Accounting at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Starting salaries for UAPB accounting graduates lag dramatically behind what the field typically offers—$32,401 versus a $52,373 state median and $53,694 nationally. This places the program in the bottom 10% statewide, with graduates earning roughly 40% less than peers from Arkansas State or University of Arkansas. Even accounting for the institution's mission serving predominantly Pell-eligible students, this gap is severe enough to undermine the financial foundation an accounting degree should provide.

The debt load of $28,125 isn't unusually high, but it becomes problematic when paired with such limited earning power. That 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates face nearly a full year's salary in debt, making standard loan repayment challenging on $32,000. For context, Arkansas's top accounting programs produce graduates earning $58,000+ with similar or lower debt burdens, creating dramatically different financial trajectories.

The major caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates reported data, so these figures might not represent typical outcomes. However, the 20-point earnings gap between this program and every other Arkansas accounting program suggests systemic challenges rather than statistical noise. Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend UAPB specifically, Arkansas offers multiple alternatives where an accounting degree delivers the middle-class earning power the profession traditionally provides.