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Business · Accounting Rank #551 of 714

Accountingat Eastern Kentucky University

Graduates earn $40,726/yr in their first year — about 24.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $571K; scenarios range from $522K to $584K depending on AI disruption.

Richmond, KY Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
62 SOLID
64
Optimistic
64
Pessimistic
Earnings
$40,726
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$571K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Eastern Kentucky University

Starting salaries of $40,726/yr fall 24% below the $53,724 national median for Accounting. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

The 14.1x 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.

The $21,500 debt-to-$40,726 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

At #551 out of 714 programs, Eastern Kentucky University's financial outcomes for Accounting trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $40,726 to $57,039 shows 40% 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
$522K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple12.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$571K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple14.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$584K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple14.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Eastern Kentucky University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Eastern Kentucky 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 Eastern Kentucky University

How does Eastern Kentucky University's Accounting program score?

A score of 62/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Eastern Kentucky 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 Eastern Kentucky University?

Lower starting pay at Eastern Kentucky University may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.