Accounting at Misericordia University

Misericordia's accounting graduates earn roughly $10,000 less annually than the typical Pennsylvania accounting graduate and about $7,000 below the national median. With first-year earnings of $46,683, the program ranks in the 25th percentile among Pennsylvania's 76 accounting programs—meaning three-quarters of state competitors produce better financial outcomes. The gap is particularly stark compared to nearby University of Scranton, where accounting grads earn $70,453.

The debt burden of $28,875 is manageable at 0.62 times first-year earnings, and graduates do see modest 5% earnings growth over four years. However, these numbers come from a very small sample (under 30 graduates), which limits their reliability. The modest earnings growth suggests graduates are securing steady accounting positions rather than just entry-level bookkeeping roles, but they're clearly not accessing the higher-paying opportunities available to grads from Pennsylvania's top accounting programs.

For a family paying similar tuition to Pennsylvania's more competitive accounting schools, this represents a significant earnings disadvantage—potentially $200,000+ over a career. Unless Misericordia offers substantial merit aid or the student has compelling reasons to attend this specific institution, Pennsylvania families have dozens of better-performing accounting programs to consider at similar or lower debt levels.