Accounting at Ohio Northern University

Ohio Northern's accounting program costs students $27,000 in debt—slightly above the state median but well within typical range for the credential. The debt load itself isn't alarming, but the earnings picture requires closer scrutiny since the first-year figure is estimated from other Ohio accounting programs rather than actual graduate outcomes.

Based on comparable programs across the state, graduates would likely earn around $56,441 in their first year, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48. That's manageable by industry standards—accounting graduates can typically handle this debt load. The real signal comes at year four, where actual reported earnings of $67,763 land right in the middle of Ohio's competitive accounting landscape, trailing top programs like Case Western and Miami by about $5,000-10,000 annually but matching the state median almost exactly.

The practical question is whether Ohio Northern's smaller, more selective environment (73% admission rate, 1290 SAT average) justifies similar outcomes to larger state universities that may cost less. The four-year earnings are solid and real, suggesting graduates do find decent accounting positions. For families comfortable with $27,000 in debt and drawn to a smaller campus experience, the program appears financially viable—just recognize you're paying for the educational environment rather than premium career outcomes.