Economics at Mount St. Mary's University

Based on comparable economics programs in Maryland, Mount St. Mary's graduates are likely earning around $51,500 in their first year—right at the state median but well behind the $78,000 at Johns Hopkins or even the $58,650 at UMD-College Park. The estimated $25,000 in debt is slightly higher than typical for Maryland economics programs, though the resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 remains manageable. What's worth noting is that this falls in line with the national median of $51,722, suggesting the program delivers market-rate outcomes rather than leveraging any particular regional advantage.

The real question is whether Mount St. Mary's, with its 72% admission rate and smaller economics cohort (hence the suppressed data), offers something beyond what you'd get at larger state schools like Towson, which produces similar earnings at presumably lower cost for Maryland residents. The estimated figures here suggest a middle-of-the-pack economics degree—not problematic on debt-to-earnings fundamentals, but not distinguished either. For an out-of-state family or one paying full private tuition, that's a harder sell than for someone receiving substantial aid.

If your child is set on a smaller campus environment and Mount St. Mary's is offering significant financial aid to bring that $25,000 debt estimate down further, the fundamentals work. But if cost is similar to what you'd pay at a flagship state school, those peer institutions are producing measurably better starting salaries with actual reported data to back it up.