ROI Major

Accounting and Related Services at Eastern Connecticut State University

CT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.03

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Accounting and Related Services degree from Eastern Connecticut State University earn a median salary of $77,035 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $66,813. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.4 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$59,635

Typical Career

$77,035

Top Performers

$95,326

Estimated break-even: 5.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$514

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,420. Most students can comfortably afford about a $514 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Finance & Insurance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 23.4%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.3%
Finance & Insurance 10.0%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$66,813

Nominal: $77,035 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

5.4 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $41,602 $56,696 $66,872
5 Years After Graduation $59,635 $77,035 $95,326
10 Years After Graduation $70,100 $91,165 $119,360

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $77,035 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $77,035 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530) = $66,813 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Accounting and Related Services program at Eastern Connecticut State University can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $56,696, which increases to $77,035 after five years and reaches $91,165 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in Connecticut, where the cost of living index is 1.153 compared to the national average of 1.0, the purchasing-power-adjusted salary for five years post-graduation is approximately $66,812.66, indicating that graduates may need to account for higher living expenses in their financial planning.

The top industries for graduates reveal a diverse range of opportunities, with 23.4% entering Educational Services, 18.3% in Health Care & Social Assistance, and 10.0% in Finance & Insurance. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 5.4 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in this field appears favorable. Overall, students can anticipate a solid career trajectory with competitive earnings and varied industry options, making it a viable choice for those considering their future in accounting and related services.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Accounting and Related Services degree at Eastern Connecticut State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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