Economics at Seattle University

Seattle University's economics program sits in an awkward middle ground—based on comparable Washington programs, graduates likely earn around $45,400 in their first year, which trails the national median for economics degrees by over $6,000. The estimated $24,266 in debt is higher than both state and national benchmarks for this major, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53 that's workable but not particularly favorable for a field that typically offers stronger starting outcomes.

The challenge becomes clearer when you look at what other Washington schools achieve: Whitworth's economics grads start above $63,000, while UW-Seattle and Central Washington both produce first-year earnings above $52,000. Even among Seattle University's private school peers in the state, programs at Puget Sound and Whitman show stronger earnings potential. For a university charging private tuition in one of the country's most expensive cities, these estimated outcomes suggest you might be paying a premium without getting premium results.

The lack of reported data for this specific program means we're working from estimates of similar economics programs across Washington, so individual results could vary considerably. But given what peer programs reveal, this investment makes most sense if your student values Seattle University's specific campus culture or connections enough to accept potentially middling economics outcomes. Otherwise, other Washington options appear to offer better earning trajectories.