Accounting at Utah State University

Utah State's accounting program offers solid earnings growth and remarkably low debt, but its position within Utah reveals an important nuance. While graduates earn above the national median ($57,481 versus $53,694), they fall slightly below Utah's state median of $58,132—landing in the 40th percentile among Utah accounting programs. The $12,000 median debt, however, is exceptional: less than half the state average and puts this program in the 95th percentile nationally for affordability.

The 25% earnings boost from year one to year four ($57,481 to $71,538) demonstrates strong career trajectory for accounting grads. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.21, most graduates could reasonably pay off their loans within a year of working. For context, BYU's program leads Utah with $68,393 starting salaries, but Utah State's significantly lower debt load narrows the real financial gap considerably.

The tradeoff is clear: your child won't start at the top of Utah's accounting salary range, but they'll start with minimal debt burden. For families prioritizing affordability while still achieving above-national-average outcomes, this represents a practical path into accounting. The moderate sample size suggests these results are reasonably reliable, though not as robust as data from larger programs.