ROI Major

Accounting and Related Services at Randolph - Macon College

VA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.03

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Accounting and Related Services degree from Randolph - Macon College earn a median salary of $72,282 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $70,519. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.2 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

$59,197

Typical Career

$72,282

Top Performers

$85,495

Estimated break-even: 6.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$482

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,024. Most students can comfortably afford about a $482 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 18.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 14.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 12.2%

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

$70,519

Nominal: $72,282 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% 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).

6.2 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 $33,299 $49,008 $59,448
5 Years After Graduation $59,197 $72,282 $85,495
10 Years After Graduation $80,055 $99,192 $125,850

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 $72,282 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $72,282 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250) = $70,519 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from Randolph-Macon College who pursue Accounting and Related Services can expect a favorable earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $49,008, which increases to $72,282 five years post-graduation and reaches $99,192 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns closely with the national equivalent at $70,519.02, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive earning potential despite the cost of living in Virginia, which is slightly higher than the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (18.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (14.9%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (12.2%). This diverse range of sectors suggests a robust demand for accounting professionals across various fields. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 6.2 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in Accounting and Related Services at Randolph-Macon College appears favorable, making it a viable option for prospective students.

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 Randolph - Macon College 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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