Economicsat Portland State University
Graduates earn $47,865/yr in their first year — about 11.0% below the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $585K; scenarios range from $529K to $595K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Portland State University
Portland State University's Economics program produces graduates earning $47,865/yr — within striking distance of the $53,966 national average for this field.
The 13.0x 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 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,000 in median debt clears quickly against $47,865 in annual earnings.
At #186 out of 351 programs, Portland State University's financial outcomes for Economics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $47,865 to $61,635 shows 29% 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 Portland 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 Portland State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Portland State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Portland 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 Portland State University
How does Portland State University's Economics program score?
A score of 66/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Portland State University 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.