Home Schools University of Houston-Downtown Accounting
Business · Accounting Rank #140 of 714

Accountingat University of Houston-Downtown

Graduates earn $54,128/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $627K; scenarios range from $560K to $649K depending on AI disruption.

Houston, TX Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
78 STRONG
80
Optimistic
75
Pessimistic
Earnings
$54,128
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$627K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Houston-Downtown

First-year earnings of $54,128 track close to the $53,724 national median for Accounting programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 20.3x 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 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $19,750 in median debt against $54,128 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #140 out of 714 programs, University of Houston-Downtown's Accounting program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $54,128 to $67,119 shows 24% 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
$560K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple18.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$627K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple20.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$649K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score80/100
Earnings Multiple21.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Houston-Downtown'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 University of Houston-Downtown 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 University of Houston-Downtown

Other top programs at University of Houston-Downtown

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Houston-Downtown, 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 University of Houston-Downtown

How does University of Houston-Downtown's Accounting program score?

A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Houston-Downtown'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.

Why does University of Houston-Downtown rank so high for Accounting?

The #140 ranking out of 714 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.