Accounting at American InterContinental University System

An estimated debt load of $23,823 for an online associate's degree puts this program above both the Arizona median ($18,446) and the national median ($19,354) for accounting programs at this level. Based on comparable programs nationally, first-year earnings around $37,000 suggest graduates would owe roughly two-thirds of their initial salary—manageable but not ideal when peer programs in Arizona typically leave students with about $5,000 less debt while producing similar earnings outcomes.

The school serves a predominantly low-income population (73% receiving Pell grants), and for these students especially, the debt difference matters. Community colleges in Arizona like Pima report nearly identical first-year earnings ($37,358) while graduates there carry significantly less debt. When University of Phoenix graduates in the same state earn only slightly more ($38,794), the value case for this program becomes harder to make.

For a parent weighing this option, the concern is straightforward: your child would likely enter the workforce with more debt than necessary for the same career trajectory. Unless there are compelling reasons—perhaps transfer credits that dramatically reduce time to completion or scheduling flexibility that's essential—Arizona offers clearer paths to an accounting career that don't require borrowing an extra $5,000 to reach the same destination.