Program Analysis
Graduates earn $54,152/yr, roughly in line with the $53,724 national median for Accounting and Related Services. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
At 7.4x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 62% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $54,152 far exceeding the $26,284 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #497 out of 714 programs, Upper Iowa University's financial outcomes for Accounting and Related Services trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth is modest: $54,152 to $58,713 over five years (8% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.