U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 53 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 31% 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU 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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 1.3 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 1.7 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 2.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($75,355) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $38,694 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | Grinnell College | $110,724 | $16,950 | $17,648 | 88% |
| 2 | Drake University | $88,638 | — | $29,127 | 74% |
| 3 | University of Iowa | $76,746 | $22,407 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 4 | Iowa State University | $75,355 | $23,414 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 5 | University of Northern Iowa | $71,905 | $17,169 | $15,901 | 68% |
12 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing$66,482
- Business Economics$93,379
- Business Administration$78,304
- Accounting$70,706
- Finance$75,360
ISU Economics questions
How much do ISU Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $75,355 four years after graduating and $57,619 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do ISU Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Iowa State University is $23,414, about 31% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is ISU a good school for Economics in Iowa?
On pay, Economics graduates of Iowa State University earn $75,355 four years out, $1,391 below the median for the same major across 5 Iowa colleges ($76,746) and $4,134 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Economics in Iowa?
Of 5 Iowa colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 4th. The highest is Grinnell College at $110,724.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $63,450 in the Ames, IA 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: “Iowa State University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).