Universal Accounting
Universal Accounting Center is a privately held, Utah-based vocational school founded in 1979 that delivers self-paced online certification programs (PB, QS, PTP, PGE), coaching, and the GrowCon conference to aspiring and established small business accounting professionals across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersDraper, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Universal Accounting does
Universal Accounting Center (UAC), founded in 1979 by Alf Bostrom and headquartered in Draper, Utah, is a privately held post-secondary vocational school that delivers professional accounting certification programs to individuals pursuing careers or business ownership in the small business accounting market. Its core product lineup comprises four proprietary certification designations — Professional Bookkeeper (PB), QuickBooks Specialist (QS), Professional Tax Preparer (PTP), and Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) — delivered through a self-paced online learning management system at uacourses.com. Courseware includes 67-hour PTP, 169+ video PGE, and 481 video/workbook lessons, plus IRS-approved continuing education, job placement assistance, and a recurring Premier Membership offering 12+ months of business coaching, CRM access, and life coaching. The company also operates the annual GrowCon conference in Scottsdale, AZ, and offers UAC Tax, an IRS-authorized e-file preparation software powered by OLT PRO.
Revenue is generated through one-time tuition for certification programs, 12/18/24-month financing arrangements, a subscription-based Premier Membership, and tiered GrowCon ticket sales (Standard $997-$1,147, Premier $1,447, VIP $1,497-$1,847, Virtual $297) plus sponsor partnerships. Go-to-market is sales-led and inside-sales driven, with phone consultation, lead nurturing via CRM, content marketing (Build the Premier Accounting Firm podcast, blog, SEO), social media, and a community-driven event funnel built around GrowCon. The customer base is fully long-tail SMBs and individual accounting professionals and aspiring firm owners, with no enterprise contracts and no disclosed institutional investors.
Universal Accounting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Universal Accounting
- Legal name
- Universal Accounting Center
- Website
- https://universalaccountingschool.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Universal Accounting Center is a privately held, Utah-based vocational school founded in 1979 that delivers self-paced online certification programs (PB, QS, PTP, PGE), coaching, and the GrowCon conference to aspiring and established small business accounting professionals across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Universal Accounting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Accounting Training
- NAICS
- Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accounting, Audit & Tax (EDAAAPAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD), Accounting, Audit & Tax (CPA/CA/ACCA CPE) (EDAAALAA), Finance, Accounting & Procurement Training (EDAGANAG), Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM) (EDANAIAD)
Keywords
Where Universal Accounting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Draper
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Universal Accounting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Certification Programs: Revenue from tuition fees for Professional Bookkeeper (PB), Professional Tax Preparer (PTP), QuickBooks Specialist (QS), and Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) certification programs. Programs include course materials, video instruction, and support services.
- Financing Programs: 12, 18, or 24-month financing programs available to qualifying students for tuition payment flexibility.
- Premier Membership Program: Accountability and advanced business coaching membership providing 12+ month engagement with business coaches, CRM access, life coaching, and group training sessions with Roger Knecht, president of Universal Accounting Center.
- Conference Revenue: GrowCon annual conference tickets sold at Standard ($997-$1147), Premier ($1447), and VIP ($1497-$1847) tiers, plus virtual access ($297). Revenue from ticket sales and sponsor partnerships.
- Coaching and Support Services: Additional coaching services including orientation counseling, academic tutoring, and marketing implementation sessions included with program enrollment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program - 4-week certification |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Tax Preparer (PTP) Program - 4-week certification |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) Program - 4-6 week certification |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | GrowCon 2027 Conference Tickets |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premier Membership - 12+ month coaching program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Financing Programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Universal Accounting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Universal Accounting Center delivers self-paced online certification and training programs for accounting professionals, including Professional Bookkeeper (PB), Professional Tax Preparer (PTP), QuickBooks Specialist (QS), and Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) certifications. Programs combine video instruction, workbooks, coaching, and turnkey business systems designed to help individuals start, build, or grow accounting practices serving small businesses. Coursework is delivered through a proprietary LMS (uacourses.com) and supplemented by the Premier Membership coaching program and the annual GrowCon conference.
Product overview
Universal Accounting Center provides a comprehensive suite of professional accounting certification and training programs delivered through distance learning. The core portfolio includes Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Certification covering four modules from fundamental accounting through business formation; QuickBooks Specialist (QS) Certification for software proficiency; Professional Tax Preparer (PTP) Certification with 67 hours of training for individual and business tax preparation; and Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) Certification for CFO and advisory services. The company also offers a Premier Membership Program with accountability coaching, CRM access, and business development support, the annual GrowCon conference for accounting firm owners, and UAC Tax proprietary tax preparation software. All programs include assigned coaches, mentors, and flexible online learning with certification designations recognized in the industry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Professional Bookkeeper (PB): Professional Bookkeeper certification program for day-to-day practical application of accounting in small to mid-sized businesses
- Professional Tax Preparer (PTP)
- QuickBooks Specialist (QS)
- Profit & Growth Expert (PGE)
- GrowCon
- BizBench
Products and services
- Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Certification
Quantifiable outcome
- Increase income by approximately $100+ per hour as a certified tax preparer
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Universal Accounting
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Universal Accounting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Universal Accounting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered premium, elevated, minor and core.
- Bookkeepers.compremiumPremium sponsor of GrowCon 2027; company dedicated to helping people learn bookkeeping and build bookkeeping businesses; Owner & CEO Jaime Rodriguez is featured speaker at GrowCon
- Insightful AccountantpremiumPremium sponsor of GrowCon 2027; industry media outlet for accounting professionals
- Jetpack WorkflowelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; workflow optimization platform for accounting firms; Founder & CEO David Cristello featured speaker
- The CFO ProjectelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; training company for outsourced CFO and business advisory services; Founder Adam Lean featured speaker
- Tax Rep NetworkelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; network for building IRS representation practices; Managing Partner Eric Green featured speaker
- ComplyWiseelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; cybersecurity and compliance solutions for accounting firms; Founder Luke Kiely featured speaker
- Sell UpelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; outsourced sales firm for accounting firms; Co-Founder & CEO Brian Mayoral featured speaker
- keepfulelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; marketing automation platform for bookkeepers and accountants; Owner Heidi Ryder on marketing panel
- DoubleelevatedElevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027; karaoke night sponsor at conference
- Profit First ProfessionalselevatedPFP Partner Sponsor; methodology and certification for accounting professionals in profit-first financial management
- Value BuilderelevatedValue Builder Certified partner; certification program for accounting professionals to help business owners increase firm value
- Lambers ReviewminorIRS continuing education partner providing Annual Federal Tax Refresher Course and AFSP exam preparation; courses taught by Eva Rosenberg, EA
- IRScoreIRS-authorized e-file provider and partner; Continuing Education approved provider for tax professionals; mission-aligned partnership for e-file adoption
- CTECminorContinuing Education provider logo displayed; CTEC-approved tax education courses
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Universal Accounting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bookkeepers.com: Bookkeepers.com trains individuals in bookkeeping and helps them build bookkeeping businesses, mirroring Universal Accounting's core Professional Bookkeeper (PB) and 'accountrepreneur' value proposition. It is also a Premium sponsor of GrowCon 2027, underscoring direct overlap in audience and offering.
- The CFO Project: The CFO Project trains accountants to deliver outsourced CFO and business advisory services, which is the exact subject matter of Universal Accounting's Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) certification. Both target accounting firm owners looking to move upmarket into advisory work.
- Profit First Professionals: Profit First Professionals certifies accountants in the Profit First methodology for client advisory; it is a Strategic PFP Partner Sponsor of GrowCon 2027 and competes directly with Universal's PGE program for the same advisory-services audience.
- Value Builder System: Value Builder certifies accountants to help business owners increase firm value, overlapping with Universal Accounting's advisory and firm-building curriculum. It is a Strategic Value Builder Certified partner sponsor of GrowCon 2027.
- Tax Rep Network: Tax Rep Network trains accountants to build IRS representation practices, intersecting with Universal Accounting's Professional Tax Preparer (PTP) and tax-related curriculum. It is an Elevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027 with its Managing Partner as a featured speaker.
- Lambers Review / PassKey Tax Training: Lambers Review (PassKey) provides IRS continuing education, Annual Federal Tax Refresher Course, and AFSP exam preparation, directly competing with Universal's IRS-approved CE and PTP offerings. It is listed as a Strategic IRS continuing education partner sponsor of GrowCon 2027.
Broad incumbents
- Intuit QuickBooks Training / ProAdvisor: Intuit offers QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification directly to bookkeepers, which directly competes with Universal Accounting's QuickBooks Specialist (QS) certification. As the QuickBooks software owner, Intuit is the incumbent in this niche.
- Becker Professional Education: Becker is a long-established incumbent in accounting and finance certification prep (CPA, CMA, CFA), competing with Universal Accounting's certification programs at the broader professional credentialing level, though with a less niche small-business focus.
- Surgent CPA Review: Surgent is a major incumbent in CPA exam prep and professional accounting education, competing for the same pool of aspiring accounting professionals that Universal Accounting targets with its PB, PTP, QS, and PGE programs.
Emerging players
- Sell Up: Sell Up is an outsourced sales firm for accounting firms, overlapping with Universal Accounting's Grow Your Business Program and Premier Membership sales-coaching offerings. It is an Elevated sponsor of GrowCon 2027.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Universal Accounting social profiles
Digital presenceUniversal Accounting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Universal Accounting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Universal Accounting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Universal Accounting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Universal Accounting
What does Universal Accounting do?
Universal Accounting Center delivers self-paced online certification and training programs for accounting professionals, including Professional Bookkeeper (PB), Professional Tax Preparer (PTP), QuickBooks Specialist (QS), and Profit & Growth Expert (PGE) certifications. Programs combine video instruction, workbooks, coaching, and turnkey business systems designed to help individuals start, build, or grow accounting practices serving small businesses. Coursework is delivered through a proprietary LMS (uacourses.com) and supplemented by the Premier Membership coaching program and the annual GrowCon conference.
Is Universal Accounting a public or private company?
Universal Accounting is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Universal Accounting founded?
Universal Accounting was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Universal Accounting based?
Universal Accounting is headquartered in Draper, United States, in the North America region.
How does Universal Accounting make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Professional Certification Programs are the primary driver. The others are financing Programs, premier Membership Program, conference Revenue and coaching and Support Services.
Who are Universal Accounting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bookkeepers.com, The CFO Project, Profit First Professionals, Value Builder System, Tax Rep Network and Lambers Review / PassKey Tax Training. Broad incumbents are Intuit QuickBooks Training / ProAdvisor, Becker Professional Education and Surgent CPA Review. Sell Up is listed as an emerging player.
Does Universal Accounting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Universal Accounting.
What industry is Universal Accounting in?
Universal Accounting's product category is Professional Accounting Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAPAI, Accounting, Audit & Tax, with a secondary code of EDAAANAD, Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications. Its NAICS code is 6114 and its SIC code is 8200.