Economicsat Lake Forest College
Graduates earn $53,529/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $669K; scenarios range from $587K to $689K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Lake Forest College
Graduates earn $53,529/yr, roughly in line with the $53,966 national median for Economics. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
An earnings multiple of 3.1x 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 15% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $27,000 represents roughly 6 months of the $53,529 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #280 of 351 Economics programs, Lake Forest College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $53,529 to $73,747 over five years — a 38% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Lake Forest College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Economics
How Lake Forest College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Lake Forest College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Lake Forest College, 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 →Frequently asked about Economics at Lake Forest College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Economics at Lake Forest College?
This program scores 58/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Economics programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Economics careers?
With 56% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $586,569 in decade earnings vs $689,223 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.