Accountingat Western Colorado University
Graduates earn $47,204/yr in their first year — about 12.0% below the national Accounting average. Base-case 10-year earnings $583K; scenarios range from $530K to $598K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Western Colorado University
Western Colorado University's Accounting program produces graduates earning $47,204/yr — within striking distance of the $53,724 national average for this field.
The 13.1x 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 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At #366 out of 714 programs, Western Colorado University's financial outcomes for Accounting trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $47,204 to $60,215 shows 28% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Western Colorado University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Accounting
How Western Colorado University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Western Colorado University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Western Colorado 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 →Frequently asked about Accounting at Western Colorado University
How does Western Colorado University's Accounting program score?
A score of 69/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Western Colorado University trails the majority of Accounting programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
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.