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 14% 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 $88,488. College Scorecard.
Washington University in St Louis 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 University in St Louis'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 | $1,716 | $7,018 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $1,928 | $7,886 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $5,578 | $22,814 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,603 | $51,546 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $42,170 | $172,475 | 2.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (87% 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 ($102,439) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $67,001 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 Washington University in St Louis, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance rate: 12% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 94% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $86,182
- Full cost breakdown · all 88 majors · overview
Related majors at Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis Economics questions
How much do Washington University in St Louis Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Washington University in St Louis earn a median $102,439 four years after graduating and $66,325 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do Washington University in St Louis Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Washington University in St Louis is $14,110, about 14% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is Washington University in St Louis a good school for Economics in Missouri?
On pay, Economics graduates of Washington University in St Louis earn $102,439 four years out, $33,080 above the median for the same major across 5 Missouri colleges ($69,359) and $22,950 above the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Washington University in St Louis rank for Economics in Missouri?
Of 5 Missouri colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Washington University in St Louis ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $62,130 in the St. Louis, MO-IL 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: “Washington University in St Louis Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).