College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges for Economics
Studying economics can really pay off. *zing!* Students who major in economics learn the analytical, quantitative, writing, and thinking skills that are needed in the business world. If you major in economics, you’re likely to see big returns on your investment, provided they’ve done the research to choose a school that pays you back.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Harvard University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,816,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$311,000 | Graduation Rate:98% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,000 |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Stanford University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,572,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$314,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$52,000 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Bowdoin College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,441,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$302,000 | Graduation Rate:94% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$42,000 |
| Rank:4 | School Name: Colgate University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,432,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$316,000 | Graduation Rate:91% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,100 |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Brown University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,415,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$324,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$40,200 |
| Rank:6 | School Name:_50px.png) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,378,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$302,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$55,200 |
| Rank:7 | School Name: at Annapolis_50px.png) United States Naval Academy (Service Academy) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,358,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$0 | Graduation Rate:90% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:- |
| Rank:8 | School Name: Claremont McKenna College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,346,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$314,000 | Graduation Rate:91% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$30,500 |
| Rank:9 | School Name: Rice University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,333,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$283,000 | Graduation Rate:94% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$43,300 |
| Rank:10 | School Name: Princeton University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,326,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$301,000 | Graduation Rate:97% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$30,200 |
Economics is usually grouped within the social science family, but it’s becoming an increasingly popular major, since it forces students to learn a variety of valuable skills, like statistics, critical thinking, finance and more. If you use Payscale’s College ROI Report, you’ll find that there are many colleges where an economics degrees leads to a high return on investment. This list can help you find the best value colleges for economics majors.
High on our list is the University of Pennsylvania, often referred to simply as “Penn”. This Ivy League school is revered as one of the top research academies in the nation and his home to The Wharton School of Business, the most famous business school in the nation, so it should come as no surprise that it takes the cake for rewarding its economics alumni with a hefty return on investment for their educational dollars.
Penn is a private school, and an expensive one at that, but many of the best value schools for economics majors on our list are public colleges and universities. (Leave it to economics majors to find a good value, right?)
Economics majors at The University of California, Berkeley can also expect ROIs that rank highly. Even out-of-state Cal students see an excellent return on investment despite much higher tuition.
America’s eighth-oldest university and “The Birthplace of College Football,”
Looking at the numbers from the College ROI Report, economics majors can surely count on a decent return on their educational dollars, especially from these top-tier schools. Consider a higher education in economics because the career opportunities are nearly limitless and are in high demand, plus you’ll get your money’s worth.
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