U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 40 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 33% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,907.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,169. College Scorecard.
Appalachian State University Economics: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Economics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Appalachian State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,325 | $39,445 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $11,600 | $49,068 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $15,204 | $64,313 | 1.9 years |
| $75–110k | $20,840 | $88,153 | 2.6 years |
| $110k+ | $22,382 | $94,676 | 2.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (58% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Economics graduates 4 years after graduating ($67,285) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $33,769 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Economics at North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Economics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University | $161,149 | $13,437 | $29,612 | 97% |
| 2 | Elon University | $112,303 | $19,500 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $103,846 | $15,843 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 4 | Wake Forest University | $98,209 | $20,927 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 5 | North Carolina A & T State University | $69,296 | $27,000 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 6 | Appalachian State University | $67,285 | $21,894 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $66,736 | $18,791 | $12,250 | 54% |
| 8 | East Carolina University | $64,597 | $25,375 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $50,863 | — | $10,965 | 56% |
16 more North Carolina colleges offer Economics but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Economics graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Data Scientists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +34.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Appalachian State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Appalachian State University
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,836
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Appalachian State University
- Management Science / Analytics$83,033
- Marketing$69,439
- Business Economics—
- Business Administration$64,932
- Accounting$85,580
- Finance$75,396
Appalachian State University Economics questions
How much do Appalachian State University Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median $67,285 four years after graduating and $33,742 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do Appalachian State University Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Appalachian State University is $21,894, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is Appalachian State University a good school for Economics in North Carolina?
On pay, Economics graduates of Appalachian State University earn $67,285 four years out, $2,011 below the median for the same major across 9 North Carolina colleges ($69,296) and $12,204 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Appalachian State University rank for Economics in North Carolina?
Of 9 North Carolina colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Appalachian State University ranks 6th. The highest is Duke University at $161,149.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $57,650 in North Carolina and $72,040 nationally. Others include market research analysts and marketing specialists and data scientists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Appalachian State University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/appalachian-state-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).