U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 155 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 23% 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 $37,684. College Scorecard.
CU 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 CU'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 | $14,231 | $60,624 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $14,381 | $61,263 | 1.9 years |
| $48–75k | $18,828 | $80,207 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $26,915 | $114,658 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $34,818 | $148,325 | 4.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (58% 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 ($73,319) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $32,709 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 Colorado colleges
Every Colorado 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 | Colorado College | $122,998 | $18,250 | $33,375 | 88% |
| 2 | University of Denver | $84,328 | — | $36,131 | 76% |
| 3 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $80,907 | $23,750 | $15,327 | 32% |
| 4 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | $75,209 | $25,000 | $15,788 | 47% |
| 5 | University of Colorado Boulder | $73,319 | $17,119 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 6 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $71,385 | $23,049 | $11,900 | 46% |
| 7 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $69,934 | $24,000 | $21,279 | 67% |
| 8 | University of Northern Colorado | $65,025 | $21,000 | $17,760 | 51% |
6 more Colorado 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 CU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CU
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,738
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at CU
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Business Administration$86,441
CU Economics questions
How much do CU Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn a median $73,319 four years after graduating and $51,521 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do CU Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of University of Colorado Boulder is $17,119, about 23% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is CU a good school for Economics in Colorado?
On pay, Economics graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn $73,319 four years out, $945 below the median for the same major across 8 Colorado colleges ($74,264) and $6,170 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CU rank for Economics in Colorado?
Of 8 Colorado colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, University of Colorado Boulder ranks 5th. The highest is Colorado College at $122,998.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $81,450 in the Boulder, CO 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: “University of Colorado Boulder Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).