U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 48 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 7% 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 $84,040. College Scorecard.
Princeton 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 Princeton 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 | $41 | $172 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $352 | $1,478 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $1,217 | $5,111 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $4,478 | $18,808 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $36,094 | $151,595 | 1.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (80% 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 ($160,763) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NJ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $124,102 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 New Jersey colleges
Every New Jersey 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 | Princeton University | $160,763 | $11,250 | $6,128 | 98% |
| 2 | The College of New Jersey | $92,325 | $23,500 | $27,646 | 86% |
| 3 | Drew University | $90,814 | $26,914 | $24,280 | 70% |
| 4 | Rutgers University-Camden | $86,120 | $24,965 | $18,745 | 67% |
| 5 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $86,120 | $24,965 | $24,406 | 84% |
| 6 | Rutgers University-Newark | $86,120 | $24,965 | $19,703 | 64% |
| 7 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | $75,195 | — | $18,173 | 70% |
| 8 | Seton Hall University | $72,304 | $21,413 | $31,446 | 69% |
| 9 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | $70,705 | $28,281 | $18,745 | 44% |
| 10 | Rowan University | $70,614 | $21,750 | $22,408 | 67% |
| 11 | Kean University | $66,368 | — | $12,447 | 47% |
| 12 | Montclair State University | $66,148 | $25,000 | $15,566 | 65% |
| 13 | Stockton University | $63,582 | — | $20,670 | 69% |
6 more New Jersey 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 Princeton University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Princeton University
- Acceptance rate: 5% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 98% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $110,066
- Full cost breakdown · all 37 majors · overview
Princeton University Economics questions
How much do Princeton University Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Princeton University earn a median $160,763 four years after graduating and $103,041 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do Princeton University Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Princeton University is $11,250, about 7% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is Princeton University a good school for Economics in New Jersey?
On pay, Economics graduates of Princeton University earn $160,763 four years out, $85,568 above the median for the same major across 13 New Jersey colleges ($75,195) and $81,274 above the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Princeton University rank for Economics in New Jersey?
Of 13 New Jersey colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Princeton University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $79,100 in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ 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: “Princeton University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/princeton-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).