Accounting at Herzing University-Akron

Herzing's accounting certificate sits right at the state median for earnings—$31,620 after one year—but the concerning pattern emerges in year four when earnings drop to $26,473. Among Ohio's 32 accounting certificate programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for first-year earnings, which sounds acceptable until you consider that graduates are losing ground over time rather than building on their credentials.

The debt load of $24,252 is particularly troubling for a certificate program. Nationally, most accounting certificates carry around $13,000 in debt, meaning Herzing students graduate owing nearly double what peers at other schools typically face. Combined with declining earnings, graduates here face an increasingly difficult financial picture as they progress in their careers.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. For a parent, the key question is whether an $800 monthly loan payment makes sense when your child's income might actually decrease rather than increase. The 94% admission rate and high Pell Grant population suggest this program serves students with limited options, but that doesn't change the math: this is an expensive path into accounting that appears to lead backward financially after the first year. If your child is set on accounting credentials in Ohio, exploring the state's lower-cost community college options would likely yield better debt-to-income outcomes.