U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 51 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 9% 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 $79,788. College Scorecard.
Rice 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 Rice 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 | $5,827 | $23,774 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $563 | $2,297 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $3,217 | $13,125 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $17,755 | $72,440 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $48,466 | $197,741 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (89% 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 ($129,575) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $96,059 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | Rice University | $129,575 | $11,289 | $13,370 | 95% |
| 2 | Southern Methodist University | $91,701 | $19,500 | $40,892 | 84% |
| 3 | Texas Christian University | $89,466 | $19,500 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Austin | $89,354 | $21,125 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $81,562 | $19,500 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 6 | University of Dallas | $78,699 | $24,752 | $22,610 | 73% |
| 7 | University of Houston | $78,204 | $19,500 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 8 | The University of Texas at Dallas | $75,479 | $20,748 | $18,267 | 76% |
| 9 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $71,821 | $20,500 | $13,951 | 54% |
| 10 | Texas State University | $71,739 | $22,717 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 11 | Texas Tech University | $68,973 | $27,125 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 12 | Austin College | $67,071 | — | $21,107 | 67% |
| 13 | University of North Texas | $66,040 | $23,619 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 14 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $56,369 | — | $4,831 | 51% |
10 more Texas 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 Rice University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rice University
- Acceptance rate: 8% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 95% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $89,718
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Rice University
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Business Administration—
- Business—
Rice University Economics questions
How much do Rice University Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Rice University earn a median $129,575 four years after graduating and $78,814 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do Rice University Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Rice University is $11,289, about 9% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is Rice University a good school for Economics in Texas?
On pay, Economics graduates of Rice University earn $129,575 four years out, $52,733 above the median for the same major across 14 Texas colleges ($76,842) and $50,086 above the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Rice University rank for Economics in Texas?
Of 14 Texas colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Rice 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 $65,540 in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX area and $72,040 nationally. Others include market research analysts and marketing specialists and data scientists.
Is Rice University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Rice University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Rice University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rice-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).