Accounting at Lakeland University

Lakeland's accounting graduates enter the workforce earning slightly above the national median but land in the middle of Wisconsin's competitive accounting landscape—earning about $400 less than the state median and trailing schools like UW-Madison by nearly $13,000. What's more concerning: that $56,000 starting salary doesn't budge over the next four years, meaning graduates see zero wage growth while many of their peers at other programs advance in their careers.

The debt picture offers a partial offset. At $36,256, graduates here borrow roughly $10,000 more than typical Wisconsin accounting students but still maintain a manageable 0.65 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's actually favorable compared to many bachelor's programs nationally. However, the stagnant earnings trajectory means there's no growing income to ease that burden over time—you're making essentially the same salary in year four as you did in year one.

For Wisconsin families, this creates a straightforward calculation: your child will likely find accounting work and earn a decent middle-class salary, but they'll graduate with above-average debt and may struggle to advance without additional credentials or job changes. If your student can access the stronger Wisconsin programs or if Lakeland offers significant institutional aid to bring down that debt load, those factors should weigh heavily in your decision.