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 6 schools on the early-career earnings of their accounting graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose accounting graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is George Mason University, our #1 for accounting graduate salaries in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a public institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from George Mason University typically earn about $106,905 annually.
James Madison University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in accounting, landing the #2 spot this year. James Madison University is a public school located in the city of Harrisonburg. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $106,689.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying accounting schools. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $106,241.
Liberty University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in accounting, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit institution. Accounting graduates of Liberty University earn a median of about $77,963 a year early in their careers.
Virginia Commonwealth University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in accounting, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution. After graduating, accounting degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University typically earn about $87,843 annually.
Strayer University Virginia came in at #6 for accounting graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Arlington, Strayer University Virginia is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the accounting program here go on to a median salary of roughly $69,196.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries accounting graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 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.