Accounting at Drury University

Based on comparable accounting programs in Missouri, Drury's graduates would start around $50,200 in their first year—placing them toward the lower end of the state's range. By year four, earnings climb to $67,500, which actually surpasses what graduates from Missouri's flagship and several higher-profile programs report in that same timeframe. That suggests solid mid-career acceleration, though the slower start matters for managing debt repayment.

The estimated $25,400 in debt aligns with both state and national medians for accounting degrees, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51—manageable by most standards. For context, Missouri's top accounting programs typically see first-year earnings between $56,500 and $65,000, which means Drury graduates face a tighter budget early on. The four-year earnings figure provides some reassurance that the program builds momentum, but those initial years require careful financial planning.

The central question is whether Drury's outcomes justify choosing it over alternatives like Truman State or University of Central Missouri, which show stronger early earnings at comparable or lower debt levels. If your student has specific reasons to attend Drury—location, scholarship offers, fit—the four-year earnings suggest the investment can work. But if maximizing immediate earning power matters most, Missouri offers accounting programs with demonstrably stronger starts at similar costs.