The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark of all students with the same graduate degree, adjusting for the in-state / out-of-state composition of the student body.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
A wide-reaching field that can help you get a handle on the hidden motivations driving humans to earn and spend, economics is perfect for people who want to combine behavioral science with number-driven data analysis.
While most econ majors do just fine with only a bachelor’s degree, they generally work in a corporate environment in jobs that aren’t strictly related to their major. If you’re passionate about the science of economics, however, you may want to consider graduate school.
Notably, a master’s degree is an important asset if you want to work as an economist.
Below, we list the best economics masters programs according to return on investment. As an adept student of homo economicus, you understand the importance of a degree’s value for money. The schools below provide exactly that.
Find out more about our methodology for ranking colleges.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$71,768
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.3
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$18,203
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$111,534
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.4
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$42,887
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$70,594
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.3
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$18,583
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$126,163
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.3
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$40,709
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$69,338
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.3
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$20,000
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$89,229
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.3
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$26,988
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$124,851
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.5
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$67,615
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$90,968
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.4
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$36,487
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$84,684
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.4
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$31,962
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$57,318
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.3
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$19,708
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$66,870
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.5
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$30,638
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$76,460
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.5
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$37,017
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$75,503
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.5
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$40,779
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$77,296
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.5
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$39,484
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$64,493
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.5
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$34,166
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$93,099
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.6
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$51,250
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$93,679
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.8
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$70,905
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$89,355
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.7
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$65,111
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$71,507
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.7
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$47,369
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earningsplus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.
Earnings$44,384
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Debt to earnings0.8
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Debt$36,304
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
How long does it take to pay down debt in economics?
Years
Under a year
The average debt accrued from a master's degree in economics is covered by average graduate earnings in under a year.
How much do graduates with a master's degree in economics earn?
Salary
$79,733
The median master's degree in economics graduate earns $79,733 4 years after graduating.
How much does a master's degree in economics cost?
Net cost
$22,411
The average annual cost of a master's degree in economics is $22,411. This is the net cost and considers only students that have received Title IV funds.
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