Economics at Davis & Elkins College

Drawing on national patterns from Economics bachelor's programs, Davis & Elkins appears positioned near the middle of the pack—with estimated first-year earnings around $52,000 and debt near $24,000. That 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio falls within the manageable range, suggesting graduates from comparable programs can typically handle their loan payments on entry-level salaries. For context, the national median debt for Economics degrees sits at about $23,000, so these estimates track closely with what peer programs produce.

The challenge here is uncertainty. With no reported outcomes for this specific program or other West Virginia Economics programs to benchmark against, you're essentially betting that Davis & Elkins will perform like the average national program. That's not necessarily a bad bet—the school serves a student population where 40% receive Pell grants, and Economics degrees generally lead to stable career paths in business, finance, or public policy. But it does mean you're making decisions without the program-specific evidence that would confirm whether this particular department delivers on that promise.

If your child is committed to Economics and prefers a smaller college environment in West Virginia, this estimated debt load won't likely derail their financial future. Just recognize you're operating on educated guesswork rather than hard data about where Davis & Elkins Economics graduates actually land.