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Business · Accounting Rank #321 of 714

Accountingat Drake University

Graduates earn $65,922/yr in their first year — about 23.0% above the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $803K; scenarios range from $680K to $854K depending on AI disruption.

Des Moines, IA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
71 STRONG
72
Optimistic
68
Pessimistic
Earnings
$65,922
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.5x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$803K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Drake University

Drake University's Accounting graduates start at $65,922/yr — above the $53,724 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 4.0x return on tuition is positive but not overwhelming. Financial outcomes depend on keeping costs close to in-state rates.

AI risk is moderate — 62% task exposure — and the 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,000 in median debt clears quickly against $65,922 in annual earnings.

Ranked #321 out of 714 programs, Drake University's Accounting offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $65,922 to $90,542 shows 37% 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
$680K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$803K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple4.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$854K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple4.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Drake University'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 Drake University 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 Drake University

Other top programs at Drake University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Drake University, 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 Drake University

How does Drake University's Accounting program score?

A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Drake University'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.