Economics at Central Connecticut State University

Central Connecticut State's economics graduates start well behind their Connecticut peers—earning about $10,000 less in their first year than the state median—but the program's strongest selling point is what happens next. With 33% earnings growth over four years, graduates reach $55,804, closing much of that gap. Still, at the 25th percentile among Connecticut economics programs, this lags considerably behind UConn (which matches the state median at $52,227) and especially the state's private institutions where first-year earnings can top $70,000.

The $25,237 in typical debt sits slightly above both state and national medians, though the 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable. The concern is less about affordability and more about opportunity cost: Connecticut hosts strong economics programs at similar or lower price points. UConn, for instance, offers better first-year outcomes as the state's flagship public university.

For families committed to CCSU for other reasons—location, fit, or specific academic strengths—economics graduates do find their footing within a few years of graduation. But if your child is choosing between Connecticut economics programs based purely on return on investment, the numbers suggest looking at UConn first. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) means these figures are reasonably reliable, though individual outcomes will vary.