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Social Sciences · Economics Rank #309 of 351

Economicsat Pitzer College

Graduates earn $59,767/yr in their first year — about 11.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $608K; scenarios range from $545K to $621K depending on AI disruption.

Claremont, CA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
54 AVERAGE
55
Optimistic
50
Pessimistic
Earnings
$59,767
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.4x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$608K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Pitzer College

Pitzer's Economics program, nestled within the distinctive Claremont Colleges consortium, offers a strong foundation that extends far beyond pure economic theory. Your outcomes reflect the rigor of a selective liberal arts education, where critical thinking, communication, and interdisciplinary approaches are paramount. This environment cultivates versatile graduates highly sought after by employers in consulting, tech, public policy, and finance, particularly within the dynamic Southern California market and beyond, drawing on strong alumni networks and recruiting pipelines established by the entire Claremont system.

While certain routine data analysis and forecasting tasks within economics face increasing automation risk, your Pitzer education emphasizes higher-order analytical reasoning, ethical considerations, and complex problem-solving—skills that are inherently human-centric and less susceptible to AI disruption. Many graduates leverage this breadth to become effective managers, strategists, and analysts across diverse sectors. To maximize your potential, actively seek out opportunities for research, internships that apply economic principles to real-world challenges, and cross-disciplinary studies to develop a unique, future-proof skillset.

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
$545K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple2.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$608K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple2.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$621K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Pitzer College'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 Pitzer College 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
Same state (CA)
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 Pitzer College

Other top programs at Pitzer College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Pitzer 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Economics at Pitzer College

How does Pitzer College's Economics program score?

A score of 54/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Pitzer College 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.