U.S. median for this major: $74,373.
College Scorecard field of study; 69 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 35% 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 $24,188. College Scorecard.
Western Kentucky University 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 Western Kentucky University'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 | $7,087 | $30,332 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,871 | $29,408 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $9,765 | $41,794 | 1.1 years |
| $75–110k | $14,049 | $60,130 | 1.6 years |
| $110k+ | $17,653 | $75,555 | 2.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (42% 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 ($71,274) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $37,758 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 Kentucky colleges
Every Kentucky 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 Kentucky | $85,777 | $23,250 | $18,851 | 71% |
| 2 | Thomas More University | $75,682 | $27,000 | $21,835 | 41% |
| 3 | University of Louisville | $74,924 | $19,374 | $17,988 | 61% |
| 4 | Western Kentucky University | $71,274 | $25,000 | $10,990 | 56% |
| 5 | Transylvania University | $70,822 | $27,000 | $21,913 | 71% |
| 6 | Northern Kentucky University | $69,610 | $23,750 | $8,191 | 52% |
| 7 | Spalding University | $65,288 | $31,000 | $25,491 | 52% |
| 8 | Murray State University | $64,269 | $18,750 | $9,096 | 61% |
| 9 | Eastern Kentucky University | $59,609 | $27,000 | $11,040 | 50% |
| 10 | Morehead State University | $50,125 | $27,440 | $9,793 | 52% |
11 more Kentucky 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 Western Kentucky University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Kentucky University
- Acceptance rate: 94% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 56% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $43,889
- Full cost breakdown · all 80 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Kentucky University
- Finance$70,313
- Business Administration$59,362
- Management Science / Analytics$74,452
- Business Economics—
- Marketing$60,222
- Economics$68,051
Western Kentucky University Accounting questions
How much do Western Kentucky University Accounting graduates earn?
Accounting graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median $71,274 four years after graduating and $50,104 one year after. The U.S. median for Accounting graduates across 741 colleges is $74,373.
How much debt do Western Kentucky University Accounting graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Accounting graduates of Western Kentucky University is $25,000, about 35% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,903.
Is Western Kentucky University a good school for Accounting in Kentucky?
On pay, Accounting graduates of Western Kentucky University earn $71,274 four years out, $1,058 above the median for the same major across 10 Kentucky colleges ($70,216) and $3,099 below the U.S. median ($74,373). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Kentucky University rank for Accounting in Kentucky?
Of 10 Kentucky colleges reporting Accounting graduate earnings, Western Kentucky University ranks 4th. The highest is University of Kentucky at $85,777.
What jobs do Accounting graduates get?
A common career is accountant / auditor, with a median wage of $71,540 in the Bowling Green, KY 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: “Western Kentucky University Accounting: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university/majors/accounting (College Scorecard and BLS data).