Economics graduates from Washington University in St Louis earn $102,439 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $14,805.
Economics at Washington University in St Louis
St. Louis, Missouri • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Economics at Washington University in St Louis
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Washington University in St Louis and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Economics at the bachelor'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 105 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Washington University in St Louis, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $102,439 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 $75,993 across all institutions offering Economics, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Washington University in St Louis, the mean median-earnings figure is $92,115, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Economics graduates at Washington University in St Louis is $14,805, which translates to roughly $123 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.14 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Williams College | $166,678 | $12,925 |
| Duke University | $161,149 | $13,187 |
| Princeton University | $160,763 | $11,250 |
| University of Chicago | $159,578 | $13,395 |
| Harvard University | $155,592 | $6,617 |
| Dartmouth College | $152,929 | $18,132 |
| Claremont McKenna College | $146,524 | $12,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $144,886 | $22,020 |
| Yale University | $142,936 | $12,562 |
| Amherst College | $141,730 | $16,662 |
Other Programs at Washington University in St Louis
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | $229,459 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $185,551 | $19,500 |
| Computer Science | $177,066 | $15,250 |
| Computer Science | $167,975 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $165,087 | — |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $162,355 | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $160,419 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $153,933 | $81,700 |
| Law | $141,243 | $92,540 |
| Systems Engineering | $119,297 | $23,139 |
Other Schools with Economics
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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.