Home Schools Governors State University Accounting
Business · Accounting Rank #318 of 714

Accountingat Governors State University

Graduates earn $47,836/yr in their first year — about 11.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $617K; scenarios range from $553K to $638K depending on AI disruption.

University Park, IL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
71 STRONG
73
Optimistic
68
Pessimistic
Earnings
$47,836
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.2x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$617K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Governors State University

At $47,836/yr, Accounting graduates from Governors State University land near the $53,724 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 13.6x 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 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $18,750 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #318 out of 714 programs, Governors State University's Accounting offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $47,836 to $64,348 shows 35% 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
$553K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple12.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$617K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple13.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$638K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple14.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Governors State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Governors 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Accounting at Governors State University

How does Governors State University's Accounting program score?

A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Governors State 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.