Location: San Luis Obispo, CA•In-State Tuition: $11,075•Out-of-State Tuition: $30,995•Admission Rate: 30%
Est. Earnings (1yr)Estimated
$73,160
Est. from CA median (18 programs)

Based on U.S. Department of Education data (October 2025 release). Some figures are estimates based on similar programs — see details below.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo—$96,939—
San Francisco State University$78,065$98,647+26%
Saint Mary's College of California$77,656$97,358+25%
University of Southern California$73,673$96,607+31%
California State University-Fullerton$77,276$95,184+23%

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Accounting masters's programs at peer institutions in California (37 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo$11,075$73,160*$96,939——
Golden Gate UniversitySan Francisco$31,243$91,369*$92,348——
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach$7,008$80,238*———
California State University-East BayHayward$7,055$78,409*———
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco$7,424$78,065*$98,647——
Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga$56,134$77,656*$97,358——
National Median—$68,090*———
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with accounting graduates

Financial Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Treasurers and Controllers

Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Investment Fund Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Financial and Investment Analysts

Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.

$101,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Financial Risk Specialists

Analyze and measure exposure to credit and market risk threatening the assets, earning capacity, or economic state of an organization. May make recommendations to limit risk.

$101,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Budget Analysts

Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports.

$87,930/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Accountants and Auditors

Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.

$81,680/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.

$59,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.

$49,210/yrJobs growth:Some college, no degree

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

Compile and record employee time and payroll data. May compute employees' time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks.

$48,650/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

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About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, approximately 18% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 18 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.