Economicsat William & Mary
Graduates earn $65,603/yr in their first year — about 22.0% above the national Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $746K; scenarios range from $639K to $775K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at William & Mary
At $65,603 per year, Economics graduates from William & Mary earn slightly above the $53,966 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 7.4x 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 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $19,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #109 out of 351 programs, William & Mary's Economics offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $65,603 to $86,782 shows 32% 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 William & Mary'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 William & Mary stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at William & Mary
Other highest-scoring programs offered at William & Mary, 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 William & Mary
How does William & Mary's Economics program score?
A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. William & Mary'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.