Economics at Goucher College

Goucher's economics program sits near the middle of Maryland's pack, but with a crucial asterisk: the sample size here is tiny—under 30 graduates—making these numbers less reliable than data from larger programs. First-year earnings of $46,774 fall about $5,000 below both the national and Maryland medians, placing graduates at the 40th percentile statewide. That's noticeably behind Hopkins and UMD-College Park (which isn't surprising), but also trails mid-tier state options like UMBC and Towson by several thousand dollars.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $25,000, it's close to typical for economics degrees and actually below what some Maryland programs see, yielding a manageable 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio. Students aren't being saddled with excessive loans, which matters when starting salaries are modest. The real question is trajectory: economics degrees typically gain value over time as graduates move into better-paying roles, but the small cohort size here makes it harder to verify that pattern at Goucher specifically.

For families considering this program, the modest initial earnings combined with limited data suggest caution. If your child is drawn to Goucher for fit or other programs, this major won't create debt problems—but if economics is the primary draw, compare the value carefully against larger Maryland public options where outcomes are more predictable and starting salaries run $4,000-$8,000 higher.