Home Schools Colorado State University-Fort Collins Economics
Social Sciences · Economics Rank #142 of 351

Economicsat Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Graduates earn $48,462/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $649K; scenarios range from $573K to $667K depending on AI disruption.

Fort Collins, CO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
68 SOLID
69
Optimistic
65
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,462
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$649K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Economics program produces graduates earning $48,462/yr — within striking distance of the $53,966 national average for this field.

The 12.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $21,500 in median debt clears quickly against $48,462 in annual earnings.

Ranked #142 out of 351 programs, Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Economics offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $48,462 to $69,679 shows 44% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$573K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score65/100
Earnings Multiple11.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$649K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple12.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$667K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple12.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Colorado State University-Fort Collins's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Economics graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
Economics teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$119,980/yr
Moderate
3
Economists
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$115,440/yr
High
4
Data scientists
+33.5% 10-yr growth · 23,400 openings/yr
$112,590/yr
High
5
Statisticians
+8.5% 10-yr growth · 2,000 openings/yr
$103,300/yr
High
6
Market research analysts and marketing specialists
+6.7% 10-yr growth · 87,200 openings/yr
$76,950/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Economics

How Colorado State University-Fort Collins stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Harvard University
MA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$104K
1-yr earn
5.8x
ROI
Princeton University
NJ · Private nonprofit
62
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
5.5x
ROI
Stanford University
CA · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$98K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Dartmouth College
NH · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$95K
1-yr earn
4.8x
ROI
Also at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Other top programs at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Colorado State University-Fort Collins, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Economics offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Economics trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Economics at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

How does Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Economics program score?

This program scores 68/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Economics graduates.

How vulnerable is Economics to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Economics careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.