Accounting at Strayer University-Delaware

In Delaware, accounting associate programs typically start graduates around $37,000—which is exactly where comparable programs nationally suggest this one lands. The four-year earnings figure of $46,000 shows reasonable growth, though the starting salary itself sits at the state median rather than above it. Delaware Tech's Terry Campus reports virtually identical first-year outcomes for its accounting graduates, suggesting these earnings reflect Delaware's market reality for entry-level accounting positions with an associate degree.

The estimated debt of $23,800 tells a more challenging story. While peer programs nationally carry similar loads, Delaware's other accounting programs show dramatically lower borrowing—Delaware Tech graduates typically owe just $7,000. That difference matters: at 64% of first-year earnings, this debt level means nearly eight months of gross salary goes toward paying off the credential. For a field where the associate degree itself doesn't command premium pay in Delaware's market, starting your career with triple the typical state debt burden shifts the economics considerably.

With 69% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are counting on this degree to launch stable careers without overwhelming debt. The earnings trajectory looks solid enough, but the debt picture compared to Delaware's community college alternative raises real questions about value. If keeping borrowing minimal is possible elsewhere in the state for nearly identical career outcomes, that path deserves serious consideration before committing to a significantly larger loan burden.