Economicsat Santa Clara University
Graduates earn $76,606/yr in their first year — about 42.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,076K; scenarios range from $865K to $1,143K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Santa Clara University
The exceptional earning potential for Santa Clara Economics graduates stems directly from its enviable position in Silicon Valley. This prime location provides unparalleled access to internships and career opportunities across leading tech, finance, and consulting firms. Employers actively seek out SCU talent for roles demanding strong analytical, data interpretation, and problem-solving skills, which are hallmarks of this program. You'll find graduates leveraging their economic insights as data scientists, business analysts, and managers at major tech companies or within Bay Area financial services. While AI risk is noted, this often highlights roles ripe for augmentation rather than replacement, making your ability to integrate new tools a vital asset. To maximize your outcome, actively pursue internships from your sophomore year and cultivate robust quantitative and programming proficiencies alongside your economic theory.
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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Santa Clara University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara University
How does Santa Clara University's Economics program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Santa Clara University's Economics graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
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.
Why does Santa Clara University rank so high for Economics?
The #58 ranking out of 351 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.