Starting Salaries of Four-Year Accounting Graduates, 1961-1991.

This study examines starting salaries of four-year accounting graduates relative to two other business-related majors for the period 1961-1991. It also presents evidence on the percentage of college "freshmen" intending to major in accounting versus the two alternatives for the period 1977-1992. Finally, it examines whether students' intentions to major in accounting differ over time with changes in starting salary differentials between accounting and these other two disciplines. Recent accounting starting salaries are similar to inflation-adjusted salaries of previous years, and continue to exceed those of several other business disciplines. Intentions of "freshmen" to major in accounting appear to be sensitive to differentials in starting salaries. The percentage of "freshmen" intending to major in accounting shows no evidence of a trend over the period 1977-1989. In 1990-1992, however, student interest in the accounting major decreased substantially. Other business disciplines fared even worse.