How much do Economics bachelor's degree graduates from Montana State University earn?

The reported median is $62,511 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $25,500.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 24% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Economics bachelor's degree at Montana State University

Bozeman, MT · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are below similar programs.

$20,175 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 40.8% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −35% · Negative payoff
Available price data: 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−$4,890

$8,000Annual price−$36,890

$16,000Annual price−$68,890

$22,000Current college-wide context−$92,890

$24,000Annual price−$100,890

$32,000Annual price−$132,890

$40,000Annual price−$164,890

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+25%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$47,098 → $58,698

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

18Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

20Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

0Recent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.

48Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

21Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

28Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$31,564Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$62,511$30,947 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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$22,499

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

02 · BORROWING$25,500

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$62,511

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$270/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.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$22,499Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$25,905Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE82.1%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE57.1%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.

$47,098Year 1

$62,511Year 4

$58,698Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

5.2% 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$5,209

Estimated loan payment$270

20borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$62,511 vs. $82,686

$20,175 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.

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary$123,920 median wageU.S. estimate · 11,560 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeManagers, All Other$110,470 median wageMT estimate · 1,600 jobs · 11-9199$82,680–$138,270 middle 50% of MT wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomists$89,340 median wageMT estimate · 90 jobs · 19-3011$73,920–$105,050 middle 50% of MT wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$49,860 median wageMT estimate · 30 jobs · 19-4061$45,290–$51,820 middle 50% of MT wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$69,460 median wageU.S. estimate · 8,290 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 600 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeStatisticians$105,650 median wageU.S. estimate · 29,030 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$100,490 median wageMT estimate · 220 jobs · 15-2051$70,990–$127,840 middle 50% of MT wages+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$68,080 median wageMT estimate · 1,460 jobs · 13-1161$53,190–$80,730 middle 50% of MT wages+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,990 median wageMT estimate · 3,670 jobs · 25-2031$47,420–$74,470 middle 50% of MT wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

Public Administration

about 15.5%

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 13.7%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 12.7%

Educational Services

about 11.5%

Retail Trade

about 8.7%

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.

Williamstown, MA

Williams College

$104,167 higher earnings · $12,575 less debt · $4,783 lower annual net price

Earnings: $166,678
Debt: $12,925
Annual net price: $17,716

View outcomes →

Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

$98,252 higher earnings · $14,250 less debt · $16,371 lower annual net price

Earnings: $160,763
Debt: $11,250
Annual net price: $6,128

View outcomes →

Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

$97,067 higher earnings · $12,303 less debt · $7,639 lower annual net price

Earnings: $159,578
Debt: $13,197
Annual net price: $14,860

View outcomes →

Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

$93,081 higher earnings · $18,883 less debt · $3,433 lower annual net price

Earnings: $155,592
Debt: $6,617
Annual net price: $19,066

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

18 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.

Calculate my payoff →