Business/Managerial Economics: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 75 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Business/Managerial Economics pays
Career outlook for Business/Managerial Economics graduates
The job market for the occupations Business/Managerial Economics graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management analysts | 1,075,100 | +8.8% | $101,190 | Bachelor's degree |
| Financial risk specialists | 60,500 | +6.5% | $106,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Economists | 17,600 | +1.2% | $115,440 | Master's degree |
| Economics teachers, postsecondary | 15,800 | +2.1% | $119,980 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Survey researchers | 8,800 | -5.2% | $63,380 | Master's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Business/Managerial Economics vs similar majors
How Business/Managerial Economics stacks up against the closest fields in Business, Management & Marketing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Business/Managerial Economics Business, Management & Marketing · this major | Taxation | Real Estate | Construction Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 87 A | 86 A | 89 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $83,472 | $115,802 | $106,858 | $93,418 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $55,392 | $82,899 | $75,222 | $72,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +383% | +744% | +657% | +500% |
| Typical debt | $21,139 | $32,642 | $26,560 | $23,977 |
| Colleges offering it | 75 | 30 | 27 | 47 |
Business/Managerial Economics earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Business/Managerial Economics
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | Associate's | $135,399 | — | +2,804% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Associate's | $75,760 | $13,666 | +2,685% | Strong return |
| 3 | Marshall University Huntington, WV | Associate's | $80,363 | — | +2,257% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $118,000 | $17,332 | +2,224% | Strong return |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Certificate | $133,910 | — | +1,340% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ | Associate's | $103,583 | $20,500 | +1,335% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Associate's | $73,009 | — | +1,327% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of North Texas Denton, TX | Associate's | $95,473 | $14,500 | +1,280% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Associate's | $91,429 | $12,917 | +1,258% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | Associate's | $99,380 | — | +1,252% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | Associate's | $90,785 | $19,490 | +1,209% | Strong return |
| 12 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA | Associate's | $96,599 | — | +1,147% | Strong return |
| 13 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | Associate's | $77,643 | $18,914 | +1,078% | Strong return |
| 14 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | Associate's | $80,002 | — | +1,019% | Strong return |
| 15 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Associate's | $103,502 | $21,500 | +1,011% | Strong return |
| 16 | Villanova University Villanova, PA | Associate's | $149,830 | $27,000 | +977% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Associate's | $89,932 | $16,519 | +975% | Strong return |
| 18 | Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA | Associate's | $88,401 | $28,850 | +957% | Strong return |
| 19 | Arkansas Tech University Russellville, AR | Associate's | $72,112 | — | +945% | Strong return |
| 20 | University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC | Associate's | $101,307 | $23,250 | +941% | Strong return |
| 21 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | Associate's | $82,140 | $19,275 | +909% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Louisville Louisville, KY | Associate's | $85,507 | $16,169 | +868% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Wyoming Laramie, WY | Associate's | $70,936 | — | +854% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV | Associate's | $74,982 | — | +841% | Strong return |
| 25 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX | Associate's | $71,403 | $18,246 | +832% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.