U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 403 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 15% 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 $26,055. College Scorecard.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill'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 | $2,004 | $8,176 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $3,918 | $15,985 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $8,538 | $34,835 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $16,415 | $66,973 | 1.0 years |
| $110k+ | $24,396 | $99,536 | 1.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (86% 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 ($103,846) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $70,330 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | Duke University | $161,149 | $13,437 | $29,612 | 97% |
| 2 | Elon University | $112,303 | $19,500 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $103,846 | $15,843 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 4 | Wake Forest University | $98,209 | $20,927 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 5 | North Carolina A & T State University | $69,296 | $27,000 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 6 | Appalachian State University | $67,285 | $21,894 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $66,736 | $18,791 | $12,250 | 54% |
| 8 | East Carolina University | $64,597 | $25,375 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $50,863 | — | $10,965 | 56% |
16 more North Carolina 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance rate: 15% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 91% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $72,200
- Full cost breakdown · all 51 majors · overview
Related majors at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Business Administration$135,874
- Human Resources$76,811
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Economics questions
How much do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a median $103,846 four years after graduating and $65,344 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $15,843, about 15% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a good school for Economics in North Carolina?
On pay, Economics graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn $103,846 four years out, $34,550 above the median for the same major across 9 North Carolina colleges ($69,296) and $24,357 above the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill rank for Economics in North Carolina?
Of 9 North Carolina colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 3rd. The highest is Duke University at $161,149.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $57,870 in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).