Economics: Harvard University vs University of Utah

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
In-State
5.4x
$236,304 tuition
18.7x
$37,260 tuition
Out-of-State
5.4x
$236,304 tuition
5.8x
$119,348 tuition
$1,267,102 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$697,894 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Harvard University University of Utah
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 5.4x 18.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 5.8x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $236,304 $37,260
Year 1 Earnings $103,993 $64,386
10-Year Earnings $1,267K $698K
Median Debt $6,617 $15,750
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 0.8 months 2.9 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 65/100 75/100
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 87.2%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (56% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Economics graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Economics graduates.

Harvard University University of Utah
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $236,304 $37,260
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $236,304 $119,348
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,267K $698K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 5.4x 18.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 5.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +55% +25%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Economics (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Harvard University University of Utah
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,355K $1,267K $995K $721K $698K $606K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 5.7x 5.4x 4.2x 19.4x 18.7x 16.3x
DegreeWorth Score 67 65 58 77 75 69

For the full AI analysis of Economics career paths, see the Harvard University or University of Utah program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Economics graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$199,044
University of Utah saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$39,607/yr
Harvard University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
5.4x / 18.7x
Out-of-state: 5.4x / 5.8x

Career Paths

Economics graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980 1,200 +2.1% 48%
Economists $115,440 900 +1.2% 61%
Data scientists $112,590 23,400 +33.5% 64%
Statisticians $103,300 2,000 +8.5% 66%
Market research analysts and marketing specialists $76,950 87,200 +6.7% 55%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Survey researchers $63,380 700 -5.2% 62%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Economics: Harvard University or University of Utah?
Harvard University scores 65/100 while University of Utah scores 75/100. University of Utah has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Economics?
Harvard University has an in-state earnings multiple of 5.4x vs University of Utah's 18.7x. That means University of Utah grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $199,044 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Harvard University and University of Utah compare on Economics earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $103,993 at Harvard University vs $64,386 at University of Utah. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,267,102 vs $697,894 — a difference of $569,208.
How much does Economics cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $236,304 at Harvard University and $37,260 at University of Utah. Median debt at graduation is $6,617 vs $15,750. Both programs lead to the same Economics career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.