What can you do with a Accounting degree from St. Cloud State University?

First, some facts. Of the Accounting graduates from St. Cloud State 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 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 73%, Accounting graduates from St. Cloud State University have a higher likelihood (+6%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 73%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

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

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 10% 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 a Bachelors degree is enough for most Accounting graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

View a random Accounting graduate from St. Cloud State University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 86%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2010 from St. Cloud State University with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Accounting. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Senior Accountant
UnitedHealth Group
Nov 2010 - Aug 2014
As a Senior Accountant, some knowledge of accounting principles from the B.S. in Accounting is applicable, but the position does not heavily leverage compliance skills which directly relate to the subsequent roles.

Compliance Coordinator
BANKWEST - Rockford, Hanover, and Buffalo
Aug 2014 - Apr 2018
The Compliance Coordinator role demands a strong understanding of compliance regulations and practices, which aligns directly with knowledge gained from the accounting degree focused on financial regulations.

Compliance Officer, VP
BANKWEST - Rockford, Hanover, and Buffalo
Apr 2018 - Jan 2024
As a Compliance Officer, VP, this position requires in-depth knowledge of compliance and regulatory standards, utilizing skills from the accounting background on a daily basis.

VP of Compliance and Retail Banking
BANKWEST - Rockford, Hanover, and Buffalo
Jan 2024 - Present
In the position as VP of Compliance and Retail Banking, the individual is expected to apply accounting and compliance knowledge extensively, making it highly relevant to their B.S. in Accounting.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Accounting degree from St. Cloud State University?

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


When you look at the list of jobs held by graduates from St. Cloud State University who studied Accounting, it seems like there's a mix of roles that are directly related to accounting and others that kind of touch on it but don't really dive deep into accounting principles. Some of the most common positions include things like Senior Accountants and Accounting Managers, which are totally relevant and definitely utilize the skills learned during their degree. These positions typically require a solid understanding of accounting concepts, regulations, and practices, and it’s clear that graduates in these roles are putting their education to good use.

On the flip side, there are quite a few roles that seem less connected to the actual nuts and bolts of accounting. For example, positions like Financial Advisor or Policy Sourcing Associate have some overlap with finance or compliance but don’t use accounting skills to the fullest. So, while there are a good number of graduates who have taken on roles that relate directly to accounting, there’s also a significant portion that have ventured into areas that only loosely relate to their degree. Overall, it looks like the degree opens up a variety of career paths, but not all of them stick closely to the core accounting expertise they gained in school.

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 St. Cloud State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Accounting graduates from St. Cloud State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Looking at the career paths of graduates from St. Cloud State University who studied Accounting, it's pretty clear that many of them have landed solid jobs right after graduation. For their first jobs, a lot of graduates tend to find roles like Staff Accountants, Tax Preparers, or even Financial Advisors. For instance, one graduate started as a Financial Advisor and worked their way up to an Executive Vice President position in just over a decade. Others have taken on roles as senior accountants or compliance officers, which also showcases the diverse opportunities available in the accounting and finance sectors. It’s quite evident that many graduates kick off their careers in relevant fields that allow for growth.

Fast forward five to ten years, and you'll notice a trend: these individuals often move into higher managerial or executive roles. Many of them have not only maintained their focus on accounting but have also ascended to positions like Accounting Managers, Compliance Officers, and even Directors in various organizations. There are a few outliers who veered somewhat off the typical accounting path, ending up in roles related to finance or management in other sectors, but overall, the graduates from St. Cloud State University seem to really leverage their accounting degrees effectively. It appears that pursuing a degree in accounting from this university can indeed lead to a promising and rewarding career trajectory for those interested in this field.

How hard is a Accounting degree from St. Cloud State University?

Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting can be a bit of a mixed bag, and the same goes for St. Cloud State University. Generally speaking, it’s not the easiest major out there, especially since you’ve got to tackle a lot of numbers, financial principles, and some pretty detailed coursework in areas like taxation and auditing. However, if you’ve got a decent head for math and you’re willing to put in the time to study, it can be manageable. Some students find that the workload and material get challenging, especially during peak times like midterms and finals, but if you stay organized and keep up with your assignments, it’s definitely doable. So, while it might not be a walk in the park, it’s not impossible either!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Accounting.

Do Accounting graduates from St. Cloud State University tend to make good money?

So, looking at these St. Cloud State University grads, it seems like they’ve generally done pretty well in their careers, with many climbing the corporate ladder into higher-paying roles. For example, the person who became Executive Vice President at a life solutions company likely commands a hefty salary, and those in compliance and accounting management positions are often well-paid too. It’s interesting to see that some graduates have stuck with one company for a while, which usually indicates they’re earning decent pay and potentially advancing their careers. However, there are a few who’ve taken on roles that might not be as lucrative, particularly the ones in more junior positions. Overall, though, it looks like most of these grads have made decent money over their careers, especially with the growth in their job responsibilities and titles.

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 St. Cloud State 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