Economics graduates from University of California-Santa Cruz earn $110,425 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Economics at University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Economics at University of California-Santa Cruz
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of California-Santa Cruz and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Economics at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 27 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of California-Santa Cruz, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $110,425 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $85,871 across all institutions offering Economics, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of California-Santa Cruz, the mean median-earnings figure is $64,468, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Economics at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University | $138,425 | $35,445 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | $126,566 | $43,085 |
| George Washington University | $125,847 | $41,000 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | $121,910 | — |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | $121,786 | — |
| DePaul University | $117,154 | $25,705 |
| George Mason University | $111,251 | — |
| University of California-Santa Cruz (this school) | $110,425 | — |
| Marquette University | $106,753 | — |
| University of Houston | $106,324 | — |
Other Programs at University of California-Santa Cruz
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $124,641 | $23,434 |
| Computer Science | $123,422 | $16,499 |
| Computer Engineering | $120,756 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $118,290 | $16,796 |
| Economics (current) | $110,425 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $98,567 | $23,000 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $94,589 | $20,020 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $88,305 | $18,959 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $82,064 | $16,519 |
| Economics | $76,382 | $18,017 |
View all 45 programs at University of California-Santa Cruz →
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.