# Iowa State University: Accounting (bachelor's)

Ames, IA. IPEDS 153603, CIP 52.03. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/accounting

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $58,479
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $70,706 (U.S. median for this major: $74,373 across 741 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $23,250 (U.S. median $24,903)
- Rank in IA: 12 of 18 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IA median for this major (18 colleges, $75,806): -$5,100
- Versus the U.S. median: -$3,667

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.32 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $70,706 minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,582 | $45,714 | 1.3 years |
| 30-48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 1.5 years |
| 48-75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 2.0 years |
| 75-110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 2.5 years |
| 110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 2.9 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Accounting at IA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | $92,767 | $22,500 | $22,531 | 75% |
| Wartburg College | $89,696 | $26,840 | $32,908 | 64% |
| Drake University | $87,582 | $20,500 | $29,127 | 74% |
| Central College | $86,868 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| Saint Ambrose University | $83,719 | $26,559 | $24,691 | 61% |
| University of Northern Iowa | $82,641 | $21,525 | $15,901 | 68% |
| Coe College | $81,408 | $26,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| Dordt University | $77,629 | not reported | $25,807 | 70% |
| Simpson College | $76,272 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| Luther College | $75,341 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| Loras College | $74,811 | not reported | $20,716 | 68% |
| Iowa State University | $70,706 | $23,250 | $18,589 | 75% |
| Grand View University | $66,906 | $27,000 | $21,774 | 54% |
| Upper Iowa University | $63,645 | $37,608 | $20,942 | 34% |
| Buena Vista University | $63,454 | $27,000 | $18,846 | 62% |
| University of Dubuque | $63,082 | $29,000 | $23,386 | 40% |
| Mount Mercy University | $59,763 | not reported | $20,168 | 58% |
| Northwestern College | $59,192 | not reported | $25,907 | 66% |

## Careers
- Accountant / auditor (SOC 13-2010): median wage $79,320 Ames, IA, $77,440 IA, $83,680 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5% by 2035
- Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031): median wage $124,010 Ames, IA, $133,320 IA, $166,570 U.S.; U.S. jobs 9.7% by 2035
- Financial and Investment Analysts (SOC 13-2051): median wage $90,650 Ames, IA, $92,370 IA, $102,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.2% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).