Economicsat The College of New Jersey
Graduates earn $62,218/yr in their first year — about 15.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $682K; scenarios range from $596K to $704K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at TCNJ
First-year earnings of $62,218 at The College of New Jersey come in 15% above the national median of $53,966 for Economics programs.
At 9.1x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $62,218 far exceeding the $21,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #104 out of 351 programs, The College of New Jersey's Economics offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $62,218 to $77,796 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 TCNJ'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 TCNJ stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at TCNJ
Other highest-scoring programs offered at TCNJ, 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 TCNJ
How does The College of New Jersey's Economics program score?
A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. The College of New Jersey'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.