Program Analysis
Graduates earn $54,137/yr, roughly in line with the $53,724 national median for Accounting and Related Services. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
With a 16.2x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 14% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Accounting and Related Services career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
With first-year pay of $54,137 far exceeding the $18,976 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Metropolitan State University ranks #152 among 714 Accounting and Related Services programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.
A 25% earnings increase from $54,137 to $67,821 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.