Home Schools Furman University Economics
Social Sciences · Economics Rank #315 of 351

Economicsat Furman University

Graduates earn $55,615/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $579K; scenarios range from $525K to $589K depending on AI disruption.

Greenville, SC Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
53 AVERAGE
54
Optimistic
49
Pessimistic
Earnings
$55,615
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.4x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$579K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Furman University

Furman University's Economics program produces graduates earning $55,615/yr — within striking distance of the $53,966 national average for this field.

An earnings multiple of 2.5x 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 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $24,125 in median debt clears quickly against $55,615 in annual earnings.

At #315 out of 351 programs, Furman University's financial outcomes for Economics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

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
$525K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score49/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$579K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score53/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$589K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Furman University'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 Furman University 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 Furman University

Other top programs at Furman University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Furman University, 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 Furman University

How does Furman University's Economics program score?

A score of 53/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Furman 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.