Location: Kalamazoo, MI•In-State Tuition: $58,764•Admission Rate: 76%•Avg SAT: 1270
Median Earnings (1yr)
$42,508
17th percentile
40th percentile in Michigan
Median Debt
$27,000
18% above national median
D/E Ratio: 0.64 ManageableSample: 22 graduates Limited data

Analysis

Kalamazoo College's economics program sits in an uncomfortable middle ground: graduates carry debt loads well below the national average ($27,000 versus $22,816 nationally), but their first-year earnings of $42,508 trail both the Michigan median ($49,210) and the national benchmark ($51,722) by significant margins. That's roughly $7,000 less than what a typical Michigan economics graduate earns. Among Michigan's 22 programs, this ranks at the 40th percentile—meaning most in-state alternatives deliver stronger immediate returns.

The comparison to Michigan's top programs is stark. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor graduates earn $68,416, while even mid-tier state options like Grand Valley State ($53,985) outpace Kalamazoo by more than $11,000. The 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming on its face, but it reflects earnings that simply aren't keeping pace with peer institutions rather than exceptionally low debt.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances could swing these numbers considerably. If your student is drawn to Kalamazoo's liberal arts environment, understand they'll likely be trading some earning power for that experience. For families focused on maximizing return on their economics degree investment, the state's larger public universities offer substantially better financial outcomes at the one-year mark.

Where Kalamazoo College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all economics bachelors's programs nationally

Kalamazoo CollegeOther economics programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Kalamazoo College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Kalamazoo College earns $43k — 17th percentile among economics bachelors programs.

Compare to Similar Programs in Michigan

Economics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Michigan (22 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Kalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo$58,764$42,508—$27,0000.64
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor$17,228$68,416$87,800$19,6900.29
Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing$15,988$54,013$71,300$24,2500.45
Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale$14,628$53,985$58,840$27,0000.50
Wayne State UniversityDetroit$14,297$50,648$73,856$24,6810.49
University of Michigan-DearbornDearborn$14,944$49,665$70,842$28,3810.57
National Median—$51,722—$22,8160.44

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with economics graduates

Economists

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Environmental Economists

Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Search Marketing Strategists

Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Kalamazoo College, approximately 23% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 22 graduates with reported earnings and 20 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.