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Business · Accounting Rank #292 of 714

Accountingat Central College

Graduates earn $58,850/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $683K; scenarios range from $598K to $714K depending on AI disruption.

Pella, IA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
72 STRONG
73
Optimistic
68
Pessimistic
Earnings
$58,850
1-year post-graduation
ROI
7.9x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$683K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Central College

First-year earnings of $58,850 at Central College come in 10% above the national median of $53,724 for Accounting programs.

At 8.1x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 62% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $58,850 far exceeding the $27,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #292 out of 714 programs, Central College's Accounting offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $58,850 to $74,897 shows 27% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary 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
$598K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple7.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$683K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple8.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$714K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple8.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Central 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 Central 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 Central College

Other top programs at Central College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Central 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 Central College

How does Central College's Accounting program score?

A score of 72/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Central College's Accounting graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Accounting to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Accounting careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 62% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.