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Social Sciences · Economics Rank #251 of 351

Economicsat The University of the South

Graduates earn $58,532/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $691K; scenarios range from $601K to $713K depending on AI disruption.

Sewanee, TN Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
61 SOLID
62
Optimistic
57
Pessimistic
Earnings
$58,532
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$691K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of the South

The University of the South's Economics graduates start at $58,532/yr — above the $53,966 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 3.2x return on tuition is positive but not overwhelming. Financial outcomes depend on keeping costs close to in-state rates.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $23,250 in median debt clears quickly against $58,532 in annual earnings.

At #251 out of 351 programs, The University of the South's financial outcomes for Economics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $58,532 to $77,878 shows 33% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

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
$601K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple2.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$691K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple3.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$713K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple3.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of the South'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 University of the South 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
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 University of the South

Other top programs at University of the South

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of the South, 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 University of the South

How does The University of the South's Economics program score?

A score of 61/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The University of the South 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.