Economics at Muskingum University

Based on comparable economics programs in Ohio, Muskingum appears positioned right at the state median—with estimated first-year earnings around $51,500 and debt near $25,000. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 falls within manageable territory, suggesting graduates could reasonably handle loan payments. However, the estimated debt figure runs slightly above both the state and national medians for economics programs, while earnings track exactly at the median. For a school with an 82% admission rate and serving a substantial share of Pell-eligible students, this profile raises questions about whether Muskingum delivers the same value as more selective Ohio programs that report significantly higher outcomes—John Carroll and Oberlin economics graduates, for instance, start around $61,000-$65,000.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely with estimates derived from peer programs, not actual outcomes for Muskingum's economics graduates specifically. The suppressed data could mean small cohort sizes, which might reflect limited departmental resources or fewer specialized opportunities compared to larger programs. When you're paying similar or higher debt for outcomes that appear merely average, the margin for error narrows considerably. If your student is drawn to economics specifically and Muskingum for other reasons, push hard on career services, internship placement rates, and whether graduates actually land analyst or research positions. Without those concrete pathways, this looks like a neutral bet at best.