Program Analysis
At $50,223/yr, Economics graduates from University of Iowa land near the $53,966 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 16.6x 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 17% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $20,486 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #43 of 351 nationally, this is a top-5% Economics program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $79,242 show a 58% jump from the $50,223 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.