Home Schools Mount Mercy University Accounting
Business · Accounting Rank #496 of 714

Accountingat Mount Mercy University

Graduates earn $52,486/yr in their first year — about 2.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $683K; scenarios range from $598K to $714K depending on AI disruption.

Cedar Rapids, IA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
65 SOLID
66
Optimistic
61
Pessimistic
Earnings
$52,486
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.7x
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 Mount Mercy University

Graduates earn $52,486/yr, roughly in line with the $53,724 national median for Accounting. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 4.4x 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 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At #496 out of 714 programs, Mount Mercy University's financial outcomes for Accounting trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $52,486 to $73,088 shows 39% 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 Score61/100
Earnings Multiple3.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$683K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score65/100
Earnings Multiple4.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$714K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple4.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Mount Mercy University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Mount Mercy 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 Mount Mercy University

How does Mount Mercy University's Accounting program score?

A score of 65/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Mount Mercy 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.