Best institutions to study Accounting and Related Services
Compare 1,933 U.S. colleges offering Accounting and Related Services by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 58 states.
Accounting and Related Services programs report a median of $52,176 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 52.03 and the Accountants and Auditors occupation (BLS SOC).
About Accounting and Related Services programs
The Accounting and Related Services program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and practices. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in accounting, auditing, or financial management, equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed in various business environments.
Students will gain essential skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, and mathematics. Coursework typically covers topics such as economics, accounting, administration, and customer service, preparing graduates for the complexities of financial analysis and reporting.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $89,564 | 11 | 95% | $22,242 | $17,500 |
| 2 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $81,625 | 57 | 94% | $11,983 | $16,750 |
| 3 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $78,417 | 48 | 88% | $44,094 | $19,250 |
| 4 | Villanova University Villanova, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,966 | 144 | 92% | $33,774 | $25,858 |
| 5 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,026 | 40 | 88% | $26,912 | $23,179 |
| 6 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,878 | 95 | 95% | $19,452 | $19,000 |
| 7 | Fordham University Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,473 | 140 | 82% | $38,931 | $23,970 |
| 8 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,776 | 21 | 86% | $30,675 | $26,881 |
| 9 | Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,566 | 44 | 76% | $36,137 | $24,000 |
| 10 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,512 | 141 | 91% | $21,126 | $18,000 |
| 11 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,294 | 49 | 84% | $28,851 | $27,000 |
| 12 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,731 | 292 | 85% | — | $20,500 |
| 13 | The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,403 | 59 | 86% | — | $22,500 |
| 14 | Binghamton University Vestal, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,151 | 216 | 82% | — | $19,500 |
| 15 | College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,234 | 31 | 87% | $24,533 | $27,000 |
| 16 | Bentley University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,823 | 166 | 87% | $31,677 | $27,000 |
| 17 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,696 | 21 | 70% | $23,129 | $21,858 |
| 18 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,588 | 32 | 70% | $37,121 | $24,660 |
| 19 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,031 | 146 | 86% | $25,823 | $17,778 |
| 20 | Fairfield University Fairfield, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,747 | 146 | 84% | $36,845 | $26,633 |
| 21 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,563 | 199 | 80% | — | $22,484 |
| 22 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,508 | 44 | 85% | $24,049 | $20,757 |
| 23 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,491 | 92 | 81% | — | $26,177 |
| 24 | Marist University Poughkeepsie, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,436 | 39 | 80% | $33,867 | $23,250 |
| 25 | Saint Mary's College Notre Dame, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,234 | 12 | 69% | $25,896 | $27,000 |
| 26 | Menlo College Atherton, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,067 | 24 | 54% | $26,655 | $26,955 |
| 27 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,960 | 39 | 79% | $36,488 | $17,000 |
| 28 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Public · Bachelor's degree | $70,945 | 196 | 83% | — | $21,898 |
| 29 | Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,831 | 21 | 75% | $26,849 | $27,000 |
| 30 | Seattle University Seattle, WA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,570 | 22 | 76% | $31,900 | $23,734 |
| 31 | University of Scranton Scranton, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,453 | 85 | 80% | $25,834 | $27,000 |
| 32 | Chapman University Orange, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,362 | 50 | 82% | $42,965 | $21,250 |
| 33 | Molloy University Rockville Centre, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,344 | 23 | 70% | $25,812 | $27,000 |
| 34 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $70,303 | 198 | 86% | — | $18,500 |
| 35 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,069 | 154 | 78% | $36,004 | $28,832 |
| 36 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,965 | 60 | 73% | $33,454 | $22,125 |
| 37 | The Catholic University of America Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,915 | 16 | 79% | $27,724 | $25,725 |
| 38 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,821 | 184 | 89% | — | $15,000 |
| 39 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,807 | 65 | 79% | $34,418 | $24,903 |
| 40 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,764 | 61 | 84% | $33,688 | $20,000 |
| 41 | Gonzaga University Spokane, WA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,440 | 99 | 86% | $30,006 | $24,250 |
| 42 | Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,411 | 56 | 69% | $27,376 | $25,000 |
| 43 | Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,305 | 73 | 79% | $26,585 | $27,000 |
| 44 | Yeshiva University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,252 | 73 | 83% | $39,696 | $22,500 |
| 45 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,250 | 234 | 68% | $28,141 | $24,500 |
| 46 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,240 | 94 | 84% | $26,035 | $24,969 |
| 47 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,166 | 80 | 60% | $29,994 | $26,000 |
| 48 | George Washington University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,151 | 54 | 84% | $29,789 | $24,875 |
| 49 | Providence College Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,044 | 55 | 86% | $32,048 | $27,000 |
| 50 | Manhattan University Riverdale, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,992 | 20 | 64% | $26,807 | $24,984 |
Offered across 58 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 13-2011, Accountants and Auditors, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Accounting and Related Services program can expect a positive job outlook, with an estimated growth rate of 4.6% and approximately 124,200 annual openings. The median wage for professionals in this field is $81,680, and a typical education requirement is a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Accounting and Related Services
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 52.03.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 52.03 (Accounting and Related Services) maps to 15 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-3031 | Financial Managers |
| 13-2011 | Accountants and Auditorsprimary |
| 13-2022 | Appraisers of Personal and Business Property |
| 13-2031 | Budget Analysts |
| 13-2041 | Credit Analysts |
| 13-2051 | Financial and Investment Analysts |
| 13-2054 | Financial Risk Specialists |
| 13-2061 | Financial Examiners |
| 13-2081 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents |
| 13-2082 | Tax Preparers |
| 25-1011 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 43-3031 | Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks |
| 43-3051 | Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks |
| 43-4011 | Brokerage Clerks |
| 43-9111 | Statistical Assistants |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Accounting and Related Services programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
- Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
- Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
- Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
- Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
Concentrations within Accounting and Related Services
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- AccountingCIP 52.0301
A program that prepares individuals to practice the profession of accounting and to perform related business functions
- Accounting Technology/Technician and BookkeepingCIP 52.0302
A program that prepares individuals to provide technical administrative support to professional accountants and other financial management personnel
- AuditingCIP 52.0303
A program that prepares individuals, including certified accountants, to perform independent internal and external appraisals to evaluate organizational financial and operational activities, ensure co
- Accounting and FinanceCIP 52.0304
An integrated or combined program in accounting and finance that prepares individuals to function as accountants and financial managers or analysts.
- Accounting and Business/ManagementCIP 52.0305
An integrated or combined program in accounting and business administration/management that prepares individuals to function as accountants and business managers.
- Accounting and Related Services, OtherCIP 52.0399
Any instructional program in accounting not listed above.
Common questions
What careers can I pursue with this program?+
Graduates can work in accounting, auditing, finance, and business management.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, mathematics, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for accounting graduates?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with many opportunities available.
What level of education do I need?+
A Bachelor's degree is typically required for most positions in this field.
How much do Accounting and Related Services graduates earn?+
Accounting and Related Services graduates report median earnings of $52,176 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Accountants and Auditors occupation pays about $94,750 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Accounting and Related Services?+
Accounting and Related Services maps to CIP 52.03 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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