What can you do with a Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University?

First, some facts. Of the Accounting graduates from Northern Illinois University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 21 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 79%, Accounting graduates from Northern Illinois University have a much higher likelihood (+12%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, 38% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Accounting graduate.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University?
• What do Accounting graduates from Northern Illinois University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University?
• What are the best colleges for Accounting?

View a random Accounting graduate from Northern Illinois University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 61% We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2010 from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Audit Intern Grant Thornton LLP Jan 2010 - Mar 2010 The Audit Intern position requires knowledge of accounting principles and practices, which are directly connected to the Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Audit Senior Associate Grant Thornton LLP Oct 2011 - Aug 2014 As an Audit Senior Associate, the job heavily relies on accounting skills and knowledge acquired during the Bachelor's program, making it highly relevant. Associate Harrison Street Aug 2014 - Jan 2017 The Associate position at Harrison Street may involve financial analysis and reporting, which could utilize some accounting knowledge indirectly, but it is not primarily focused on accounting practices. Senior Associate Harrison Street Jan 2017 - Jan 2019 The Senior Associate role at Harrison Street likely uses some financial principles related to accounting, but it emphasizes investment analysis rather than core accounting functions. Assistant Vice President Harrison Street Jan 2019 - Mar 2022 The Assistant Vice President position may involve financial oversight that can benefit from accounting knowledge, but it primarily focuses on leadership and strategy rather than specific accounting tasks. Vice President Harrison Street Mar 2022 - Present As a Vice President, while financial acumen from accounting can be advantageous, the role focuses more on management and investment strategy rather than core accounting functions directly. ABOUT No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Business Education Teacher
• Audit Intern
• Senior Associate
• Accounting Intern
• Tax Analyst
• Staff Accountant
• Business Accountant
• Management Trainee
• Merchandising Service Manager
• Operations Lead

After looking through a bunch of LinkedIn profiles of folks who've graduated with an Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University, it's clear that many of them have landed roles closely tied to traditional accounting practices. You see a lot of people starting off as audit interns or in tax-related positions, which makes sense since those jobs leverage the core skills and knowledge they gained during their studies. Positions like Tax Associate, Audit Staff, and various roles in assurance and financial analysis really highlight how well these graduates have transitioned from their academic backgrounds into relevant careers. The demand for auditors and tax analysts indicates that the job market recognizes the value of their degrees.

However, not every job listed seems to stick to a strict accounting path. There are quite a few examples of people who’ve ventured into roles that don’t necessarily require deep accounting expertise, like various teaching positions or roles in sales and management. For instance, business education teachers and operations managers might use some analytical skills, but they don't really need that accounting-focused education daily. So, while the majority of graduates are finding work that's highly relevant to their degrees, there's a noticeable variety in the career paths that people take, with some positions straying further away from traditional accounting roles as they advance in their careers.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Accounting graduates (this is across all Accounting graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Northern Illinois University):

What kind of career trajectories do Accounting graduates from Northern Illinois University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Graduates from Northern Illinois University who pursued a degree in Accounting seem to be generally on solid career paths, especially if you look five to ten years down the line. Many of these graduates kick off their careers with internships at reputable firms like Grant Thornton, Deloitte, and BDO USA, which often transition into full-time roles in auditing and tax. For instance, the graduate who started as an Audit Intern at Grant Thornton quickly climbed the ranks, working their way up to Vice President at Harrison Street within a decade. This kind of progression is pretty common among the graduates who stuck with accounting-focused roles.

However, not all paths remain firmly rooted in accounting. We see some individuals pivot away into fields like education and various business positions. For example, one graduate transitioned from an accounting internship to teaching business education in high schools, which isn’t exactly what you'd expect from an Accounting degree. Others have branched out into roles like financial analysis and even mid-management positions in entirely different industries, such as merchandising and operations. Overall, while many NIU accounting grads are finding successful and upwardly mobile careers in accounting-specific fields, there are also notable shifts into other areas, reflecting a mix of traditional and non-traditional paths that graduates are taking. So, if you stick closely to accounting, it seems promising, but there's flexibility if you want to explore other interests too.

How hard is a Accounting degree from Northern Illinois University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at Northern Illinois University, or really anywhere, can be a bit of a mixed bag. It’s definitely not a walk in the park – you’ll be dealing with a lot of numbers, financial principles, and analytical thinking, which can be challenging if math isn’t your thing. But don’t let that scare you! Many students find it manageable, especially if they stay organized and ask for help when needed. The coursework is designed to build on each other, so if you put in the effort, you can definitely keep up. Overall, it might be harder than some degrees, but with dedication and the right support, it’s totally doable!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 2 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Accounting.

Do Accounting graduates from Northern Illinois University tend to make good money?

Alright, so looking at these accounting grads from Northern Illinois University, it seems like some have certainly made decent money while others have taken a bit of a different path. For instance, the ones who landed positions like VP and various senior roles at big firms are likely doing pretty well, considering those positions usually come with solid salaries and bonuses. On the flip side, others who have taken a teaching route or are hanging out in positions with smaller companies may not be raking in as much. Also, some folks seem to be starting in roles that might not be super lucrative right out of the gate, like those in internships and entry-level positions, but if they stick with it and climb the ladder, the financial potential can definitely improve over time! Overall, if you're eyeing a career in accounting, it looks like there’s good earning potential, especially if you're strategic about your job choices.

What buzzwords do Accounting graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Accounting (this is across all Accounting graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Northern Illinois University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Accounting?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Accounting (ordered by the average relevance score of their Accounting graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
University of Kentucky	98	12
Portland State University	96	14
Bentley University	94	10
Troy University	93	10
University of Florida	90	15
Weber State University	90	16
Temple University	89	10
Kansas State University	89	19
Western Illinois University	89	10
Baruch College	89	36
Wichita State University	89	11
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	89	17
Clemson University	87	17
Old Dominion University	87	10
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	87	12
Gonzaga University	87	11
San Diego State University	86	18
The University of Texas at Dallas	86	19
University of Maryland College Park	86	10
Saint Leo University	86	11
Grand Canyon University	85	11
The University of Alabama	85	18
The University of Kansas	85	12
The University of Texas at El Paso	85	16
California State University-Los Angeles	85	12
University of Houston-Clear Lake	85	11
Arizona State University - W. P. Carey School of Business	85	11
San Francisco State University	84	11
George Mason University	84	14
Central Connecticut State University	84	20
Florida International University	83	16
University of South Florida	83	19
Brigham Young University	83	25
Oregon State University	83	12
Robert Morris University	83	12
Rasmussen College	83	10
Penn State University	82	39
Louisiana State University	82	25
Oklahoma State University	82	21
Liberty University	81	17
University of Houston	81	17
San Diego State University-California State University	81	11
Metropolitan State University of Denver	81	11
Indiana Wesleyan University	81	17
Bryant University	81	10
Rutgers Business School	81	11
Florida State University	80	18
Colorado State University	80	13
North Carolina State University	80	11
California State University, Fresno	80	14
James Madison University	79	15
Brigham Young University - Idaho	79	18
California State University, Fullerton	79	15
Florida Atlantic University	79	27
Kennesaw State University	79	16
Northern Illinois University	79	21
California State University, Long Beach	79	12
Western Kentucky University	79	11
University of Alabama at Birmingham	79	15
University of North Alabama	79	11
Kennesaw State University - Michael J. Coles College of Business	79	15
The University of Texas at Austin - Red McCombs School of Business	79	10
Michigan State University	78	11
San Jose State University	78	22
California State University, Northridge	78	16
Mississippi State University	78	14
University of Nebraska at Omaha	78	11
Franklin University	78	20
University of Utah	77	13
Eastern Michigan University	77	15
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	77	11
Central Washington University	77	12
University at Albany, SUNY	77	11
University of St. Thomas	77	11
California State University-Sacramento	76	15
University of Mississippi	76	28
University of Illinois at Chicago	76	13
Northwood University	76	18
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth	76	11
Texas A&M University	75	37
Texas State University	75	10
University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business	75	17
State University of New York College at Old Westbury	75	14
University of North Texas	74	14
Towson University	74	18
DePaul University	74	14
Utah Valley University	74	16
Rowan University	74	17
Kean University	74	16
Rider University	74	13
The Ohio State University	73	12
Western Governors University	73	52
Western Michigan University	73	11
Boise State University	73	20
California State University-San Bernardino	73	16
The University of Memphis	73	15
Queens College	73	28
St. Cloud State University	73	10
Southern New Hampshire University	72	22
Iowa State University	72	12
The University of Texas at San Antonio	72	26
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	72	23
University of Central Florida	71	39
Youngstown State University	71	11
University of San Diego	71	12
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	70	25
Sam Houston State University	70	23
Missouri State University	70	23
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	69	15
Washington State University	69	12
University at Buffalo	69	10
University of Alabama	69	13
The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business	69	15
University of Nebraska-Lincoln	68	13
Siena College	68	13
University of Washington	67	12
DeVry University	67	30
Ashford University	65	21
University of Houston-Downtown	65	18
Upper Iowa University	64	14
Nicholls State University	64	12
California State University-Long Beach	63	13
Auburn University	62	15
Georgia State University	62	13
University of Phoenix	61	113
Virginia Commonwealth University	61	13
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	61	12
East Carolina University	60	10
Wright State University	60	10
Colorado Technical University	59	19
Strayer University	59	32
Valdosta State University	56	10
Southern Connecticut State University	55	10
Kaplan University	52	20
Monroe College	40	11