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Economics at Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, FL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
64 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
65
Optimistic
64
Base Case
60
Pessimistic
Earnings $47,344/yr (-12% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (293,500 openings/yr)
ROI 21.4x earnings multiple (5.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #216 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 $526K $523K $486K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.5x 21.4x 19.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.2x 5.2x 4.8x
Probability of Field Employment 66% 60% 41%
DegreeOutlook Score 65 64 60

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$24,472
Out-of-state: $100,648 (5.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$41,276
-69% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,472
2.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $47,344/yr, roughly in line with the $53,966 national median for Economics. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 21.4x 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 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $47,344 far exceeding the $11,472 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

At #216 out of 351 programs, Florida Gulf Coast University's financial outcomes for Economics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Gulf Coast University accepts 77% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 13,809 students in Fort Myers, FL.

See all programs and financial aid at Florida Gulf Coast 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

Compare this program → View all 351 schools offering Economics →

Economics at Other Schools

Harvard University ($103,993) Princeton University ($103,041) Duke University ($98,649) Stanford University ($98,104) Dartmouth College ($94,675) University of Chicago ($92,075) Amherst College ($90,568) Claremont McKenna College ($89,505)

Other Majors at Florida Gulf Coast University

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($70,964) Civil Engineering ($64,411) Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($62,972) Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ($60,797) Computer Engineering ($60,746) Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions ($58,048) Finance and Financial Management Services ($55,882) Accounting and Related Services ($51,301)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Economics trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Florida Gulf Coast University's Economics program score?
A score of 64/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Florida Gulf Coast 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 →