Accountingat East Tennessee State University
Graduates earn $44,834/yr in their first year — about 17.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $569K; scenarios range from $520K to $582K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at East Tennessee State University
Starting salaries of $44,834/yr fall 17% below the $53,724 national median for Accounting. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 14.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 62% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At $16,250 in median debt against $44,834 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #469 out of 714 programs, East Tennessee State University's financial outcomes for Accounting trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $44,834 to $58,006 shows 29% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to East Tennessee State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Accounting
How East Tennessee State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at East Tennessee State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at East Tennessee State 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 →Frequently asked about Accounting at East Tennessee State University
How does East Tennessee State University's Accounting program score?
A score of 67/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but East Tennessee State University trails the majority of Accounting programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
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.
Why are Accounting earnings lower at East Tennessee State University?
Lower starting pay at East Tennessee State University may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.