American University vs Fordham University for accounting: which is better for job placement and internships?

The biggest practical tradeoff is New York City access versus a school that is less known for accounting specifically. For accounting internships and first-job recruiting, Fordham usually has the clearer edge because it sits in New York, has a long-established business school, and feeds more naturally into accounting firms, finance employers, and alumni networks tied to the city. American’s location is valuable, but Washington, DC tends to be stronger for politics, policy, nonprofits, and government-oriented careers than for accounting recruiting in particular.

Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business is the main reason it stands out here. Being in New York makes it much easier to intern during the academic year, attend employer events, and connect with firms without needing to rely only on summer recruiting. That matters a lot in accounting, where early internships, networking, and employer familiarity can directly shape full-time offers.

American can still get you to accounting, especially if you are proactive, but it is not the school most students associate first with that field. Its Kogod School of Business is respected, and DC absolutely has firms, consulting work, and corporate offices, yet the local ecosystem is broader than pure accounting.

One other practical point is alumni density. Fordham’s business alumni presence in New York tends to be especially useful for informational conversations, internships during the semester, and entry-level hiring. For accounting, that kind of nearby network often matters more than the overall name of the university.

Between the two, I would lean Fordham for accounting job placement and internships. American is a solid option, but Fordham is the one that more consistently lines up with the location advantages that matter most for starting an accounting career.