Economics at Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Bachelor's Degree · about 373 graduates a year
Northwestern University graduates in economics earn 52% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 12% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Northwestern University 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 |
| … | |||||
| 18 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY | $128,887 | $122,674 | #23 | $77,274 |
| 19 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | $128,882 | $113,109 | #34 | $78,181 |
| 20 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | $128,051 | $130,229 | #15 | $76,944 |
| 21 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | $126,006 | $123,800 | #21 | $84,932 |
| 22 | Brown University Providence, RI | $124,508 | $122,628 | #24 | $72,064 |
| 23 | Tufts University Medford, MA | $123,809 | $109,027 | #44 | $75,125 |
| 24 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | $123,477 | $126,821 | #18 | $85,879 |
Other Majors at Northwestern University by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Northwestern University economics graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $84,932 one year after graduating and $126,006 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Northwestern University rank for economics?
Among 368 colleges reporting earnings for economics graduates, Northwestern University ranks #21 by median pay four years after graduation, and #21 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is economics at Northwestern University worth it?
Its graduates earn 52% more than the national median for economics ($82,686), and the median federal debt at graduation is $15,250.
← All data for Northwestern University · 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.