U.S. median for this major: $74,373.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 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 41% 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 $44,703. College Scorecard.
SAU 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 SAU'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 | $14,530 | $62,334 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $15,697 | $67,340 | 2.0 years |
| $48–75k | $16,197 | $69,485 | 2.1 years |
| $75–110k | $19,358 | $83,046 | 2.5 years |
| $110k+ | $21,370 | $91,677 | 2.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($66,338) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $32,927 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | Michigan State University | $96,093 | $23,250 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 2 | Hope College | $86,253 | $27,000 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 3 | Oakland University | $82,699 | $23,500 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 4 | Central Michigan University | $80,551 | $29,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 5 | Grand Valley State University | $80,153 | $23,750 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $78,969 | $24,850 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 7 | Walsh College | $78,902 | $21,587 | — | — |
| 8 | Albion College | $78,221 | $27,000 | $14,301 | 62% |
| 9 | Adrian College | $77,588 | — | $25,368 | 48% |
| 10 | Alma College | $77,001 | — | $20,694 | 63% |
| 11 | Aquinas College | $76,274 | — | $16,626 | 65% |
| 12 | Calvin University | $75,085 | $23,250 | $22,992 | 74% |
| 13 | Michigan Technological University | $74,373 | — | $14,182 | 68% |
| 14 | Wayne State University | $73,940 | $21,504 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 15 | Saginaw Valley State University | $72,171 | $25,243 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 16 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | $71,591 | $27,000 | $32,811 | 48% |
| 17 | Eastern Michigan University | $70,471 | $24,771 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 18 | Davenport University | $68,792 | $27,000 | $17,707 | 57% |
| 19 | Western Michigan University | $66,666 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 20 | Spring Arbor University | $66,338 | $27,000 | $19,353 | 64% |
| 21 | Northwood University | $64,405 | $23,850 | $27,232 | 63% |
| 22 | Cleary University | $63,508 | $24,039 | $22,143 | 41% |
| 23 | University of Michigan-Flint | $63,442 | $30,899 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 24 | Baker College | $63,286 | $42,556 | $13,157 | 36% |
| 25 | Northern Michigan University | $62,901 | $24,651 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 26 | Lake Superior State University | $60,167 | $24,301 | $12,822 | 51% |
| 27 | Siena Heights University | $59,960 | $21,493 | $17,124 | 39% |
| 28 | Ferris State University | $53,742 | $25,838 | $8,624 | 47% |
9 more Michigan 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 SAU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SAU
- Acceptance rate: 52% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 64% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,732
- Full cost breakdown · all 54 majors · overview
Related majors at SAU
- Finance—
- Business Administration$62,928
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing—
SAU Accounting questions
How much do SAU Accounting graduates earn?
Accounting graduates of Spring Arbor University earn a median $66,338 four years after graduating and $57,710 one year after. The U.S. median for Accounting graduates across 741 colleges is $74,373.
How much debt do SAU Accounting graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Accounting graduates of Spring Arbor University is $27,000, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,903.
Is SAU a good school for Accounting in Michigan?
On pay, Accounting graduates of Spring Arbor University earn $66,338 four years out, $6,718 below the median for the same major across 28 Michigan colleges ($73,056) and $8,035 below the U.S. median ($74,373). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SAU rank for Accounting in Michigan?
Of 28 Michigan colleges reporting Accounting graduate earnings, Spring Arbor University ranks 20th. The highest is Michigan State University at $96,093.
What jobs do Accounting graduates get?
A common career is accountant / auditor, with a median wage of $81,470 in the Jackson, MI area 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: “Spring Arbor University Accounting: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/spring-arbor-university/majors/accounting (College Scorecard and BLS data).