Accounting at Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart's accounting graduates start at $60,375—a solid first-year salary that beats the national average by more than $6,000. But here's the wrinkle for Connecticut families: within the state, this program lands in the 40th percentile, trailing the state median by over $5,000. When your in-state alternatives include UConn (starting at $71,000) and other Connecticut schools with stronger earnings, you're paying similar tuition for a notably weaker placement outcome.

The $27,000 debt load is reasonable and actually below the national median, which helps the overall value picture. The 28% earnings growth to $77,000 by year four shows graduates are advancing in their careers. But that trajectory still lags behind what many Connecticut accounting programs deliver from day one. For context, Quinnipiac grads start at $75,000—essentially where Sacred Heart grads arrive after four years of career progression.

The bottom line: If your child has acceptances from multiple Connecticut schools, this program's mid-tier performance in the state makes it hard to justify unless it comes with significantly better aid. The debt is manageable and national comparisons look fine, but Connecticut has accounting programs that simply launch graduates into stronger earning trajectories from the start.