To date, we’ve asked 199 current and past accounting students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it average.

Choosing a degree to pursue is not a quick and easy task.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a accounting degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a accounting degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are accounting students compared to other degrees?

Overall, accounting students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 2.7 out of 5. This is low compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, accounting students rate their happiness similarly to students in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering and Engineering.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to accounting

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Human Resources Management$66,623
Accounting and Related Studies$83,041
Environmental Engineering$85,090
Accounting$85,451
Civil Engineering$95,011
Engineering$89,828
French Language$57,870
Civil Engineering and Related Studies$91,867

Let's break that down further.

Are accounting students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
3.1 out of 5 stars
20 ratings
5 stars
15%
4 stars
25%
3 stars
25%
2 stars
25%
1 stars
10%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
3.1 out of 5 stars
221 ratings
5 stars
12%
4 stars
26%
3 stars
33%
2 stars
17%
1 stars
12%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in accounting experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did accounting graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what accounting grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
3.0 out of 5 stars
20 ratings
5 stars
20%
4 stars
20%
3 stars
20%
2 stars
20%
1 stars
20%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were accounting students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
2.7 out of 5 stars
199 ratings
5 stars
10%
4 stars
22%
3 stars
25%
2 stars
22%
1 stars
22%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Career Paths

Learn about your career prospects after graduation.

Read about Career Paths