U.S. median for this major: $74,373.
College Scorecard field of study; 17 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 31% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,903.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $37,773. College Scorecard.
Central College Accounting: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Accounting nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Central College's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $16,231 | $67,359 | 1.3 years |
| $30–48k | $16,237 | $67,384 | 1.3 years |
| $48–75k | $19,532 | $81,058 | 1.6 years |
| $75–110k | $21,936 | $91,034 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $27,165 | $112,735 | 2.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (59% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Accounting graduates 4 years after graduating ($86,868) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $50,207 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Accounting at Iowa colleges
Every Iowa college we cover that reports Accounting graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa | $92,767 | $22,500 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 2 | Wartburg College | $89,696 | $26,840 | $32,908 | 64% |
| 3 | Drake University | $87,582 | $20,500 | $29,127 | 74% |
| 4 | Central College | $86,868 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 5 | Saint Ambrose University | $83,719 | $26,559 | $24,691 | 61% |
| 6 | University of Northern Iowa | $82,641 | $21,525 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 7 | Coe College | $81,408 | $26,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 8 | Dordt University | $77,629 | — | $25,807 | 70% |
| 9 | Simpson College | $76,272 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 10 | Luther College | $75,341 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 11 | Loras College | $74,811 | — | $20,716 | 68% |
| 12 | Iowa State University | $70,706 | $23,250 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 13 | Grand View University | $66,906 | $27,000 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 14 | Upper Iowa University | $63,645 | $37,608 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 15 | Buena Vista University | $63,454 | $27,000 | $18,846 | 62% |
| 16 | University of Dubuque | $63,082 | $29,000 | $23,386 | 40% |
| 17 | Mount Mercy University | $59,763 | — | $20,168 | 58% |
| 18 | Northwestern College | $59,192 | — | $25,907 | 66% |
5 more Iowa colleges offer Accounting but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Accounting graduates
Accountant / auditor
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Financial Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +9.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Financial and Investment Analysts
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Central College, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Central College
- Acceptance rate: 86% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 66% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,317
- Full cost breakdown · all 36 majors · overview
Related majors at Central College
- Business Administration$68,021
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Economics—
Central College Accounting questions
How much do Central College Accounting graduates earn?
Accounting graduates of Central College earn a median $86,868 four years after graduating and $58,850 one year after. The U.S. median for Accounting graduates across 741 colleges is $74,373.
How much debt do Central College Accounting graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Accounting graduates of Central College is $27,000, about 31% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,903.
Is Central College a good school for Accounting in Iowa?
On pay, Accounting graduates of Central College earn $86,868 four years out, $11,062 above the median for the same major across 18 Iowa colleges ($75,806) and $12,495 above the U.S. median ($74,373). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Central College rank for Accounting in Iowa?
Of 18 Iowa colleges reporting Accounting graduate earnings, Central College ranks 4th. The highest is University of Iowa at $92,767.
What jobs do Accounting graduates get?
A common career is accountant / auditor, with a median wage of $77,440 in Iowa and $83,680 nationally. Others include financial managers and financial and investment analysts.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Central College Accounting: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-college/majors/accounting (College Scorecard and BLS data).