Accounting at Augustana University

The estimated $26,588 in debt sits right in line with typical accounting programs nationally, while first-year earnings projections based on South Dakota's accounting market—around $50,000—trail the national median by about $3,400. That gap matters less than it might seem: accounting is one of those practical degrees where credentials translate fairly directly to steady employment, and South Dakota's lower cost of living means that $50,000 goes further than in coastal markets. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53 suggests manageable repayment, assuming those state-level projections hold true for Augustana graduates specifically.

The uncertainty here is real, though. When neighboring programs like University of South Dakota report actual earnings above $57,000, it's unclear where Augustana's graduates land in that range. The school's 59% admission rate and above-average SAT scores suggest a reasonably selective environment, which sometimes correlates with stronger alumni networks and recruiting—but without program-specific data, you're essentially betting that Augustana performs at least as well as the South Dakota median. Given that two other programs in the state report outcomes in the high $40,000s to low $50,000s, the estimates seem reasonable but not guaranteed.

For parents, this comes down to whether you're comfortable with $27,000 in debt based on projections rather than proven outcomes. If your child is committed to accounting and Augustana offers the right environment, the estimated financials don't flash warning signs—but press the school for clearer data on where their accounting graduates actually land.