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Business · Accounting Rank #136 of 714

Accountingat University of North Dakota

Graduates earn $61,280/yr in their first year — about 14.0% above the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $643K; scenarios range from $571K to $668K depending on AI disruption.

Grand Forks, ND Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
78 STRONG
80
Optimistic
75
Pessimistic
Earnings
$61,280
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$643K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of North Dakota

University of North Dakota's Accounting graduates start at $61,280/yr — above the $53,724 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.7x 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 15% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $23,581 in median debt clears quickly against $61,280 in annual earnings.

At #136 of 714 nationally, this is a top-5% Accounting program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Five-year earnings of $70,589 are relatively flat compared to the $61,280 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
$571K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple13.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$643K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple14.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$668K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score80/100
Earnings Multiple15.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at University of North Dakota

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of North Dakota, 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 North Dakota

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Accounting at University of North Dakota?

This program scores 78/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Accounting nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

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 $570,762 in decade earnings vs $667,731 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes University of North Dakota's Accounting program stand out?

Ranked #136 of 714 programs nationally, University of North Dakota lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.