Accounting at Baker University

Borrowing $33,552 for an accounting degree that leads to $53,842 in first-year earnings sounds reasonable on paper, but the fact that both figures are estimates—not actual outcomes from Baker graduates—should temper expectations. Kansas accounting programs produce widely varying results, with the state's top performers reporting first-year earnings between $56,500 and $60,000, while Baker's estimated figure sits right at the state median. The debt estimate, however, runs 34% higher than what's typical for Kansas accounting programs, suggesting Baker's graduates may carry more financial burden than peers at comparable schools.

The 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio falls within manageable territory, meaning graduates would theoretically owe about 62 cents for every dollar they earn in year one. But without actual data on Baker's outcomes, there's no way to know if the university's curriculum, career services, and employer connections deliver results matching other Kansas schools—or fall short. Accounting offers relatively stable entry points, but at a 92% admission rate and with incoming students averaging 950 on the SAT, it's unclear whether Baker provides the rigor and connections that lead to positions at the higher end of the earnings range.

Before committing, press the school directly for placement rates, starting employer names, and CPA exam pass rates among recent graduates. Those concrete outcomes matter more than statewide estimates when you're writing a check for over $30,000.