COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Economics bachelor's degree at Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN · 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.
$509 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 29.7% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $50,488 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +60% · 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+$201,950
$14,000Current college-wide context+$145,950
$15,000Current college-wide context+$141,950
$28,000Annual price+$89,950
$42,000Annual price+$33,950
$56,000Annual price−$22,050
$70,000Annual price−$78,050
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
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.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,051Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$83,195$48,144 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 25 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$14,600
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$24,700
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$83,195
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$262/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$14,600Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$24,591Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE49.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE83.1%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.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.8% 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$6,933
Estimated loan payment$262
45borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$83,195 vs. $82,686
$509 above the national median for the same field and credential.
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$105,390 median wageIN estimate · 150 jobs · 25-1063$76,790–$167,630 middle 50% of IN wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$80,750 median wageIN estimate · 80 jobs · 19-3011$47,350–$144,640 middle 50% of IN wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeManagers, All Other$79,900 median wageIN estimate · 6,990 jobs · 11-9199$58,470–$129,880 middle 50% of IN wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$57,020 median wageIN estimate · 210 jobs · 19-4061$34,710–$75,930 middle 50% of IN 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$109,300 median wageIN estimate · 230 jobs · 15-2041$52,770–$145,270 middle 50% of IN wages+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$91,470 median wageIN estimate · 3,580 jobs · 15-2051$72,670–$127,510 middle 50% of IN wages+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$63,700 median wageIN estimate · 14,400 jobs · 13-1161$49,110–$86,080 middle 50% of IN wages+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,880 median wageIN estimate · 20,430 jobs · 25-2031$51,580–$77,430 middle 50% of IN 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.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Public Administration
Health Care and Social Assistance
Finance and Insurance
Educational Services
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.
University of Notre Dame
$39,442 higher earnings · $4,735 less debt
- Earnings
- $122,637
- Debt
- $19,965
- Annual net price
- $26,780
Indiana University-Bloomington
$16,458 higher earnings · $4,200 less debt
- Earnings
- $99,653
- Debt
- $20,500
- Annual net price
- $16,264
Indiana University-Indianapolis
$5,989 less debt · $2,932 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $68,036
- Debt
- $18,711
- Annual net price
- $11,668
DePauw University
$11,566 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $94,761
- Debt
- $26,978
- Annual net price
- $22,264
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
30 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
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 →