Location: Ave Maria, FL•In-State Tuition: $28,222•Admission Rate: 45%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$47,304
Est. from FL median (11 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$26,000
Est. from FL median (3 programs)

Analysis

For a program with limited graduate data, Ave Maria's Economics bachelor's shows estimates that align closely with Florida's typical outcomes—$47,304 in first-year earnings matches the state median exactly, while the projected $26,000 debt load sits slightly above the state's $21,500 typical burden. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55 means roughly half a year's salary goes toward educational debt, which is manageable but not exceptional. The earnings estimate falls about $4,400 short of the national median for economics degrees, though it lands right in the middle of Florida's range, from Florida Gulf Coast's $47,344 to Tampa's $54,284.

The challenge here is that these figures come from peer institutions, not Ave Maria's actual track record. Similar Florida economics programs suggest graduates enter the workforce earning mid-to-upper $40,000s, which supports a typical entry-level economics career path—financial analysis, banking, consulting—but doesn't promise the stronger outcomes that top-quartile programs deliver nationally. The debt estimate, derived from just three comparable programs at similar Florida institutions, carries even more uncertainty.

Parents should recognize they're investing roughly $26,000 for outcomes that peer data suggests will be solidly average for Florida. If your child has admission offers from the larger Florida public universities listed above, those provide similar or better earnings prospects with typically lower debt loads and the validation of actual reported data.

Where Ave Maria University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all economics bachelors's programs nationally

Ave Maria University (estimated ±10%)Other economics programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Florida

Economics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Florida (23 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria$28,222$47,304*—$26,000*—
The University of TampaTampa$33,424$54,284*—$27,000*0.50
Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton$4,879$48,632*$56,091$25,111*0.52
University of Central FloridaOrlando$6,368$47,743*—$25,750*0.54
University of South FloridaTampa$6,410$47,351*$54,558$22,925*0.48
Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers$6,118$47,344*—$12,754*0.27
National Median—$51,722*—$22,816*0.44
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with economics graduates

Economists

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Environmental Economists

Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Search Marketing Strategists

Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Ave Maria University, approximately 23% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 11 similar programs in FL. Actual outcomes may vary.