U.S. median for this major: $80,165.
College Scorecard field of study; 42 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 26% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,419.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,919. College Scorecard.
SIUE Business 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.
Business Economics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses SIUE'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 | $8,483 | $37,834 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $8,587 | $38,298 | 1.0 years |
| $48–75k | $11,116 | $49,577 | 1.3 years |
| $75–110k | $19,351 | $86,305 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $24,684 | $110,091 | 2.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Business Economics graduates 4 years after graduating ($74,248) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $38,451 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.
Business Economics at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Business 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 | DePaul University | $93,563 | $21,666 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 2 | Wheaton College | $80,258 | $24,000 | $26,975 | 85% |
| 3 | Loyola University Chicago | $78,094 | $21,574 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 4 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $74,248 | $19,514 | $14,889 | 57% |
5 more Illinois colleges offer Business Economics but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Business Economics graduates
Management Analysts
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Financial Risk Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% 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 SIUE, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SIUE
- Acceptance rate: 98% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 57% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,346
- Full cost breakdown · all 47 majors · overview
Related majors at SIUE
- Business Administration$65,403
- Economics—
- Accounting$69,610
SIUE Business Economics questions
How much do SIUE Business Economics graduates earn?
Business Economics graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median $74,248 four years after graduating and $53,219 one year after. The U.S. median for Business Economics graduates across 83 colleges is $80,165.
How much debt do SIUE Business Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Business Economics graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $19,514, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,419.
Is SIUE a good school for Business Economics in Illinois?
On pay, Business Economics graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn $74,248 four years out, $4,928 below the median for the same major across 4 Illinois colleges ($79,176) and $5,917 below the U.S. median ($80,165). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SIUE rank for Business Economics in Illinois?
Of 4 Illinois colleges reporting Business Economics graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranks 4th. The highest is DePaul University at $93,563.
What jobs do Business Economics graduates get?
A common career is management analysts, with a median wage of $101,100 in the St. Louis, MO-IL area and $101,860 nationally. Others include financial risk specialists.
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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: “Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Business Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/majors/business-economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).