Fazlur Rahman
UK Online MBA Accounting and Finance programmes in 2026/27 range from £8,400 at St Mary's University London to £24,634 at the University of Liverpool Online MBA. QMU's Online MBA Finance and Accounting lists £8,500 (£708.33 per module). Aberdeen's Online MBA lists £17,260 (180 credits over 2 years). Imperial's Global Online MBA finance electives pathway lists £57,000 for the 21 to 32 month programme. The Postgraduate Master's Loan from Student Finance England covers up to £12,167 of any programme (St Mary's + QMU + Aberdeen + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
The right comparison for UK Online MBA Accounting and Finance is whether the programme aligns with ACCA, CIMA, or CFA curriculum pathways, the duration in part-time mode, and whether per-module billing is available.
Last verified: Sep 15, 2026.
At a glance
- St Mary's Online MBA Accounting £8,400 (£700/module, 24 months)
- QMU Online MBA Finance and Accounting £8,500 (£708.33/module, 24 months)
- Aberdeen Online MBA £17,260 (180 credits, 2 years, 3% annual rise)
- Liverpool Online MBA £24,634 (2026/27)
- Imperial Global Online MBA £57,000 (finance electives, 21-32 months)
- Postgraduate Master's Loan up to £12,167 from Student Finance England
UK Online MBA Accounting and Finance programmes and what each costs
UK Online MBA Accounting and Finance programmes split into three cost bands. The lower band (£8,400 to £8,500) covers St Mary's and QMU, where fees are calculated per module at £700 to £708.33 per 15-credit module over 12 modules. The mid-range band (£17,260 to £24,634) covers Aberdeen and Liverpool, which include Russell Group brand recognition and ACCA/CIMA/CFA alignment. The premium band (£57,000) covers Imperial's Global Online MBA with finance electives pathway (St Mary's + QMU + Aberdeen + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
| Programme | Mode and duration | Total fees | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary's Online MBA Accounting | Online, 24 months (12 modules) | £8,400 (£700 per 15-credit module) | Working accountants targeting FC roles |
| QMU Online MBA Finance and Accounting | Online, 24 months | £8,500 (£708.33 per module) | Mid-career finance professionals |
| Aberdeen Online MBA | Online, 2 years PT | £17,260 (180 credits, 3% annual rise) | Energy and infrastructure CFOs |
| Liverpool Online MBA | Online, 24 months | £24,634 (2026/27) | Senior finance professionals targeting director roles |
| Imperial Global Online MBA (finance electives) | Online, 21-32 months | £57,000 (same regardless of duration) | Senior finance leaders targeting global mobility |
The total programme cost difference between St Mary's (£8,400) and Imperial (£57,000) is approximately £48,600. Triple-crown accreditation and global brand recognition explain most of that spread. For finance professionals targeting UK director-level roles, the lower-cost options deliver equivalent career outcomes. For finance professionals targeting global CFO or investment banking roles, Imperial's brand recognition justifies the premium (St Mary's + QMU + Aberdeen + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
St Mary's Online MBA Accounting deep-dive
St Mary's Online MBA Accounting is the lowest-cost APM-aligned Online MBA in the UK. The 12-module programme covers Managerial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Strategy, Finance for Managers, Economics for Managers, Financial Accounting and Analysis, Leadership and Organisational Behaviour, Research Methods for Business and Management, and three elective modules including the accounting specialisation. Total fees are £8,400 at £700 per 15-credit module. The accounting specialisation comprises three courses: Managerial Accounting, Cost Accounting, and Financial Statement Analysis (St Mary's admissions, 2026).
Entry requirements are a recognised undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification from an accredited college, institution, or university (equivalent to or higher than a UK bachelor's degree with honours) plus at least one year of work experience involving managerial responsibilities. Applicants without a recognised degree may also be considered if they can demonstrate at least two years of relevant work experience in a professional, managerial, or supervisory role. IELTS 6.0 with no subscore below 5.5 is required for international applicants (St Mary's admissions, 2026).
QMU and the CIMA/ACCA alignment question
QMU Online MBA Finance and Accounting aligns with CIMA and ACCA standards. The programme covers financial reporting, strategic financial management, taxation, audit and assurance, and corporate finance modules aligned with CIMA's operational and management level curriculum. QMU's £8,500 fee delivers equivalent career outcomes to St Mary's at slightly higher cost, but with a different module structure and progression pathway. Entry requirements are an undergraduate degree plus one year of relevant professional experience (QMU admissions, 2026).
For finance professionals pursuing ACCA's Applied Knowledge level modules, St Mary's Online MBA Accounting includes preparation for Business and Technology, Management Accounting, and Financial Accounting. Selected CIMA certificate modules are also covered. CIMA's Operational and Management level certificates can be taken alongside the St Mary's MBA at additional cost, typically £1,500 to £2,500 per CIMA certificate (St Mary's + QMU admissions, 2026).
Worked cost examples at three career stages
The realistic cost calculation compares the programme fee against the post-graduation salary uplift. The table below uses UK 2026 finance and accounting salary benchmarks from ONS and ACCA's 2025 salary survey (ONS + ACCA salary survey 2025 + St Mary's + QMU + Aberdeen + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
| Career stage and current salary | Programme and total cost | Target salary and uplift | Payback period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior accountant £32,000-£42,000 | St Mary's £8,400 | Senior accountant £50,000-£65,000, +£15,000/yr | 7 months post-graduation |
| Senior accountant £50,000-£65,000 | QMU £8,500 | Financial controller £75,000-£100,000, +£25,000/yr | 4 months post-graduation |
| Financial controller £75,000-£100,000 | Liverpool Online MBA £24,634 | Finance director £120,000-£180,000, +£45,000/yr | 7 months post-graduation |
| Finance director £120,000-£180,000 | Imperial Global Online MBA £57,000 | CFO £200,000-£350,000+, +£80,000/yr | 9 months post-graduation |
For accountants at the junior-to-senior transition, St Mary's £8,400 fee delivers the fastest payback at 7 months. For mid-career accountants targeting FC roles, QMU's £8,500 fee delivers payback within 4 months given the £25,000 FC salary uplift. Liverpool's £24,634 is the right choice for FCs targeting FD roles where the £45,000 uplift amortises within 7 months. Imperial's £57,000 is the right choice for FDs targeting CFO roles where the £80,000+ uplift amortises within 9 months (ONS + ACCA salary survey 2025 + St Mary's + QMU + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
Hidden costs and application timing
Three line items push the real first-year cost above the headline fee. Application fees for UK Online MBA programmes typically run £50 to £150 per application. Course materials and software subscriptions (Bloomberg Terminal access, financial modelling software, accounting databases) typically add £200 to £600 over the 2-year programme. International applicants add IELTS or TOEFL fees (£185 to £240). Optional ACCA or CIMA certificate fees add £1,500 to £2,500 per qualification (St Mary's + QMU + Aberdeen + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
St Mary's has multiple intakes per year including January, May, and September with rolling admissions. QMU has January, May, and September intakes. Aberdeen's Online MBA has September 2026 intake with a 6 September 2026 application deadline. Liverpool's Online MBA has rolling admissions with monthly instalment options. Imperial Global Online MBA has January 2027 and September 2027 intakes with the next deadline of 22 September 2026. UK applicants should target applications 12 to 16 weeks before the intended start date to allow time for offer letter, deposit, and Student Finance England postgraduate loan processing (St Mary's + QMU + Aberdeen + Liverpool + Imperial admissions, 2026).
