Economics at Denison University

Granville, OH · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
60 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
61
Optimistic
60
Base Case
56
Pessimistic
Earnings $55,087/yr (2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (293,500 openings/yr)
ROI 2.9x earnings multiple
Ranked #267 of 351 Economics programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Economics graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $775K $746K $639K
Earnings Multiple 3.0x 2.9x 2.5x
Probability of Field Employment 66% 60% 41%
DegreeOutlook Score 61 60 56

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$256,000
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$152,444
40% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,375
4.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$83,351
51% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $55,087/yr, Economics graduates from Denison University land near the $53,966 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

An earnings multiple of 2.9x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $22,375 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #267 out of 351 programs, Denison University's financial outcomes for Economics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

Earnings growth from $55,087 to $83,351 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Denison University

A 17% acceptance rate puts Denison University in competitive admissions territory, a smaller institution with 2,398 students in Granville, OH. After financial aid, the average student pays $152,444 over four years — 40% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at Denison University →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980/yr
Economists $115,440/yr
View all 9 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Economics at Other Schools

Other Majors at Denison University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Denison University's Economics program score?
A score of 60/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Denison University trails the majority of Economics programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →