Accounting
Accounting teaches financial reporting, audit, and tax, and it maps directly onto the CPA path. Starting roles in public accounting are standardized, which makes its earnings figures some of the most comparable across colleges.
What Accounting Pays Nationally
$60,798National Median Earnings
44,210Graduates Behind That Figure
1 year after finishingEarnings measured
The national median is the middle graduate across every college that offers this major at the bachelor level. It is also the figure we show for any single college whose own program is too small to trust - always badged, never passed off as that college's own number.
Top-Paying Accounting Programs We Can Rank
| College | Major | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| DePaul University | Accounting | $73,234 n=225 | $21,500 n=198 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Accounting | $70,699 n=117 | $19,000 n=103 |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Accounting | $65,622 n=103 | $20,500 Small program - rough guide n=70 |
Smaller Programs and National-Median Programs
These programs are too small for a trustworthy ranked figure, or their college figure is not published. They are listed, not ranked.
| College | Major | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette University | Accounting | $69,572 Small program - rough guide n=63 | $24,499 Small program - rough guide n=55 |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Accounting | $66,284 Small program - rough guide n=93 | $21,295 Small program - rough guide n=70 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Accounting | $77,747 Small program - rough guide n=66 | $23,000 Small program - rough guide n=68 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Accounting | $65,499 Small program - rough guide n=51 | $21,500 Small program - rough guide n=63 |
Accounting by State
Accounting in Wisconsin Accounting in Minnesota Accounting in Illinois