Economics at Juniata College

Pennsylvania's economics programs show a wide range of outcomes, from elite institutions where graduates earn $85,000+ to more modest figures around $50,000. Based on comparable programs across the state, Juniata's economics degree appears to track near the middle of this distribution, with estimated first-year earnings around $53,400 and debt near $26,400. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 is manageable—lower than many bachelor's programs—suggesting graduates can realistically handle their loan payments on an entry-level economics salary.

The challenge is that we're working with estimates here because too few Juniata economics graduates participate in the federal loan system to generate reportable data. This small cohort size raises practical questions: Will your student benefit from the mentoring and close faculty relationships that often come with smaller programs, or will they miss out on the alumni network and recruiting pipelines that larger programs offer? The earnings data from peer programs suggests solid middle-class earning potential, roughly on par with the state median and slightly above the national benchmark for economics degrees. But without actual placement data from Juniata specifically, you're betting on their ability to replicate what similar PA programs achieve. If your student is drawn to Juniata's liberal arts environment and personalized approach, the financial picture looks reasonable—just know you're making that decision with less certainty than you'd have at schools with reported outcomes.