Accounting at Ottawa University-Ottawa

Ottawa University's accounting program sits squarely in the middle of the pack for earnings—landing at the 40th percentile both statewide and nationally—but where it truly distinguishes itself is on debt. With a median of just under $36,000, graduates here carry significantly more debt than peers at other Kansas schools, where the median is $25,125. That debt load is in the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of accounting programs nationwide send students out with less debt. The resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 isn't catastrophic, but it's noticeably higher than you'd find at state flagships or larger regional universities.

The practical math matters here: while Kansas State grads earn $60,155 and typically owe less, Ottawa grads start around $51,664 with higher debt burdens. That's roughly $8,500 less in annual income to service roughly $10,000 more in loans. For an accessible program (80% admission rate) serving a substantial population of Pell-eligible students, this combination creates tighter financial margins during those critical early-career years.

The small sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates—means these numbers could shift considerably year to year. If your child is drawn to Ottawa's smaller campus environment, that's a legitimate factor. But purely from a return-on-investment standpoint, several Kansas public universities deliver stronger earnings with lower debt for accounting majors.