Accounting Degree in St. Louis, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Accounting degree analysis for St. Louis, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.2 yrs
in St. Louis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Accounting in St. Louis, MO Overview
St. Louis is one of Missouri's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 23,342. Public tuition averages $12,343/year here — near the national average for public universities. Accounting enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Financial Reporting and Tax Preparation. The adjusted starting salary in St. Louis is approximately $60,140.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,343/yr
Private Tuition
$55,255/yr
Room & Board
$8,721/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,996/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
48%
Accounting Salary in St. Louis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Louis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Accounting salary: $62,000 starting, $90,000 mid-career, $115,000 senior level.St. Louis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Accounting ROI Calculator for St. Louis
Estimate your return on investment for a Accounting degree using local St. Louis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,343 | Private avg: $55,255
St. Louis avg aid: $9,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$26,190
vs HS diploma in St. Louis
ROI Payback Period
3.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Louis
$643,244
Lifetime earnings premium ($727,500) minus total education cost ($84,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Accounting in St. Louis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Louis for Accounting
Washington University in St. Louis
private
$60,590/yr
$242,360 total
Saint Louis University
private
$49,920/yr
$199,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Louis Community College
$3,600/yr
Top Employers for Accounting in St. Louis
St. Louis offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Accounting graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Louis Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Accounting Job Titles
Accounting in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$58K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
Springfield, MO
$50K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$52K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$53K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$59K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$54K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$56K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$52K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Business Majors in St. Louis
Business Analytics
$76K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$68K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$63K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$49K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$49K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$49K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$49K starting · 4 yr ROI
Business Administration
$56K starting · 4.2 yr ROI
Accounting Degree in St. Louis — 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 St. Louis.