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Business · Accounting Rank #594 of 714

Accountingat Murray State University

Graduates earn $42,322/yr in their first year — about 21.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $508K; scenarios range from $479K to $511K depending on AI disruption.

Murray, KY Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
60 SOLID
62
Optimistic
61
Pessimistic
Earnings
$42,322
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$508K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Murray State University

Starting salaries of $42,322/yr fall 21% below the $53,724 national median for Accounting. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Accounting programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Accounting's typical career paths, with 62% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 6% gap from the optimistic case.

At $18,318 in median debt against $42,322 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #594 of 714 Accounting programs, Murray State University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $50,198 are relatively flat compared to the $42,322 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

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
$479K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple12.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$508K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score60/100
Earnings Multiple13.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$511K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple13.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Murray State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Murray 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 Murray State University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Accounting at Murray State University?

This program scores 60/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Accounting programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Accounting careers?

With 62% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $478,635 in decade earnings vs $510,985 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Accounting from Murray State University?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.