Best Economics Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
17
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$647,738
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$56,987
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Colorado School of Mines
Grad rate: 80.5% |
CO | +$1,313,568 | $111,534 | $38,556 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Johns Hopkins University
Grad rate: 94.3% |
MD | +$1,134,080 | $106,834 | $81,300 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Duke University
Grad rate: 96.2% |
NC | +$1,081,462 | $104,348 | $82,749 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Fordham University
Grad rate: 81.8% |
NY | +$1,054,858 | $102,478 | $77,351 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
American University
Grad rate: 79.0% |
DC | +$878,882 | $93,099 | $71,549 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
George Mason University
Grad rate: 69.9% |
VA | +$799,736 | $84,684 | $26,972 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Georgetown University
Grad rate: 95.0% |
DC | +$697,708 | $85,355 | $84,696 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
University of San Francisco
Grad rate: 72.8% |
CA | +$579,678 | $78,626 | $76,421 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
DePaul University
Grad rate: 69.7% |
IL | +$550,906 | $75,492 | $59,467 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Wright State University-Main Campus
Grad rate: 44.8% |
OH | +$545,630 | $71,607 | $23,255 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
CUNY Brooklyn College
Grad rate: 55.8% |
NY | +$481,074 | $67,411 | $13,573 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Georgia State University
Grad rate: 54.3% |
GA | +$444,330 | $66,870 | $26,535 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
George Washington University
Grad rate: 85.0% |
DC | +$428,686 | $71,507 | $80,727 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
The University of Texas at Austin
Grad rate: 87.7% |
TX | +$424,896 | $66,229 | $29,842 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
University of California-Santa Cruz
Grad rate: 75.7% |
CA | +$323,722 | $62,051 | $38,649 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Brandeis University
Grad rate: 86.7% |
MA | +$292,274 | $64,826 | $82,123 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
University of Denver
Grad rate: 77.7% |
CO | -$19,940 | $48,505 | $75,020 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Economics Degrees by State
Browse Economics programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.