Accounting at Edmonds College

An estimated $16,000 in debt positions this program below both national and Washington state medians for accounting associate's degrees—potentially good news for cost-conscious families. Based on comparable community college programs, students typically graduate owing about $19,000 nationally and over $21,000 at similar Washington schools. If this estimate holds, Edmonds students would be starting their careers with roughly $5,000 less debt than their in-state peers.

The estimated first-year earnings of $37,000 align closely with national outcomes but run about $6,000 higher than Washington's median for accounting associate's degrees. That gap matters: a 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment, with debt at less than half of first-year income. For context, nearby community colleges with reported data show graduates earning between $29,000 and $33,000, which would make Edmonds' estimated figure competitive if accurate.

The critical caveat is that both figures here are estimates drawn from peer programs nationwide, not tracked outcomes from Edmonds itself. Before committing, families should ask the program directly about job placement rates and typical starting positions for their graduates. A lower-cost pathway into accounting could prove valuable, but verify that the program connects students to employers who actually hire at these salary levels in the Seattle metro area.