Accounting at Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Texas A&M-San Antonio's accounting program lands at the median among Texas schools—a practical middle ground for students seeking an affordable four-year degree. At $45,440 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about $4,000 less than the typical Texas accounting grad but carry $8,400 more debt than the state median. That's a meaningful difference: the 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio means students are borrowing about eight months of their starting salary, compared to roughly five months at other Texas programs.

The university's 92% admission rate and high Pell grant enrollment (51%) suggest this serves as an accessible option for San Antonio-area students who might otherwise skip accounting entirely. But there's a real gap here—graduates from UT Austin or Texas A&M's main campus in College Station earn 50% more in their first year, yet the debt loads aren't dramatically different. This program sits squarely in the state's middle tier, neither particularly advantageous nor problematic.

For families prioritizing staying close to home and keeping costs manageable, this works—especially if a student can reduce that debt load through scholarships or community college transfer credits. But students with stronger academic profiles who could gain admission to the state's flagship programs should seriously weigh whether the $20,000+ earnings premium elsewhere justifies any additional costs or relocation. The value here depends heavily on what alternatives are genuinely available.