Economics bachelor's degree at Lewis & Clark College
Portland, OR · Private nonprofit
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 close to similar programs.
$1,119 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
Debt as a share of earnings
31.0% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
$46,418 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff
+13% · Positive 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+$185,670
$14,000Annual price+$129,670
$28,000Annual price+$73,670
$36,000Current college-wide context+$41,670
$42,000Annual price+$17,670
$56,000Annual price−$38,330
$70,000Annual price−$94,330
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
+21%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$49,576 → $60,179Not 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 median20Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt medianNot availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credentialNot availableRecent 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.
53Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers23Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count34Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
15Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$81,567$46,759 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$36,013
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$25,246
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$81,567
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$268/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.
$49,576Year 1
$81,567Year 4
$60,179Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.9% 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$6,797
Estimated loan payment$268
20borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$81,567 vs. $82,686
$1,119 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$136,450 median wageOR estimate · 180 jobs · 25-1063$104,090–$173,760 middle 50% of OR wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeManagers, All Other$125,580 median wageOR estimate · 7,680 jobs · 11-9199$99,430–$170,870 middle 50% of OR wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomists$122,120 median wageOR estimate · 320 jobs · 19-3011$98,170–$128,080 middle 50% of OR wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$56,770 median wageOR estimate · 220 jobs · 19-4061$50,790–$69,690 middle 50% of OR wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$64,660 median wageOR estimate · 190 jobs · 19-3022$60,220–$79,500 middle 50% of OR wages-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 600 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$125,990 median wageOR estimate · 2,140 jobs · 15-2051$96,770–$163,710 middle 50% of OR wages+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeStatisticians$93,620 median wageOR estimate · 600 jobs · 15-2041$69,020–$113,350 middle 50% of OR wages+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,570 median wageOR estimate · 11,730 jobs · 25-2031$61,990–$96,140 middle 50% of OR wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$79,150 median wageOR estimate · 11,310 jobs · 13-1161$60,860–$107,990 middle 50% of OR wages+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82,000 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.
Portland, OR
Reed College
$10,886 higher earnings · $2,404 less debt · $3,000 lower annual net price