ROI Major

Accounting and Related Services at Southern Utah University

UT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.03

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Accounting and Related Services degree from Southern Utah University earn a median salary of $75,444 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in UT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $72,893. 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

$57,734

Typical Career

$75,444

Top Performers

$96,722

Estimated break-even: 6.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$503

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,287. Most students can comfortably afford about a $503 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Utah buys what costs $1.04 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 22.7%
Health Care & Social Assistance 22.0%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 8.9%

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

$72,893

Nominal: $75,444 in Utah (COL 103.5% of national avg) · 3.4% 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 $32,076 $43,746 $58,010
5 Years After Graduation $57,734 $75,444 $96,722
10 Years After Graduation $71,728 $106,181 $141,822

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 $75,444 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in UT, which has a cost-of-living index of 103.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $75,444 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0350) = $72,893 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Accounting and Related Services from Southern Utah University can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $43,746, which increases significantly to $75,444 five years post-graduation and reaches $106,181 after ten years. When considering purchasing power, the median earnings five years after graduation, adjusted for cost of living, equate to approximately $72,892.75 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial position relative to their peers across the country.

In terms of industry placement, graduates primarily enter Educational Services (22.7%) and Health Care & Social Assistance (22.0%), with a smaller portion in Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (8.9%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 6.2 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the career prospects and financial benefits associated with an Accounting and Related Services degree from Southern Utah University appear to be solid, making it a viable option for 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 Southern Utah 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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