series requirement.Per the agreement, students must complete the associates of arts, associates of science or associates of applied science with an overall GPA of a 2.0 prior to transferring.Students graduating with an associate degree from MATC with a 2.0 GPA or higher are guaranteed admissions into CSU-Global and can transfer up to 64 semester credits from MATC to be applied toward earning a Bachelor’s Degree at CSU-Global.Franklin University will guarantee acceptance of Madison College graduates with an AA, AS, or AAS. Madison College graduates will have junior standing at Franklin University and may transfer up to 94 additional credits toward their baccalaureate degree. -
Career Outcomes
After completing the Accounting program at Madison College, you will be able to:
- Process financial transactions throughout the accounting cycle
- Evaluate financial information to support decision making
- Process payroll
- Perform cost accounting tasks
- Perform income tax accounting tasks
- Apply internal controls to minimize risk
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Graduate Summary
Graduate Report Summary Overview
2021 2022 2023 Number of Program Graduates 50 42 31 Number of Surveys Sent 50 41 31 Number of Surveys Returned 31 22 17 Percent of Surveys Returned Available for Employment 31 21 14 Percent Available for Employment 100.0% 95.5% 82.4% Not in Labor Market Percent Not in Labor Market 0.0% 4.5% 17.6% Available for Employment
2021 2022 2023 Graduates Employed 27 20 14 Percent of Graduates Employed 87.1% 95.2% 100.0% Employed in Related Occupation 21 16 11 Percent Employed in Related Occupation 77.8% 80.0% 78.6% Employed in Unrelated Occupation 6 4 3 Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation 22.2% 20.0% 21.4% Employed - No Response 0 0 0 Percent Employed - No Response 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Seeking Employment 4 1 0 Percent Seeking Employment 12.9% 4.8% 0.0% Reaction To Training at Madison College
2021 2022 2023 Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4) 3.5 3.5 3.5 Number of Satisfaction Responses 31 22 16 Very Satisfied (4) 20 10 8 Percent Very Satisfied 64.5% 45.5% 50.0% Satisfied (3) 9 12 8 Percent Satisfied 29.0% 54.5% 50.0% Unsatisfied (2) 0 0 0 Percent Unsatisfied 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Very Unsatisfied (1) Percent Very Unsatisfied 6.5% 0.0% 0.0% Primary Reason for Attending Madison College
2021 2022 2023 Number of Primary Reason Responses 31 22 17 Preparation for Getting a Job Percent Preparation for Getting a Job Career Change Percent Career Change Improvement of Existing Skills Percent Improvement of Existing Skills Preparation for Further Education Percent Preparation for Further Education Personal Interest Percent Personal Interest Other Percent Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% When Employment was Obtained
2021 2022 2023 Number of When Employment Obtained Responses 27 20 14 Before Enrollment 3 6 4 Percent Before Enrollment 11.1% 30.0% 28.6% While Attending the College 9 8 6 Percent While Attending the College 33.3% 40.0% 42.9% After Training at the College 15 6 4 Percent After Training at the College 55.6% 30.0% 28.6% Location of Employment (related and unrelated)
2021 2022 2023 Number of Employment Location Responses 27 20 14 In College District 25 17 12 Percent In College District 92.6% 85.0% 85.7% In Wisconsin, Not in District 1 3 1 Percent of In Wisconsin 3.7% 15.0% 7.1% Outside of Wisconsin 1 0 1 Percent Outside Wisconsin 3.7% 0.0% 7.1% Employer Location Unknown 0 0 0 Percent Location Unknown 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Salary Trend 2021 2022 2023 Full Time Employment (Related Job) Full Time Salary Count 18 14 11 Average Monthly Wage $3,551 $3,900 $4,637 Average Hourly Wage $20.64 $22.67 $26.96 Average Work Hours per Week 40.7 40.7 40.0 Part Time Employment (Related Job) Part Time Salary Count 3 2 Average Hourly Wage $17.50 $26.50 Average Work Hours per Week 22.3 22.5 -
Graduate Employers
Graduate Employers for academic year: 2023 Employer(s) Job Title City* State** Positions Baker Tilly Accounting Associate Baker Tilly Associate BST North America Staff Accountant City of Madison Accountant Columbia County Accounting Assistant Portage Dairyland Operations LLC Accountant Wisconsin Dells Genus Intelligence Associate Accountant Windsor Masters Building Solutions Accounting Administrator S&L Companies AP Specialist Portage State of Wisconsin IS Enterprise Business Financial Analyst-Senior * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.
** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.
*** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu
