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

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

The verdict? Great! Overall, with an average relevance score of 89%, Accounting graduates from Western Illinois University have a substantially higher likelihood (+22%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 89%
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, 50% 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 Western Illinois University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 100%

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

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2011 from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Also pursued further education since (see below).

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Accountant
Fun Mart Cycle Center
Sep 2014 - Dec 2015
As an Accountant at Fun Mart Cycle Center, this position directly utilizes the accounting knowledge and skills obtained from the Bachelor's degree in Accounting, making it highly relevant.

FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
Western Illinois University
2011 - 2013
ABOUT

No information provided.

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

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

People who graduated with a degree in Accounting from Western Illinois University have landed a pretty wide array of jobs, but there are definitely some common threads. A lot of them ended up as Staff Accountants, which makes sense since that’s a traditional starting point for accounting degree holders. In these roles, they’re using the skills they learned in school every day, such as preparing financial statements, managing accounts, and interpreting financial data. Positions like Financial Analyst and Tax Manager also pop up frequently, showing that a solid grounding in accounting can lead to more specialized financial roles that still rely heavily on accounting principles.

Overall, many of the jobs these graduates pursued are highly relevant to their Accounting degrees. While some roles, like the Assistant or Associate positions in various companies, may not use accounting skills directly or focus on operational tasks, the majority are firmly rooted in accounting practices. This shows that an Accounting degree from Western Illinois University leads to a strong career path for those looking to jump into fields related to finance and accounting, even if some take a detour into positions that don't leverage their skills as directly.

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 Western Illinois University):

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

So, looking at the career paths of graduates from the Accounting program at Western Illinois University, it seems like many of them have started off in solid accounting roles straight out of college. For their first jobs, things often kick off with positions like Staff Accountant or Accountant, which are pretty standard entry-level roles in the accounting field. Over the first few years, they typically stick with these kinds of positions, gaining experience and climbing the ladder. A number of graduates, like those from the Class of 2011, have moved up to more senior positions such as Assistant Controller or Senior Staff Accountant within a few years of starting. That’s a good indication that they are not just stuck in entry-level jobs—they're progressing nicely!

Fast forward five to ten years, many of these graduates appear to be holding significant roles in their companies. Some have become financial analysts, supervisors, or even managers. For instance, the Class of 2015 has individuals who progressed from financial analyst roles to managerial positions in risk management. Other graduates have taken on leadership roles like Tax Manager or Accounting Manager, showing that a degree from Western Illinois University can set you up for a prosperous career in accounting or finance. Overall, it looks like most of these graduates have found relevant and successful careers in accounting, which is great news for anyone considering this path!

How hard is a Accounting degree from Western Illinois University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at Western Illinois University is pretty much in line with what you’d expect for an accounting program. It’s not exactly a walk in the park, but it’s also not the most brutal thing out there. You'll dive into some pretty detailed topics like financial reporting, taxation, and auditing, which can be challenging if math isn't your strong suit. That said, if you stay on top of your assignments, attend class, and ask for help when you need it, you can definitely make it through without losing your mind. So, it’s a solid challenge, but it’s definitely doable for most students who put in the effort!

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 Western Illinois University tend to make good money?

So, looking at the job paths of these accounting grads from Western Illinois University, it seems like most of them have done pretty well financially, especially compared to a lot of other fields. Many of them started off as staff accountants, which is a solid entry-level position that often pays around $50k or more. They’ve gradually moved up the ladder, landing roles like Senior Staff Accountant or even Assistant Controller, which can pay significantly more—often in the six-figure range. The folks who became Financial Analysts and Managers seem to be in good spots too, as those positions typically come with higher salaries. Overall, they appear to have made decent money for the most part, especially as they gained experience and expertise in their roles.

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 Western 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