Business Economics at University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business/Managerial Economics
71 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
73
Optimistic
71
Base Case
68
Pessimistic
Earnings $56,114/yr (5% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (53% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (105,700 openings/yr)
ROI 16.9x earnings multiple (5.6x out-of-state)
Ranked #5 of 81 Business/Managerial Economics programs Top 10%

Program Analysis

The University of Arizona's Business/Managerial Economics program stands out nationally, reflecting its strong curriculum and the university's reputation as a flagship public institution. This applied economics focus, deeply embedded within the Eller College of Management, provides you with a robust analytical toolkit highly valued by employers across various sectors. The program benefits from its location within a growing Southwest economy, with strong recruiting pipelines into Arizona's expanding finance, tech, and defense industries, and easy access to the broader Phoenix market. Your training in economic modeling and data interpretation prepares you for roles requiring strategic decision-making, like financial risk or management analysis. While the "Very High" AI risk indicates many analytical tasks are evolving, your future role will shift towards higher-level strategy and interpretation. Focus on developing strong communication and leadership skills alongside your quantitative abilities; these will be your greatest differentiators in an AI-augmented workplace.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Business Economics graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $983K $921K $777K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.0x 16.9x 14.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.0x 5.6x 4.7x
Probability of Field Employment 66% 58% 42%
DegreeOutlook Score 73 71 68

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$54,504
Out-of-state: $164,380 (5.6x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$63,840
-17% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,500
4.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$103,583
85% growth from Year 1

About University of Arizona

With 86% of applicants admitted, University of Arizona prioritizes broad access, serving a student body of 40,769 in Tucson, AZ.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Arizona →

Top Career Paths

Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980/yr
Economists $115,440/yr
Financial risk specialists $106,000/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Arizona's Business Economics program score?
A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Arizona's Business Economics graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Business Economics to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Business Economics careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 53% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →