Economics at University of California-Merced
Merced, CA · Bachelor's Degree · about 27 graduates a year
University of California-Merced graduates in economics earn 18% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 29% of one year’s pay at that point.
How University of California-Merced Compares for Economics
All 368 colleges reporting economics earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams College Williamstown, MA | $166,678 | $146,777 | #5 | $80,888 |
| 2 | Duke University Durham, NC | $161,149 | $172,936 | #1 | $98,649 |
| 3 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | $160,763 | $141,099 | #6 | $103,041 |
| 4 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | $159,578 | $156,784 | #2 | $92,075 |
| 5 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | $155,592 | $137,015 | #8 | $103,993 |
| 6 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | $152,929 | $140,863 | #7 | $94,675 |
| 7 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | $146,524 | $133,327 | #9 | $89,505 |
| 8 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | $144,886 | $147,350 | #4 | $86,284 |
| 9 | Yale University New Haven, CT | $142,936 | $128,688 | #17 | $82,617 |
| 10 | Amherst College Amherst, MA | $141,730 | $124,808 | #19 | $90,568 |
| … | |||||
| 294 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA | $67,903 | $61,832 | #327 | $45,153 |
| 295 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN | $67,902 | $74,176 | #231 | $46,302 |
| 296 | Carthage College Kenosha, WI | $67,703 | $70,448 | #260 | $36,493 |
| 297 | University of California-Merced Merced, CA | $67,692 | $61,595 | #328 | $51,212 |
| 298 | CUNY City College New York, NY | $67,679 | $64,416 | #308 | $45,556 |
| 299 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | $67,675 | $61,580 | #329 | $37,432 |
| 300 | Ripon College Ripon, WI | $67,395 | $70,128 | #262 | — |
Other Majors at University of California-Merced by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $102,575 | $58,835 | #110 of 189 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $95,040 | $67,096 | #89 of 318 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $88,795 | $57,223 | #82 of 118 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $83,007 | $47,028 | #19 of 46 |
| Applied Mathematics | $82,156 | $39,138 | #29 of 45 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $68,277 | $46,378 | #424 of 1176 |
| Political Science and Government | $62,815 | $29,153 | #265 of 565 |
| Biology | $59,249 | $36,140 | #362 of 841 |
| English Language and Literature | $58,623 | $29,152 | #73 of 576 |
| Chemistry | $56,888 | $50,944 | #180 of 209 |
| Public Health | $56,393 | $36,555 | #115 of 215 |
| Psychology | $53,143 | $28,669 | #346 of 1027 |
| Cognitive Science | $51,147 | $32,419 | #19 of 19 |
| Sociology | $50,468 | $37,092 | #278 of 462 |
| History | $44,144 | $26,103 | #390 of 459 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do University of California-Merced economics graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $51,212 one year after graduating and $67,692 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does University of California-Merced rank for economics?
Among 368 colleges reporting earnings for economics graduates, University of California-Merced ranks #297 by median pay four years after graduation, and #328 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is economics at University of California-Merced worth it?
Its graduates earn 18% less than the national median for economics ($82,686), and the median federal debt at graduation is $19,303.
← All data for University of California-Merced · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.