# Best Colleges for Accounting

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By Major
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-accounting

## Methodology

Composite score + program concentration bonus for Business & Marketing

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing the right college for accounting can feel overwhelming. With so many options, it’s essential to find a school that not only offers a strong program but also sets students up for success after graduation. For many, the earning potential is a crucial factor to consider, and here, the average earnings for graduates from these programs is $81,165.

What sets these top accounting schools apart? Outcomes that matter include graduation rates, earnings after graduation, student debt, and overall mobility. The schools on this list have demonstrated solid performance across these metrics, with graduation rates averaging 82%. By examining the details below, you can better understand how each program prepares its students for the future.

For instance, CUNY Bernard M Baruch College has a low net price of $3,033 and a solid graduation rate of 72%, but it offers significantly lower earning potential compared to Babson College, which boasts earnings of $123,938 but comes with a higher net price of $40,514. This contrast highlights the tradeoff between affordability and potential financial outcomes, a key point for families to consider as they explore their options.

## Key Findings

- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College graduates earn an average of $75,971.
- Washington and Lee University has a remarkable 94% graduation rate.
- Babson College leads in earnings with an average of $123,938 after graduation.
- The average net price across these schools is $23,255.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college) | New York, NY | 72% | $75,971 | $3,033 | $11,512 | 0.15x |
| 2 | [Washington and Lee University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-and-lee-university) | Lexington, VA | 94% | $94,810 | $23,781 | $19,500 | 0.21x |
| 3 | [Babson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/babson-college) | Wellesley, MA | 93% | $123,938 | $40,514 | $20,000 | 0.16x |
| 4 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 5 | [Cornell University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cornell-university) | Ithaca, NY | 95% | $104,043 | $28,690 | $14,000 | 0.13x |
| 6 | [Emory University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/emory-university) | Atlanta, GA | 91% | $80,137 | $22,585 | $18,250 | 0.23x |
| 7 | [University of Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-georgia) | Athens, GA | 89% | $68,726 | $13,936 | $18,500 | 0.27x |
| 8 | [University of Notre Dame](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-notre-dame) | Notre Dame, IN | 96% | $99,980 | $26,780 | $19,000 | 0.19x |
| 9 | [Bentley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bentley-university) | Waltham, MA | 88% | $120,959 | $37,930 | $25,023 | 0.21x |
| 10 | [University of Richmond](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-richmond) | University of Richmond, VA | 86% | $76,178 | $31,309 | $21,000 | 0.28x |
| 11 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 12 | [Saint Johns University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-johns-university) | Collegeville, MN | 76% | $76,786 | $25,672 | $27,000 | 0.35x |
| 13 | [Boston College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boston-college) | Chestnut Hill, MA | 91% | $103,937 | $41,704 | $19,000 | 0.18x |
| 14 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 15 | [Lehigh University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 89% | $105,584 | $36,931 | $21,960 | 0.21x |
| 16 | [Trinity University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trinity-university) | San Antonio, TX | 83% | $71,668 | $23,464 | $22,954 | 0.32x |
| 17 | [Ramapo College of New Jersey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ramapo-college-of-new-jersey) | Mahwah, NJ | 71% | $67,541 | $18,173 | $21,000 | 0.31x |
| 18 | [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-clara-university) | Santa Clara, CA | 88% | $109,183 | $50,062 | $19,162 | 0.18x |
| 19 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 20 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 21 | [Loyola University Maryland](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-university-maryland) | Baltimore, MD | 80% | $82,652 | $30,574 | $27,000 | 0.33x |
| 22 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 23 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 24 | [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) | Blacksburg, VA | 86% | $81,698 | $24,953 | $21,500 | 0.26x |
| 25 | [Georgetown University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgetown-university) | Washington, DC | 95% | $103,494 | $40,815 | $15,500 | 0.15x |
| 26 | [Northeastern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-university) | Boston, MA | 90% | $92,538 | $30,915 | $24,250 | 0.26x |
| 27 | [Fort Hays State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fort-hays-state-university) | Hays, KS | 48% | $48,928 | $12,569 | $21,000 | 0.43x |
| 28 | [University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania) | Philadelphia, PA | 97% | $111,371 | $28,699 | $15,715 | 0.14x |
| 29 | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) | Chapel Hill, NC | 92% | $72,200 | $11,655 | $14,000 | 0.19x |
| 30 | [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wake-forest-university) | Winston-Salem, NC | 90% | $78,158 | $28,719 | $21,500 | 0.28x |
| 31 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 32 | [University of San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-diego) | San Diego, CA | 83% | $86,522 | $30,365 | $22,940 | 0.27x |
| 33 | [Washington University in St Louis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis) | St. Louis, MO | 94% | $86,182 | $21,786 | $17,500 | 0.2x |
| 34 | [Texas Christian University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-christian-university) | Fort Worth, TX | 86% | $68,424 | $36,660 | $21,500 | 0.31x |
| 35 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 36 | [Brigham Young University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/brigham-young-university) | Provo, UT | 82% | $75,790 | $15,564 | $11,069 | 0.15x |
| 37 | [Saint Peter's University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-peters-university) | Jersey City, NJ | 61% | $57,815 | $12,199 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 38 | [Trevecca Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trevecca-nazarene-university) | Nashville, TN | 54% | $49,378 | $16,813 | $18,744 | 0.38x |
| 39 | [Rice University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rice-university) | Houston, TX | 95% | $89,718 | $13,370 | $11,000 | 0.12x |
| 40 | [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 93% | $114,862 | $31,944 | $21,750 | 0.19x |
| 41 | [University of Denver](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-denver) | Denver, CO | 77% | $71,155 | $36,131 | $21,844 | 0.31x |
| 42 | [North Park University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-park-university) | Chicago, IL | 57% | $59,572 | $16,948 | $25,500 | 0.43x |
| 43 | [Boston University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boston-university) | Boston, MA | 89% | $83,238 | $24,402 | $23,250 | 0.28x |
| 44 | [Wofford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wofford-college) | Spartanburg, SC | 82% | $68,964 | $18,732 | $25,732 | 0.37x |
| 45 | [State University of New York at Plattsburgh](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh) | Plattsburgh, NY | 59% | $56,403 | $17,156 | $21,196 | 0.38x |
| 46 | [Villanova University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/villanova-university) | Villanova, PA | 92% | $100,423 | $43,756 | $25,874 | 0.26x |
| 47 | [CUNY Lehman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college) | Bronx, NY | 50% | $58,013 | $3,148 | $10,950 | 0.19x |
| 48 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 49 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 50 | [Clemson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clemson-university) | Clemson, SC | 87% | $71,513 | $22,253 | $21,500 | 0.3x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Colleges for Accounting." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-accounting

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.