U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
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 37% 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 $27,648. College Scorecard.
Washington State 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 Washington State 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 | $7,074 | $30,913 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $8,971 | $39,203 | 1.3 years |
| $48–75k | $11,519 | $50,338 | 1.7 years |
| $75–110k | $18,426 | $80,522 | 2.7 years |
| $110k+ | $24,726 | $108,053 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($70,215) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $29,996 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 Washington colleges
Every Washington 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 | Central Washington University | $88,799 | $15,000 | $18,476 | 54% |
| 2 | Whitman College | $88,393 | $17,500 | $33,313 | 81% |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $87,239 | $14,166 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 4 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $87,239 | $14,166 | $10,163 | 63% |
| 5 | University of Puget Sound | $81,082 | $26,031 | $38,394 | 68% |
| 6 | Gonzaga University | $74,061 | $22,500 | $35,119 | 86% |
| 7 | Washington State University | $70,215 | $25,656 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 8 | Seattle Pacific University | $66,787 | $26,835 | $24,488 | 62% |
| 9 | Western Washington University | $64,123 | $19,000 | $21,193 | 65% |
| 10 | Eastern Washington University | $60,954 | $21,809 | $13,886 | 43% |
3 more Washington 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 Washington State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Washington State University
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 61% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $68,905
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at Washington State University
- Marketing$76,595
- Business Administration$81,321
- Accounting$75,980
- Finance$86,012
Washington State University Economics questions
How much do Washington State University Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Washington State University earn a median $70,215 four years after graduating and $39,762 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do Washington State University Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Washington State University is $25,656, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is Washington State University a good school for Economics in Washington?
On pay, Economics graduates of Washington State University earn $70,215 four years out, $7,357 below the median for the same major across 10 Washington colleges ($77,572) and $9,274 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Washington State University rank for Economics in Washington?
Of 10 Washington colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Washington State University ranks 7th. The highest is Central Washington University at $88,799.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $102,670 in Washington 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: “Washington State University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-state-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).