Indiana University vs Tulane for accounting: which is better for an accounting major?

The biggest practical tradeoff is specialized accounting strength versus a smaller, more broadly selective university experience. For accounting specifically, Indiana University has the clearer edge because the Kelley School of Business is much more established in business recruiting, has a deeper accounting pipeline, and is especially well known with major employers in audit, tax, and corporate finance. Tulane can still lead to strong outcomes, but its reputation is not as centered on accounting in the same way.

If your question is narrowly about the accounting major itself, IU is the stronger option. Kelley has a long-standing reputation in undergraduate business education, a large alumni network in accounting and finance, and the kind of structured recruiting ecosystem that matters for internships early in college. That usually translates into more on-campus employer presence, more peers pursuing CPA-related paths, and more direct visibility with firms that hire at scale.

Tulane’s business school is respected, and New Orleans can offer interesting opportunities, especially if you are drawn to a smaller private-school environment. But for accounting, Tulane is more often seen as a good business school overall rather than a place students specifically target for accounting the way they do with Kelley. In practical terms, IU is more likely to give you a bigger bench of accounting classmates, more specialized student organizations, and a wider employer network tied directly to the major.

For career preparation, IU also has the advantage. Accounting recruiting tends to reward schools with established employer pipelines and a strong alumni base in major firms, and that is one of Kelley’s biggest strengths. Unless Tulane is giving you a meaningfully better financial package or you strongly prefer its size, location, and campus culture, Indiana University is the better pick for an accounting major.