Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Economics bachelor's degree outcomes at University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL · Public · 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 trail the same-degree benchmark.

$19,257 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
30.0% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$1,073 / year
10-year scenario
−18% · Negative 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$63,429 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.

+101%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$37,767$75,992
65Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
70Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
76Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
104Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-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.

206Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
53Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
135Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
72Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$63,429$28,621 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 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$10,974

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

02 · BORROWING$19,002

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$63,429

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$201/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$10,974Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$27,521Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE77.3%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE61.6%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.

$37,767Year 1
$63,429Year 4
$75,992Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

3.8% 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$5,286
Estimated loan payment$201
104borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$63,429 vs. $82,686

$19,257 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$140,240 median wageIL estimate · 31,680 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$124,850 median wageIL estimate · 460 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$124,720 median wageU.S. estimate · 17,790 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$64,890 median wageIL estimate · 250 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$54,080 median wageIL estimate · 320 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 0.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeStatisticians$119,760 median wageIL estimate · 480 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$106,560 median wageIL estimate · 10,520 jobs · 15-2051+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,990 median wageIL estimate · 44,670 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$79,120 median wageIL estimate · 40,560 jobs · 13-1161+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82k 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.

Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

$96,149 higher earnings · $5,805 less debt

Earnings
$159,578
Debt
$13,197
Annual net price
$14,860
View outcomes →
Evanston, IL

Northwestern University

$62,577 higher earnings · $2,775 less debt

Earnings
$126,006
Debt
$16,227
Annual net price
$29,167
View outcomes →
Chicago, IL

DePaul University

$36,756 higher earnings

Earnings
$100,185
Debt
$22,433
Annual net price
$30,902
View outcomes →
Champaign, IL

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

$23,431 higher earnings

Earnings
$86,860
Debt
$21,228
Annual net price
$14,355
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

76 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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