Location: Saint Paul, MN•In-State Tuition: $49,758•Admission Rate: 94%•Avg SAT: 1190
Median Earnings (1yr)
$64,916
84th percentile
60th percentile in Minnesota
Median Debt
$30,215
32% above national median
D/E Ratio: 0.47 ManageableSample: 18 graduates Limited data

Analysis

At $64,916 in first-year earnings, St. Catherine's economics graduates outperform the national median by over $13,000—a substantial 25% premium. The program lands in the 84th percentile nationally, putting it ahead of roughly 650 other economics programs across the country. Within Minnesota, it ranks 60th percentile, trailing only elite schools like Carleton and St. Thomas while beating the state median by nearly $8,500. For a school with a 94% admission rate, these outcomes punch well above their weight class.

The debt picture strengthens the case: $30,215 is manageable against that first-year salary, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47. Graduates earning roughly $5,400 per month could realistically pay this off in two to three years with aggressive payments. The debt sits in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of economics programs leave students with more debt—making this one of the more affordable paths to an economics degree.

The critical caveat is sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates, one exceptional cohort or one challenging year could swing these numbers significantly. These figures may not represent what your child would experience. Still, the combination of strong earnings, low debt, and high accessibility makes this program worth serious consideration, particularly for Minnesota residents looking for solid economics preparation without the pressure of highly selective admissions.

Where St Catherine University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all economics bachelors's programs nationally

St Catherine UniversityOther economics programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How St Catherine University graduates compare to all programs nationally

St Catherine University earns $65k — 84th percentile among economics bachelors programs.

Compare to Similar Programs in Minnesota

Economics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Minnesota (23 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
St Catherine UniversitySaint Paul$49,758$64,916—$30,2150.47
Carleton CollegeNorthfield$65,457$66,567$83,775$19,5000.29
University of St ThomasSaint Paul$52,284$60,323$68,704$24,6000.41
Macalester CollegeSaint Paul$64,908$59,752$83,794$24,0000.40
University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis$16,488$56,902$76,116$21,5000.38
St Olaf CollegeNorthfield$56,970$56,238$69,672$27,0000.48
National Median—$51,722—$22,8160.44

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with economics graduates

Economists

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Environmental Economists

Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Search Marketing Strategists

Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At St Catherine University, approximately 36% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 18 graduates with reported earnings and 21 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.