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Economics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public · Bachelor's Degree
72 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
73
Optimistic
72
Base Case
68
Pessimistic
Earnings $51,848/yr (-4% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (293,500 openings/yr)
ROI 11.6x earnings multiple (5.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #84 of 351 Economics programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Economics graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $834K $799K $675K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.1x 11.6x 9.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.8x 5.5x 4.7x
Probability of Field Employment 66% 60% 41%
DegreeOutlook Score 73 72 68

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$68,956
Out-of-state: $144,004 (5.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$94,076
-36% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,750
5.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$87,743
69% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $51,848/yr, Economics graduates from Rutgers University-New Brunswick land near the $53,966 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 11.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $22,750 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #84 out of 351 programs, Rutgers University-New Brunswick's Economics program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $51,848 to $87,743 over five years (69% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Rutgers University-New Brunswick accepts 65% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, serving a student body of 36,357 in New Brunswick, NJ.

See all programs and financial aid at Rutgers University-New Brunswick →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980/yr
Economists $115,440/yr
View all 9 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 351 schools offering Economics →

Economics at Other Schools

Harvard University ($103,993) Princeton University ($103,041) Duke University ($98,649) Stanford University ($98,104) Dartmouth College ($94,675) University of Chicago ($92,075) Amherst College ($90,568) Claremont McKenna College ($89,505)

Other Majors at Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($87,594) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($82,598) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($80,448) Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions ($80,060) Industrial Engineering ($78,501) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($78,177) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($72,259) Mechanical Engineering ($71,569)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Economics trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Rutgers University-New Brunswick's Economics program score?
A score of 72/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Rutgers University-New Brunswick's Economics graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Economics to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Economics careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does Rutgers University-New Brunswick rank so high for Economics?
The #84 ranking out of 351 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →