Accounting at Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor's accounting graduates start at $57,710—outperforming the typical Michigan accounting program by nearly $5,000 and landing in the 60th percentile statewide. That's solid positioning for a mid-sized private university, though graduates still trail the state's top programs by roughly $5,000-$8,000. The $27,000 in median debt sits just above state and national averages, but the resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 means graduates can realistically pay this off within a year or two of focused repayment.

The key caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates reporting data, a few outliers could skew these figures significantly. That said, the debt levels align with what you'd expect from a private university, and the earnings suggest the program maintains solid employer connections within Michigan's accounting market.

For parents weighing options, this represents a reasonable middle ground: better-than-average starting salaries without the debt burden that sometimes comes with private institutions. If your child prefers smaller class sizes and a faith-based environment, these outcomes justify the investment. But if they're purely focused on maximizing starting salary, in-state options like Michigan State or Central Michigan deliver stronger initial returns.