Economics at Rice University
Houston, TX · Bachelor's Degree · about 88 graduates a year
Rice University graduates in economics earn 57% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 9% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Rice 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 |
| … | |||||
| 14 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $135,050 | $122,887 | #22 | $80,446 |
| 15 | Hamilton College Clinton, NY | $130,633 | $124,336 | #20 | $71,350 |
| 16 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | $129,985 | $132,196 | #10 | $89,097 |
| 17 | Rice University Houston, TX | $129,575 | $131,740 | #11 | $78,814 |
| 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 |
Other Majors at Rice University by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $182,443 | $131,154 | #6 of 459 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $136,656 | $96,751 | #8 of 258 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $121,099 | $88,307 | #2 of 118 |
| Chemical Engineering | $113,605 | $87,830 | #9 of 158 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $108,970 | $82,899 | #12 of 318 |
| Political Science and Government | $87,804 | $54,728 | #27 of 565 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $87,404 | $51,110 | #1 of 610 |
| Cognitive Science | $66,913 | $47,459 | #17 of 19 |
| Mathematics | — | $50,286 | — |
| Psychology | — | $41,299 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Rice University economics graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $78,814 one year after graduating and $129,575 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Rice University rank for economics?
Among 368 colleges reporting earnings for economics graduates, Rice University ranks #17 by median pay four years after graduation, and #11 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is economics at Rice University worth it?
Its graduates earn 57% more than the national median for economics ($82,686), and the median federal debt at graduation is $11,644.
← All data for Rice 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.