Accounting at Georgetown University

Georgetown's accounting graduates earn $89,564 in their first year—putting them in the 95th percentile nationally and outperforming even The Catholic University of America's program within DC. More impressive is what happens next: median earnings jump to nearly $128,000 by year four, suggesting Georgetown's network and credential open doors that accelerate career progression beyond what typical accounting degrees deliver.

The $17,500 median debt makes this a rare combination of elite outcomes without crushing financial burden. That's substantially below both the national median ($25,000) and DC's median ($28,942) for accounting programs, likely reflecting Georgetown's strong institutional financial aid despite serving relatively few Pell grant recipients. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.20, graduates could theoretically pay off their debt in under three months of first-year salary.

The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) means this isn't a factory-scale program, but the consistency of outcomes suggests Georgetown is placing accounting majors into premium positions—likely Big Four firms, consulting, or corporate finance roles in DC's robust professional services market. For families who can navigate the 13% admission rate, this program transforms an already solid professional degree into a launchpad for exceptional earnings growth.