---
title: Is an Accounting and Related Services degree worth the debt?
cip: 5203
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is an Accounting and Related Services degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Bachelor's**, across **704** colleges (704 of 704 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $47,354 ($47,260 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $22,824 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.47× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $42,226–$52,419 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate | $23,099 | $8,507 | 0.44× | 24 | 24/24 |
| Associate's | $32,120 | $16,902 | 0.52× | 138 | 138/138 |
| Bachelor's | $47,354 | $22,824 | 0.47× | 704 | 704/704 |
| Master's | $59,360 | $24,260 | 0.41× | 354 | 354/354 |
| Grad cert. | $58,051 | $42,015 | 0.72× | 18 | 18/18 |
| Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $49,669 | — | — | 3 | 3/3 |

## Where an Bachelor's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Georgetown University (DC) | $77,441 | $17,500 |
| Lehigh University (PA) | $71,520 | $23,179 |
| Boston College (MA) | $69,899 | $18,000 |
| Villanova University (PA) | $69,420 | $25,858 |
| Fordham University (NY) | $68,968 | $23,000 |
| Texas Christian University (TX) | $68,776 | $17,778 |
| Bucknell University (PA) | $68,290 | $26,881 |
| Santa Clara University (CA) | $67,828 | $18,625 |
| College of the Holy Cross (MA) | $67,670 | $27,000 |
| University of Notre Dame (IN) | $66,502 | $19,000 |
| Loyola Marymount University (CA) | $66,189 | $14,750 |
| University of Connecticut (CT) | $65,893 | $21,500 |
| University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus (CT) | $65,893 | $21,500 |
| University of Connecticut-Avery Point (CT) | $65,893 | $21,500 |
| University of Connecticut-Stamford (CT) | $65,893 | $21,500 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/accounting-and-related-services.jsonld` · `/education/fields/accounting-and-related-services.json`