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Business · Accounting Rank #303 of 714

Accountingat Northern State University

Graduates earn $51,239/yr in their first year — about 5.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $548K; scenarios range from $505K to $557K depending on AI disruption.

Aberdeen, SD Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
72 STRONG
73
Optimistic
69
Pessimistic
Earnings
$51,239
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$548K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Northern State University

Northern State University's Accounting program produces graduates earning $51,239/yr — within striking distance of the $53,724 national average for this field.

The 15.5x 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 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $25,000 in median debt clears quickly against $51,239 in annual earnings.

Ranked #303 out of 714 programs, Northern State University's Accounting offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth is modest: $51,239 to $56,764 over five years (11% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

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
$505K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple14.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$548K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple15.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$557K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple15.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Northern State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Northern 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 Northern State University

How does Northern State University's Accounting program score?

A score of 72/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Northern 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.