Program Analysis
At $44,015 per year, Economics graduates from Illinois State University earn below the $53,966 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.
The 10.6x 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 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $15,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #219 out of 351 programs, Illinois State University's financial outcomes for Economics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth from $44,015 to $71,687 over five years (63% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.