Accounting and Related Services at Finger Lakes Community College

Canandaigua, NY · Public · Associate Degree

a compact campus enrolling 2,900 students in Canandaigua, NY.

Program Analysis

Finger Lakes Community College's Accounting and Related Services program produces graduates earning $37,433/yr — within striking distance of the $35,807 national average for this trade.

With a 39.5x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 25% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Accounting and Related Services career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $16,743 in median debt clears fast against $37,433 in annual earnings.

A #82 ranking among 176 Accounting and Related Services programs places Finger Lakes Community College in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 32% earnings increase from $37,433 to $49,245 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

The 5 apprenticeship pathways connected to Accounting and Related Services reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

64 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
57
Low End
64
Score
68
High End
Earnings $37,433/yr (5% vs median)
AI-Proof Exposed (38% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (451,900 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$520K
7.1% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
42.3x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
13 of 14
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$12,276
Out-of-state: $16,500
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,743
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$49,245
32% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Accounting and Related Services graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Financial managers $161,700 +14.8% 50%
Financial risk specialists $106,000 +6.5% 47%
Financial and investment analysts $101,350 +5.7% 54%
Financial managers
$161,700
+14.8% growth 50% AI-proof
Financial risk specialists
$106,000
+6.5% growth 47% AI-proof
Financial and investment analysts
$101,350
+5.7% growth 54% AI-proof

View all 14 career paths with full salary data →

About Accounting and Related Services Careers

Your career will likely start in a role like a bookkeeping or accounting clerk, where your day-to-day involves using software like QuickBooks to reconcile bank statements, manage invoices, and process payroll for a small business or as part of a larger corporate team. You’ll be the person ensuring the financial data is accurate and organized.

Read the full Accounting and Related Services career guide →

Compare & Explore

Accounting and Related Services Overview

Accounting and Related Services at Other Schools

Other Majors at Finger Lakes Community College

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Accounting and Related Services at Finger Lakes Community College?
At 64/100, Finger Lakes Community College's Accounting and Related Services program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.
How vulnerable is Accounting and Related Services to AI automation?
With 62% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $391,631 in decade earnings vs $519,565 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can I learn Accounting and Related Services through an apprenticeship instead?
Yes — 5 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Accounting and Related Services career paths, including Accounting Technician (Alternate Title: Accounting Specialist). Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to certificate programs.
Is there demand for Accounting and Related Services workers?
With approximately 451,900 annual openings across mapped careers, Accounting and Related Services offers a very large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →