by our College Data Analytics Team
[Accounting](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/accounting/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their accounting graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their accounting graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send accounting graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Macomb Community College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid accounting graduates in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Warren, Macomb Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,314.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Notre Dame one of the highest-paying schools for accounting. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $109,595.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the highest-paying schools for accounting. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign typically earn about $96,827 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Clark State Community College one of the highest-paying schools for accounting. Clark State Community College is a public school located in the city of Springfield. Early-career accounting graduates from Clark State Community College make a median of around $53,571 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in accounting will find them at Illinois Wesleyan University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Bloomington, Illinois Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from Illinois Wesleyan University typically earn about $96,598 annually.
Kellogg Community College earned the #6 position for accounting graduate earnings this year. Kellogg Community College is a public school located in the city of Battle Creek. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $52,869.
Edgewood College placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for accounting. Set in the city of Madison, Edgewood College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career accounting graduates from Edgewood College make a median of around $91,119 per year.
College Of Dupage landed the #8 spot for accounting salaries this year. College Of Dupage is a public school located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from College Of Dupage typically earn about $51,149 annually.
Indiana University Bloomington came in at #9 for accounting graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a public institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington typically earn about $110,689 annually.
Marquette University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying accounting schools. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Accounting graduates of Marquette University earn a median of about $93,729 a year early in their careers.
Michigan State University came in at #11 for accounting graduate earnings this year. Michigan State University is a public school located in the city of East Lansing. Early-career accounting graduates from Michigan State University make a median of around $91,024 per year.
Waukesha County Technical College came in at #12 for accounting graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Pewaukee, Waukesha County Technical College is a public institution. Accounting graduates of Waukesha County Technical College earn a median of about $54,658 a year early in their careers.
Bradley University placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for accounting. Located in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a private not-for-profit institution. Accounting graduates of Bradley University earn a median of about $86,572 a year early in their careers.
Depaul University earned the #14 position for accounting graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from Depaul University typically earn about $94,339 annually.
Otterbein University earned the #15 position for accounting graduate earnings this year. Otterbein University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Westerville. Early-career accounting graduates from Otterbein University make a median of around $73,311 per year.
Ohio State University Main Campus landed the #16 spot for accounting salaries this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. Accounting graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of about $89,592 a year early in their careers.
University Of Wisconsin Madison placed #17 among the highest-paying schools for accounting. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a public institution. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $100,345.
John Carroll University landed the #18 spot for accounting salaries this year. John Carroll University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of University Heights. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $89,675.
Purdue University Main Campus ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying accounting schools. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus typically earn about $88,315 annually.
Milwaukee Area Technical College ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying accounting schools. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a public institution. Accounting graduates of Milwaukee Area Technical College earn a median of about $48,680 a year early in their careers.
Ohio Dominican University placed #21 among the highest-paying schools for accounting. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio Dominican University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career accounting graduates from Ohio Dominican University make a median of around $72,463 per year.
Chippewa Valley Technical College came in at #22 for accounting graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a public institution. Accounting graduates of Chippewa Valley Technical College earn a median of about $48,311 a year early in their careers.
Saint Marys College placed #23 among the highest-paying schools for accounting. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, Saint Marys College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from Saint Marys College typically earn about $71,234 annually.
Cuyahoga Community College District ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying accounting schools. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a public institution. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $52,555.
Bluffton University came in at #25 for accounting graduate earnings this year. Set in the rural area of Bluffton, Bluffton University is a private not-for-profit institution. Accounting graduates of Bluffton University earn a median of about $71,136 a year early in their careers.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid accounting ranking:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their accounting graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.