Program Analysis
At $83,135 per year, Economics graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York significantly outpace the $53,966 national average for this major, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.
An earnings multiple of 4.0x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Economics's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 25% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $25,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #68 of 351 nationally, this is a top-5% Economics program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $134,398 show a 62% jump from the $83,135 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.