Economics at Southern Adventist University

Southern Adventist University's economics bachelor's degree appears positioned right at the Tennessee median based on comparable programs, with estimated first-year earnings of $58,173 and debt around $19,500. That 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment—roughly one-third of first-year income, which falls comfortably below the concerning threshold. Similar economics programs across Tennessee produce outcomes ranging from $46,000 at UT-Knoxville to over $84,000 at Vanderbilt, so there's considerable variation depending on institutional factors and career pathways students pursue.

The modest estimated debt load works in this program's favor. At under $20,000, graduates from peer programs typically face monthly payments that don't overwhelm entry-level salaries in fields like financial analysis, business operations, or policy research. The estimated earnings also exceed the national median for economics programs by about $6,500, which suggests Tennessee's job market—or the specific characteristics of programs in this state—may offer some advantage.

The reality is that with suppressed data, you're evaluating this program based on patterns from a handful of similar Tennessee schools rather than actual outcomes from Southern Adventist's graduates. If the economics degree here performs like its state peers, the financial picture looks reasonable. But before committing, verify what career services and internship networks the school actually provides, since those connections often matter as much as the degree itself in determining which part of that $46,000-to-$84,000 range a graduate lands in.