Accounting Degree in New York, NY — Salary & ROI 2026
Accounting degree analysis for New York, NY. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$116K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$168K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.3 yrs
in New York
Cost of Living
187.2
index (100 = avg)
Accounting in New York, NY Overview
New York is one of New York's top college towns, with 279 institutions and a student population of 418,559. Public tuition averages $10,200/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Accounting enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Financial Reporting and Tax Preparation. The adjusted starting salary in New York is approximately $116,064.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
279
Public Tuition
$10,200/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$18,701/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,243/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
59%
Accounting Salary in New York (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for New York's cost of living index of 187.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Accounting salary: $62,000 starting, $90,000 mid-career, $115,000 senior level.New York adjustment factor: 1.87x based on the local cost of living index.
Accounting ROI Calculator for New York
Estimate your return on investment for a Accounting degree using local New York tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,200 | Private avg: $42,000
New York avg aid: $8,243/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$115,604
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$50,544
vs HS diploma in New York
ROI Payback Period
2.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in New York
$1,288,396
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,404,000) minus total education cost ($115,604)
Student Loan Payoff for Accounting in New York
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in New York for Accounting
New York State University
public
$9,794/yr
$39,176 total
University of New York
public
$10,109/yr
$40,436 total
New York Institute of Technology
private
$38,089/yr
$152,356 total
New York University - New York
public
$10,609/yr
$42,436 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
New York Community College
$7,506/yr
New York Technical College - New York
$8,204/yr
Top Employers for Accounting in New York
New York offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Accounting graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key New York Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Accounting Job Titles
Accounting in Nearby New York Cities
New York City, NY
$103K starting · COL 166
49 colleges
Oyster Bay, NY
$90K starting · COL 145
11 colleges
Buffalo, NY
$76K starting · COL 122
10 colleges
North Hempstead, NY
$88K starting · COL 141.3
9 colleges
Babylon, NY
$94K starting · COL 152.3
8 colleges
Yonkers, NY
$90K starting · COL 145.3
8 colleges
Rochester, NY
$87K starting · COL 140
13 colleges
Huntington, NY
$84K starting · COL 135.6
8 colleges
Other Business Majors in New York
Business Analytics
$146K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$131K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$122K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$94K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$94K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$94K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$94K starting · 4 yr ROI
Business Administration
$109K starting · 4.2 yr ROI
Accounting Degree in New York — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Accounting ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in New York.