Accounting at Illinois Central College

Based on comparable programs nationally, an accounting associate's degree appears to deliver solid first-year earnings around $37,000—but Illinois programs typically perform significantly better. The state median sits at $45,770, with programs like College of DuPage placing graduates near $48,000. That $8,000-9,000 gap matters when you're paying off student loans, and it raises questions about whether this particular program connects graduates to the stronger accounting job markets in the Chicago metro area or keeps them closer to the Peoria region's more limited opportunities.

The estimated debt load of roughly $16,000 creates a manageable 0.43 ratio to first-year earnings, well below the national program median of $19,354. Similar Illinois programs carry slightly higher debt (around $20,500), so if these estimates hold true, the financial risk here is relatively contained. For a two-year degree that can open doors to bookkeeping, payroll, and entry-level accounting roles, that's not an unreasonable investment—assuming the earnings track closer to the state norm than the national one.

The real question is placement: does Illinois Central College's accounting program help graduates access the higher-paying Illinois market, or do they earn closer to national figures? Without actual outcome data for this school's graduates, you're betting on geography and program quality you can't verify. If your child plans to stay in central Illinois with its smaller employer base, that $37,000 estimate may prove realistic—but moving to the Chicago area after graduation could justify the degree's cost more clearly.