Economics at Cornell University

Cornell's economics program outperforms nearly every benchmark available. First-year graduates earn $85,000—a full 70% more than the typical economics graduate nationally and 68% more than New York's state median. Among the 74 economics programs in New York, this ranks at the 95th percentile, trailing only Barnard and Columbia. That premium holds at the national level too, where Cornell sits in the top 5% of all 808 economics programs.

The debt picture strengthens the value case considerably. At $15,500, graduates carry about 30% less debt than both state and national medians for economics majors, resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.18—meaning most graduates could theoretically pay off loans with less than three months' salary. The 26% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates aren't just securing high-paying entry positions but building momentum in their careers.

For families who can navigate Cornell's 8% acceptance rate, this program delivers elite outcomes without the debt burden often associated with highly selective institutions. The combination of top-tier earnings and below-average debt makes this one of the strongest economics programs in the state from a pure return-on-investment perspective.