Accounting at University of New Orleans

A University of New Orleans accounting graduate starts substantially behind the curve—$41,540 first-year earnings puts them in just the 5th percentile nationally—but the trajectory tells a different story. By year four, earnings jump 36% to $56,582, landing squarely near the national median and above Louisiana's state median of $46,458. While this still trails LSU's stronger $56,910, UNO moves from near the bottom to middle-of-the-pack among Louisiana accounting programs within a few years.

The low debt load of $18,069 is this program's most compelling feature, sitting well below both the national ($25,000) and state ($22,620) medians. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, graduates can realistically pay down their loans even during those leaner early years. This matters for the 40% of students receiving Pell grants, who likely can't afford extended periods of financial strain.

The practical reality: your child will probably struggle financially right after graduation compared to peers at other schools, but the combination of manageable debt and solid mid-career earnings creates a viable path forward. If they can weather two to three years of below-average pay—perhaps living at home or maintaining strict budgets—the numbers eventually work. For families prioritizing affordability over immediate post-graduate income, this represents a reasonable bet, though students targeting Big Four firms or competitive corporate roles should look elsewhere.