Accounting at Berkeley College-Woodland Park

Berkeley College-Woodland Park's accounting graduates start nearly $14,000 below the New Jersey median for the field—a significant gap in a state where entry-level accountants typically earn around $54,000. While earnings do climb to $54,262 by year four, graduates are carrying $36,391 in debt, roughly 50% more than what New Jersey accounting majors typically borrow. That's a challenging combination: below-average starting salary paired with above-average debt means a longer path to financial stability than most accounting programs offer.

The comparison to other New Jersey schools is stark. Top programs like The College of New Jersey and the Rutgers system deliver starting salaries above $68,000—nearly $30,000 more annually than Berkeley College grads earn. Even at the state's 25th percentile, this program underperforms three-quarters of New Jersey accounting programs while charging premium debt levels. For context, this ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally among accounting programs.

For families weighing this investment, the math is difficult. An accounting degree should provide relatively predictable employment outcomes, but Berkeley College's version saddles graduates with both higher debt and lower earning power than nearly every alternative in New Jersey. Unless there are compelling personal circumstances—like proximity or scheduling flexibility that other programs can't match—New Jersey families would likely find better value at public universities or higher-performing regional schools.