Accounting at George Washington University

George Washington University's accounting program launches graduates into strong starting salaries at $69,151—nearly $16,000 above the national median and well into the top 5% nationwide. However, within DC's competitive landscape, this performance is merely middle-of-the-pack. The 60th percentile state ranking means GW trails Georgetown by roughly $20,000 and even matches Catholic University, despite GW's more selective admissions and higher average SAT scores. Four-year earnings do climb to $89,287, matching Georgetown's starting salaries, but this suggests GW graduates may take longer to reach the same earning potential.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $24,875, graduates carry slightly less than both national and DC medians, creating a manageable 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio. For a private university in an expensive city, keeping debt below $25,000 deserves credit. The 29% earnings growth over four years is solid, indicating graduates do gain traction in the job market.

The critical caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings, which makes these figures less reliable. For parents paying private-school tuition at a selective university, this accounting program delivers respectable outcomes but not the premium returns you might expect. DC's robust market for accounting talent means graduates do well, though the university name alone doesn't appear to command a significant salary advantage over less selective local alternatives.