Economicsat Macalester College
Graduates earn $59,752/yr in their first year — about 11.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $855K; scenarios range from $713K to $896K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Macalester College
Graduates earn $59,752/yr, edging above the $53,966 national average for Economics — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
An earnings multiple of 3.3x 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 20% gap from the optimistic case.
At $24,000 in median debt against $59,752 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #189 of 351 Economics programs, Macalester College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $97,301 show a 63% jump from the $59,752 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.
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 Macalester 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 Macalester College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Macalester College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Macalester 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 Macalester College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Economics at Macalester College?
This program scores 65/100 — 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 $713,279 in decade earnings vs $895,875 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Macalester College a hidden gem for Economics?
After financial aid, the average student pays $119,920 over four years — 54% below the $259,632 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.