Accounting at Auburn University at Montgomery

With only a small handful of graduates in this sample, take these numbers as directional rather than definitive—but the direction isn't encouraging. At $42,389 first-year, Auburn Montgomery's accounting graduates earn roughly $5,000 less than the Alabama median and $11,000 below the national average. More concerning, they're making $18,000 less than Auburn's main campus accounting grads and lag behind every other major Alabama program tracked here.

The debt load of $26,528 sits near state and national norms, which means the real issue is the earnings gap. That 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable on paper, but it assumes graduates land accounting positions at those median salaries. At a school where 43% of students receive Pell grants and the 93% admission rate suggests less selectivity, career placement support and employer connections become critical factors that statistics alone can't capture.

For a family considering this program, the key question is opportunity cost. If your child can access Auburn's main campus or UAB—both delivering significantly stronger outcomes—the $10,000+ annual salary difference compounds quickly over a career. If Montgomery's location or accessibility makes it the only viable option, ensure your student pursues internships aggressively and understands they'll need to outperform these medians to justify the investment. The small sample means one or two struggling graduates could skew these numbers downward, but it also means there's limited evidence this program consistently delivers accounting careers at competitive salaries.