Economics at Missouri State University-Springfield

Missouri State's economics program lands right at the state median for debt but trails in earnings, sitting at the 40th percentile among Missouri programs and 23rd percentile nationally. First-year graduates earn about $45,000—roughly $7,000 less than the national benchmark for economics majors. For parents comparing in-state options, Washington University delivers $66,000 in early earnings (though at private school prices), while Mizzou offers a stronger return at $52,600 for likely similar in-state tuition costs.

The 45% earnings growth over four years is encouraging, pushing graduates to $65,000 by year four, and the debt load of just under $20,000 is manageable. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 means students borrow less than half their first year's salary—well within reasonable bounds. However, the small sample size here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these numbers could swing significantly year to year.

If your student is committed to economics and values the Springfield location or campus fit, this won't saddle them with crushing debt. But if maximizing earning potential is the priority, Mizzou's economics program offers substantially better outcomes at similar in-state pricing. The path forward depends on whether that $7,000+ annual earnings gap matters enough to influence the campus choice.