Accounting at Ottawa University-Online

Ottawa University-Online's accounting graduates start at $51,664—below both the Kansas median of $53,842 and the national benchmark. More concerning is the $35,854 debt load, which sits in the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of accounting programs nationwide saddle students with less debt. For context, Kansas State and Wichita State graduates earn $8,000-$10,000 more annually while typically carrying the state's median debt of around $25,000.

The math here is straightforward: borrowing $11,000 more than the typical Kansas accounting student to earn $2,000 less creates a difficult financial position. The 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it means nearly 70% of first-year salary goes to debt for every dollar earned—a tighter squeeze than necessary for an accounting degree.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty to these figures, but even accounting for variation, the pattern is clear. If online flexibility is essential, this program works, but Kansas families have multiple in-state options that combine better starting salaries with significantly less debt. For a profession with relatively standardized career paths like accounting, those financial fundamentals matter more than the delivery format.