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Business · Accounting Rank #453 of 714

Accountingat Augustana College

Graduates earn $62,149/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $722K; scenarios range from $625K to $760K depending on AI disruption.

Rock Island, IL Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
67 SOLID
69
Optimistic
64
Pessimistic
Earnings
$62,149
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.0x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$722K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Augustana College

At $62,149 per year, Accounting graduates from Augustana College earn slightly above the $53,724 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

An earnings multiple of 3.6x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Accounting's typical career paths, with 62% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 18% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $27,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #453 of 714 Accounting programs, Augustana College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Earnings grow from $62,149 to $80,334 over five years — a 29% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$625K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple3.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$722K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score67/100
Earnings Multiple3.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$760K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple3.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Augustana College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Accounting graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
2
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
3
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
4
Business teachers, postsecondary
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 8,100 openings/yr
$97,270/yr
Moderate
5
Financial examiners
+18.5% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$90,400/yr
High
6
Budget analysts
+1.0% 10-yr growth · 3,100 openings/yr
$87,930/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Accounting

How Augustana College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
5.3x
ROI
Washington and Lee University
VA · Private nonprofit
74
DW Score
$82K
1-yr earn
3.1x
ROI
Santa Clara University
CA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
4.2x
ROI
Villanova University
PA · Private nonprofit
75
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
3.4x
ROI
Lehigh University
PA · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$77K
1-yr earn
3.8x
ROI
Also at Augustana College

Other top programs at Augustana College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Augustana College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Accounting offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Accounting trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Accounting at Augustana College

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Accounting at Augustana College?

This program scores 67/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Accounting programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Accounting careers?

With 62% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $625,226 in decade earnings vs $760,392 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is Augustana College a hidden gem for Accounting?

After financial aid, the average student pays $49,748 over four years — 75% below the $199,336 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.