What can you do with a Accounting degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

First, some facts. Of the Accounting graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago 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 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 76%, Accounting graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago have a higher likelihood (+9%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 76%
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, 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:

View a random Accounting graduate from University of Illinois at Chicago and our analysis:


Relevance score: 84%

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

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2013 from University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration in Accounting. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
ACCEL Business Banking Associate
PNC
Aug 2013 - Aug 2014
The role of Business Banking Associate does not require accounting-specific skills or knowledge, which makes it unrelated to the Bachelor's degree in Accounting.

Healthcare Banking Sales Associate
PNC
Aug 2014 - Apr 2015
The Healthcare Banking Sales Associate position does not directly involve core accounting skills or knowledge, making it irrelevant to the Accounting degree.

Staff Accountant - Financial Reporting and Consolidations
Ryan Specialty Group
May 2015 - Sep 2016
As a Staff Accountant in Financial Reporting and Consolidations, the job directly utilizes accounting principles and practices learned during the Bachelor's program, requiring specific expertise on a daily basis.

Senior Financial Analyst - FP&A
Ryan Specialty Group
Sep 2016 - Oct 2019
The Senior Financial Analyst role in FP&A requires significant accounting and financial analysis skills, which are core competencies related to the Accounting degree.

Finance Manager - FP&A
Ryan Specialty Group
Oct 2019 - May 2021
As a Finance Manager in FP&A, the position relies heavily on advanced accounting and financial knowledge, making it directly relevant to the Bachelor's in Accounting.

Senior Manager - Strategic Planning & Execution
Kemper
Jun 2021 - Jul 2023
The Senior Manager role in Strategic Planning & Execution involves financial analysis and strategy development, which are closely tied to skills acquired in an Accounting degree, thus making it relevant.

Director - Strategic Planning and Execution
Kemper
Jul 2023 - Apr 2024
As a Director of Strategic Planning and Execution, this job utilizes accounting and financial planning skills extensively, making it pertinent to the individuals educational background in Accounting.

Senior Director of FP&A
SIAA
Apr 2024 - Present
The Senior Director of FP&A role requires a deep understanding of financial reporting and strategic financial management, which are key components of the knowledge gained in an Accounting program.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Accounting degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

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


When looking at the careers of people who graduated from the Accounting program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, you'll notice a clear trend. Many have landed roles like Staff Accountants, Tax Staff Accountants, and various positions at firms like Marcum LLP and the National Futures Association. These positions directly use the knowledge and skills they gained from their degrees, which is pretty cool! For instance, jobs like Staff Accountants and Tax Consultants heavily rely on accounting principles, ensuring that graduates are right where they need to be in their careers.

However, not every job these graduates have taken is strictly related to accounting. Some have ventured into legal roles, compliance positions, and even banking jobs that don’t require a strong accounting foundation, even if they use some related skills. For example, roles like Associate Corporate Attorney or Underwriter have some connection to finance but aren’t central to accounting tasks. In general, while many graduates are working in jobs that align well with their degree, others are exploring different avenues that only partially involve accounting knowledge. So, it’s a mixed bag, but there’s still a strong core of accounting-related positions among these alumni!

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 University of Illinois at Chicago):

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

Looking at the career trajectories of graduates from the University of Illinois at Chicago who studied Accounting, it seems like they generally start off in solid entry-level positions that are pretty relevant to their field. For their first jobs after graduation, many of them land roles like Staff Accountant, Tax Staff Accountant, or various positions in analysis and compliance. These initial jobs typically lead them to gain practical experience and professional development in accounting and finance-related areas.

Fast forward five to ten years, and you can see a clear pattern where many alumni are climbing the ranks within established firms or branching out into specialized roles. For instance, some have graduated to higher-level positions like Senior Manager or Director of FP&A, while others have shifted into legal roles or unique positions within financial organizations. Overall, the outcomes for these graduates seem positive, as a significant number have forged careers directly related to accounting, ranging from auditing and tax consulting to finance and compliance roles. While not everyone sticks strictly to traditional accounting paths, most have found ways to leverage their degrees into successful careers in the business world.

How hard is a Accounting degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at the University of Illinois at Chicago can be a pretty solid challenge, but it’s not impossible! Like most accounting programs, you’ll dive into some tough subjects like financial accounting, tax, and auditing, and there are definitely moments that can feel overwhelming, especially when dealing with complex numbers and regulations. That said, if you stay organized, manage your time well, and keep up with the coursework, you’ll probably find it manageable—kind of like a tough puzzle that gets easier the more you work on it. Overall, it’s a bit more demanding than some majors, but with the right effort, you can definitely handle it!

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 University of Illinois at Chicago tend to make good money?

Looking at the job trajectories of these University of Illinois at Chicago accounting grads, it seems like quite a few have found decent-paying gigs, especially those who landed roles at big firms like Deloitte and Wells Fargo or made their way up in companies like Marcum LLP. For instance, positions like Senior Manager and Director are typically associated with good salaries, so those folks are likely doing well. However, some of the more entry-level positions, like accounting clerks or assistants, probably don’t offer the same financial rewards right out of school. Overall, while there’s a mix of earnings here, many of these grads seem to be on a solid path to making good money in their careers.

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 University of Illinois at Chicago). 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