Economics
Offered at 1,204 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 15 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 116 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 696 | $58,734 | $86,761 | $19,500 |
| Master's | 216 | $74,869 | $107,695 | — |
| Doctoral | 130 | — | — | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 30 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Valley College | CA | — | $60,304 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University | NC | $124,433 | $191,550 | $13,500 |
| 2 | Harvard University | MA | $120,683 | $181,244 | $14,000 |
| 3 | Amherst College | MA | $109,806 | $175,020 | $19,500 |
| 4 | Williams College | MA | $105,744 | $172,984 | $9,750 |
| 5 | Yale University | CT | $108,619 | $170,350 | $15,000 |
| 6 | University of Chicago | IL | $98,564 | $167,294 | $12,000 |
| 7 | Dartmouth College | NH | $115,308 | $166,274 | $14,833 |
| 8 | Claremont McKenna College | CA | $99,125 | $165,345 | $12,625 |
| 9 | Cornell University | NY | $90,181 | $159,654 | $12,750 |
| 10 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $98,098 | $158,818 | $19,000 |
| 11 | Colgate University | NY | $93,136 | $156,013 | $14,750 |
| 12 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $154,591 | — | — |
| 13 | Stanford University | CA | $108,498 | $151,201 | — |
| 14 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $88,608 | $148,703 | $11,275 |
| 15 | Georgetown University | DC | $85,753 | $147,644 | $16,250 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $120,814 | $152,666 | — |
| 2 | Marquette University | WI | — | $135,071 | — |
| 3 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $84,138 | $133,083 | — |
| 4 | DePaul University | IL | $62,603 | $132,983 | — |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $77,218 | $129,006 | — |
| 6 | George Mason University | VA | $84,389 | $128,288 | — |
| 7 | University of California-Santa Cruz | CA | $72,538 | $122,289 | — |
| 8 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | OH | $87,616 | $117,414 | — |
| 9 | American University | DC | $78,792 | $111,850 | — |
| 10 | George Washington University | DC | $89,443 | $107,695 | — |
| 11 | University of Houston | TX | — | $106,400 | — |
| 12 | Georgetown University | DC | $73,708 | $105,969 | — |
| 13 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $105,102 | — | — |
| 14 | Boston University | MA | — | $105,051 | — |
| 15 | Florida Atlantic University | FL | — | $101,893 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Mason University | VA | $122,488 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do economics graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in economics reports median earnings of $58,734. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
