Economicsat Reed College
Graduates earn $53,110/yr in their first year — about 2.0% below the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $562K; scenarios range from $513K to $570K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Reed College
First-year earnings of $53,110 track close to the $53,966 national median for Economics programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The financial case is thin at 2.1x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
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 10% gap from the optimistic case.
At $22,842 in median debt against $53,110 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #320 of 351 Economics programs, Reed College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
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 Reed 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 Reed College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Reed College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Reed 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 Reed College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Economics at Reed College?
This program scores 52/100 — 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 $513,457 in decade earnings vs $569,983 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.