Accounting at Hiram College

Starting at just over $40,000, Hiram College accounting graduates earn significantly less than their peers—about $13,000 below Ohio's median and roughly $13,000 below the national average for the field. To put this in perspective, graduates from Ohio State, Miami, or Case Western earn 50-65% more in their first year. Even among Ohio's 57 accounting programs, Hiram ranks in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of programs in the state produce better-earning graduates. Nationally, the picture is even more concerning, with Hiram landing in the bottom 5% of all accounting programs.

The $27,000 debt load is fairly typical, but paired with below-market starting salaries, that 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio becomes problematic—your child would owe two-thirds of their first year's salary. The 32% earnings growth to year four helps close the gap somewhat, reaching $53,610, but that's still below what most Ohio accounting graduates earn right out of school. Keep in mind these figures come from a small sample (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes could vary considerably.

For a field like accounting with clear salary benchmarks and strong programs throughout Ohio, paying similar costs for significantly lower earnings potential requires serious justification. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to attend Hiram specifically, Ohio offers numerous accounting programs where graduates start $20,000+ higher and reach their earning potential faster.