U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 35 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 25% 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 $31,713. College Scorecard.
University of Missouri-Columbia 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 University of Missouri-Columbia'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 | $13,841 | $59,516 | 1.5 years |
| $30–48k | $13,378 | $57,525 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,722 | $59,005 | 1.5 years |
| $75–110k | $19,762 | $84,977 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $26,304 | $113,107 | 2.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($74,661) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $39,223 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 Missouri colleges
Every Missouri 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 | Washington University in St Louis | $102,439 | $14,110 | $21,786 | 94% |
| 2 | University of Missouri-Columbia | $74,661 | $18,815 | $20,268 | 75% |
| 3 | University of Central Missouri | $69,359 | $25,056 | $14,462 | 54% |
| 4 | Missouri State University-Springfield | $65,804 | $19,793 | $17,613 | 58% |
| 5 | University of Missouri-St Louis | $64,476 | $22,962 | $15,071 | 57% |
13 more Missouri 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 University of Missouri-Columbia, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Missouri-Columbia
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,403
- Full cost breakdown · all 87 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Missouri-Columbia
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Business$84,534
- Accounting$95,415
- Finance—
University of Missouri-Columbia Economics questions
How much do University of Missouri-Columbia Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn a median $74,661 four years after graduating and $52,635 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do University of Missouri-Columbia Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia is $18,815, about 25% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is University of Missouri-Columbia a good school for Economics in Missouri?
On pay, Economics graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn $74,661 four years out, $5,302 above the median for the same major across 5 Missouri colleges ($69,359) and $4,828 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Missouri-Columbia rank for Economics in Missouri?
Of 5 Missouri colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 2nd. The highest is Washington University in St Louis at $102,439.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $58,720 in the Columbia, MO 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 Missouri-Columbia Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).