Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Economics bachelor's degree outcomes at University at Albany

Albany, NY · 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.

$19,355 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
38.6% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$828 / year
10-year scenario
−26% · 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$63,331 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.

+79%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$37,188$66,432
97Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
95Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
113Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
290Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$18,553Awarding-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.

745Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
171Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
473Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
447Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,350Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$63,331$28,981 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 74 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$17,167

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

02 · BORROWING$24,474

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$63,331

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$259/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$17,167Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$28,802Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE69.1%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE61.5%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.

$37,188Year 1
$63,331Year 4
$66,432Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.9% 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$5,278
Estimated loan payment$259
290borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$63,331 vs. $82,686

$19,355 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$167,200 median wageNY estimate · 18,470 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomists$136,660 median wageNY estimate · 910 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$127,500 median wageNY estimate · 1,240 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$61,210 median wageNY estimate · 3,040 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$86,890 median wageNY estimate · 380 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 0.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeStatisticians$136,020 median wageNY estimate · 1,220 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$130,460 median wageNY estimate · 23,970 jobs · 15-2051+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$98,580 median wageNY estimate · 80,500 jobs · 13-1161+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$97,070 median wageNY estimate · 70,660 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.

New York, NY

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

$20,023 higher earnings · $12,716 less debt · $14,134 lower annual net price

Earnings
$83,354
Debt
$11,758
Annual net price
$3,033
View outcomes →
Staten Island, NY

College of Staten Island CUNY

$7,416 higher earnings · $7,954 less debt · $11,588 lower annual net price

Earnings
$70,747
Debt
$16,520
Annual net price
$5,579
View outcomes →
New York, NY

CUNY Hunter College

$6,589 higher earnings · $10,474 less debt · $14,183 lower annual net price

Earnings
$69,920
Debt
$14,000
Annual net price
$2,984
View outcomes →
New York, NY

CUNY City College

$4,348 higher earnings · $17,174 less debt · $13,391 lower annual net price

Earnings
$67,679
Debt
$7,300
Annual net price
$3,776
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

113 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 →