Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Economics bachelor's degree outcomes at Spelman College

Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit · Federal field 4506

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$3,230 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
34.0% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$41,140 / year
10-year scenario
+3% · Positive payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$79,456 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+35%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$59,907$81,070
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
22Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
53Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
56Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$117,586Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

173Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
38Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
96Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
126Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$79,456$44,648 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 87 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$38,967

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$27,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$79,456

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$286/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$38,967Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$50,952Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE24.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE78.5%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$59,907Year 1
$79,456Year 4
$81,070Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$6,621
Estimated loan payment$286
56borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$79,456 vs. $82,686

$3,230 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Managers, All Other$125,000 median wageGA estimate · 34,680 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomists$122,570 median wageGA estimate · 260 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$117,600 median wageGA estimate · 370 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$66,620 median wageGA estimate · 1,840 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$51,590 median wageGA estimate · 8,290 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 0.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeStatisticians$115,150 median wageGA estimate · 460 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$104,340 median wageGA estimate · 9,260 jobs · 15-2051+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$75,850 median wageGA estimate · 27,810 jobs · 13-1161+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,480 median wageGA estimate · 25,730 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Atlanta, GA

Emory University

$32,175 higher earnings · $6,000 less debt · $16,382 lower annual net price

Earnings
$111,631
Debt
$21,000
Annual net price
$22,585
View outcomes →
Athens, GA

University of Georgia

$2,982 higher earnings · $10,076 less debt · $25,031 lower annual net price

Earnings
$82,438
Debt
$16,924
Annual net price
$13,936
View outcomes →
Carrollton, GA

University of West Georgia

$1,750 less debt · $26,181 lower annual net price

Earnings
$56,681
Debt
$25,250
Annual net price
$12,786
View outcomes →
Atlanta, GA

Morehouse College

$5,360 higher earnings

Earnings
$84,816
Debt
$27,000
Annual net price
$39,013
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

53 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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