Accounting at Assumption University

Assumption University's accounting graduates start strong with first-year earnings of $67,012—well above the national median and nearly matching UMass-Amherst's results. That's impressive performance from a school with an 87% acceptance rate. The debt load of roughly $27,000 translates to a very manageable 0.40 ratio against first-year earnings, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in about five months if they dedicated all income to it.

The complication: earnings drop to $59,622 by year four, an 11% decline that's unusual for accounting. This could reflect the program's small graduate cohort (under 30 students), making the data vulnerable to outliers—perhaps a few graduates pursuing lower-paying roles in nonprofits or taking time off. It's worth noting that even with this decline, four-year earnings still exceed the national median. Among Massachusetts programs, Assumption sits solidly in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, trailing the elite options like Holy Cross and Bentley but performing comparably to public flagships.

For parents, the math still works. The low debt burden is the real story here—if your child can maintain employment in accounting and avoid the downward trajectory shown in the aggregate data, they're starting from a position of financial strength. Just don't assume this small sample perfectly predicts individual outcomes.