Accounting at Concordia University-Chicago

Based on comparable accounting programs in Illinois, Concordia's graduates appear positioned right at the state median with estimated first-year earnings around $54,700—which also tracks closely with the national benchmark of $53,700. The estimated $25,250 debt load yields a manageable 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning you'd owe about 46 cents for every dollar earned in that first year. For context, Illinois accounting programs range dramatically in outcomes: top programs like U of I Urbana-Champaign place graduates at $74,700, while Concordia's peer programs suggest more modest but still solid middle-class starting salaries.

The 93% admission rate and substantial Pell Grant population (45%) indicate Concordia serves students who might not access those elite programs, making this estimated performance more relevant for comparison. Accounting credentials generally produce reliable employment outcomes, and the debt burden here appears reasonable—though it's worth noting that nearly half of students at this school qualify for federal need-based aid, suggesting many families will need to carefully evaluate total cost of attendance beyond these median debt figures.

The key limitation: without actual graduate outcomes for this specific program, you're betting that Concordia's accounting graduates will perform similarly to the typical Illinois program. That's not unreasonable—accounting has relatively standardized curriculum and credentialing—but it leaves meaningful uncertainty about whether this particular program connects students effectively to the Chicago-area accounting market.