Accounting at City College-Hollywood

Based on comparable accounting programs in Florida, graduates typically earn around $52,000 in their first year—solidly in line with state and national medians for this degree. The concern here is the estimated debt load of nearly $49,000, which is more than double Florida's typical debt burden of $22,615 for accounting bachelor's programs and nearly twice the national median of $25,000. With a school serving exclusively Pell-eligible students, this debt concentration matters more.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.94 means nearly a full year's salary goes toward what's owed—manageable in theory for an accounting degree with steady employment prospects, but far less comfortable than the ratios at Florida's public universities, where comparable debt figures suggest graduates start with significantly less financial pressure. At UF, UNF, or FAU, accounting graduates earn more while likely owing less, creating a much gentler financial landing.

The open-admission model deserves credit for accessibility, but your child would be taking on substantially more debt than peers at other Florida schools for similar earning potential. If this is the only viable path to an accounting degree, the career fundamentals are sound enough to eventually recover from the debt. But if transfer to a public university is possible after two years, or if starting at a community college first is an option, either route would likely cut that debt burden in half while leading to the same CPA license.