Economicsat Montana State University
Graduates earn $47,098/yr in their first year — about 13.0% below the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $563K; scenarios range from $514K to $571K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Montana State University
Graduates earn $47,098/yr, roughly in line with the $53,966 national median for Economics. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 17.4x 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 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $25,500 debt-to-$47,098 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #148 out of 351 programs, Montana State University's Economics offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $47,098 to $58,698 shows 25% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary 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 Montana State University'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 Montana State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Montana State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Montana State 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 →Frequently asked about Economics at Montana State University
How does Montana State University's Economics program score?
This program scores 68/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Economics graduates.
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.