Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $62,286 at James Madison University come in 15% above the national median of $53,966 for Economics programs.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 15.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Economics programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Economics's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 20% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $62,286 far exceeding the $17,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #13 of 351 nationally, this is a top-5% Economics program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $96,390 show a 55% jump from the $62,286 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.