Accounting at Blackburn College

Accounting graduates from Illinois bachelor's programs typically earn around $55,000 in their first year—right where Blackburn appears to land based on statewide patterns. With estimated debt of $25,250, this translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46, meaning graduates would owe roughly five months of their first-year salary. That's a manageable burden for a professional credential, though it's worth noting that Illinois' top accounting programs command starting salaries $15,000 to $20,000 higher.

The challenge is that we're working with estimates here because Blackburn's accounting cohort is too small for the Department of Education to report actual outcomes. Similar programs at Illinois private colleges suggest this earnings-and-debt profile, but your child would be part of a notably intimate program—which could mean exceptional faculty attention or limited networking scale, depending on perspective. Over half of Blackburn students receive Pell grants, indicating a commitment to access that may align with your family's values, but it also means many graduates are starting their careers with this debt load from a less advantaged position.

For a field as established as accounting, where CPA credentials matter more than pedigree, starting at $55,000 with $25,000 in debt is workable—assuming those estimates hold. The real question is whether Blackburn's small-scale environment offers enough accounting-specific resources (recruiting relationships, exam prep, internship pipelines) to justify choosing it over larger Illinois programs with proven track records.