How much do Economics bachelor's degree graduates from Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus earn?

The reported median is $81,228 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $25,000.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 2% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Economics bachelor's degree at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · 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 close to similar programs.

$1,458 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 30.8% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: $45,570 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: +16% · 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+$182,280

$14,000Annual price+$126,280

$28,000Annual price+$70,280

$33,000Current college-wide context+$50,280

$42,000Annual price+$14,280

$56,000Annual price−$41,720

$70,000Annual price−$97,720

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+58%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$55,418 → $87,517

316Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

153Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

349Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

468Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$48,883Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not 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.

696Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

170Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

211Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

403Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

5.8%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 42 non-completers

363Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,274Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$81,228$45,954 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 85 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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$32,875

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

02 · BORROWING$25,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$81,228

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$265/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$32,875Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$39,694Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE60.6%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE86.1%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.

$55,418Year 1

$81,228Year 4

$87,517Year 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$6,769

Estimated loan payment$265

468borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$81,228 vs. $82,686

$1,458 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$131,600 median wagePA estimate · 20,170 jobs · 11-9199$99,060–$171,340 middle 50% of PA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$117,970 median wagePA estimate · 610 jobs · 25-1063$97,360–$129,900 middle 50% of PA wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$115,000 median wagePA estimate · 560 jobs · 19-3011$81,470–$138,010 middle 50% of PA wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$54,610 median wagePA estimate · 860 jobs · 19-4061$48,590–$64,790 middle 50% of PA wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$63,310 median wagePA estimate · 8,290 jobs · 19-3022$51,510–$74,030 middle 50% of PA wages-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 600 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$106,850 median wagePA estimate · 13,810 jobs · 15-2051$79,220–$129,160 middle 50% of PA wages+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeStatisticians$93,830 median wagePA estimate · 1,630 jobs · 15-2041$71,580–$132,380 middle 50% of PA wages+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,800 median wagePA estimate · 52,240 jobs · 25-2031$61,750–$92,980 middle 50% of PA wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$68,760 median wagePA estimate · 31,040 jobs · 13-1161$49,790–$96,670 middle 50% of PA wages+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

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