Economics

Bachelor's degree · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

CIP 45.06

$58,921Median earnings 1 year after graduating
$86,860Median earnings 4 years after
$91,191Median earnings 5 years after
$19,500Median federal debt
315Graduates per year

How this program compares

Graduates of the bachelor's degree program in Economics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn a median of $58,921 one year after completing the program. Nationally, bachelor's degree graduates in this field earn a median of $82,686 four years after graduating (middle half: $58,184–$116,323). Median debt is $19,500, about 33% of first-year earnings – a manageable level by common guidelines.

Economics (Bachelor's degree) at other Illinois schools

CollegeEarnings (1 yr)Median debt
University of Chicago
Chicago
$92,075$13,395
Northwestern University
Evanston
$84,932$15,250
Wheaton College
Wheaton
$62,889$21,000
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais
$54,169$26,991
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest
$53,529$27,000
North Central College
Naperville
$52,728$26,801
Monmouth College
Monmouth
$47,048—
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb
$45,386$24,976
Illinois State University
Normal
$44,015$15,000
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago
$40,004—
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale
$37,798$21,201
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago
$37,767$17,500
DePaul University
Chicago
$37,151$20,000
Knox College
Galesburg
$23,222$24,498

Highest-paying Economics programs nationwide →

Other programs at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Frequently asked questions

How much do Economics graduates from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign make?

The median salary is $58,921 one year after graduation and $91,191 after five years.

How much student debt do graduates have?

Graduates who borrowed federal loans owe a median of $19,500.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release (Field of Study data). Earnings are for graduates who received federal financial aid.