Economics bachelor's degree outcomes at Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS · 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.
$10,939 below the national median for the same field and credential.
Debt pressure
28.3% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$21,868 / year
10-year scenario
+4% · 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.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$87,470
$8,000Annual price+$55,470
$16,000Annual price+$23,470
$19,000Current college-wide context+$11,470
$24,000Annual price−$8,530
$32,000Annual price−$40,530
$40,000Annual price−$72,530
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
+44%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$52,490 → $75,615Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohortNot availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort22Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median26Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt medianNot availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credentialNot 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.
31Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollmentNot reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers15Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,058Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$71,747$37,689 above the preliminary benchmark
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$19,406
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$20,312
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$71,747
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$215/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.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
$52,490Year 1
$71,747Year 4
$75,615Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.6% 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$5,979
Estimated loan payment$215
26borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$71,747 vs. $82,686
$10,939 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.
Economists$138,790 median wageKS estimate · 80 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeManagers, All Other$131,710 median wageKS estimate · 2,690 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$103,490 median wageKS estimate · 130 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$67,740 median wageKS estimate · 170 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$57,700 median wageKS estimate · 210 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 0.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeStatisticians$111,780 median wageKS estimate · 80 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$98,130 median wageKS estimate · 490 jobs · 15-2051+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$70,430 median wageKS estimate · 8,090 jobs · 13-1161+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,920 median wageKS estimate · 10,860 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.