U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 28 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 42% 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 $54,630. College Scorecard.
HU 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 HU'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 | $46,051 | $191,572 | 7.4 years |
| $30–48k | $47,477 | $197,504 | 7.7 years |
| $48–75k | $50,245 | $209,019 | 8.1 years |
| $75–110k | $52,981 | $220,401 | 8.5 years |
| $110k+ | $54,270 | $225,763 | 8.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (60% 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 ($63,972) minus $38,184 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in DC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $25,788 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 District of Columbia colleges
Every District of Columbia 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 | Georgetown University | $118,999 | $16,500 | $40,815 | 95% |
| 2 | George Washington University | $99,406 | $23,250 | $36,586 | 84% |
| 3 | The Catholic University of America | $91,962 | — | $29,561 | 79% |
| 4 | American University | $85,016 | $22,625 | $41,943 | 75% |
| 5 | Howard University | $63,972 | $27,000 | $50,539 | 70% |
2 more District of Columbia 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 HU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About HU
- Acceptance rate: 41% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,066
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at HU
- Marketing$77,820
- Business Administration$88,875
- Accounting$98,645
- Finance$80,094
HU Economics questions
How much do HU Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Howard University earn a median $63,972 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do HU Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Howard University is $27,000, about 42% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is HU a good school for Economics in District of Columbia?
On pay, Economics graduates of Howard University earn $63,972 four years out, $27,990 below the median for the same major across 5 District of Columbia colleges ($91,962) and $15,517 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does HU rank for Economics in District of Columbia?
Of 5 District of Columbia colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Howard University ranks 5th. The highest is Georgetown University at $118,999.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $80,300 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area 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: “Howard University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/howard-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).