Economics at The University of Texas at Arlington

UTA's economics program starts graduates below both state and national averages at $46,416, landing in the 40th percentile among Texas economics programs. That's a meaningful gap—roughly $5,000 behind the typical Texas economics grad and $12,000 behind what you'd see from UT Austin. But here's what matters: earnings jump 45% by year four to $67,287, eventually surpassing both state and national medians. The debt load of $20,500 is reasonable, creating a manageable 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio that gets easier to handle as income grows.

The trajectory here suggests this program needs time to prove its value. First-year earnings lag behind peer schools, which could reflect UTA's open-access mission (81% admission rate, 40% Pell-eligible students) and the types of entry-level positions graduates initially secure. However, the strong earnings growth indicates these graduates develop marketable skills that employers value over time. This pattern makes UTA a viable option for students who can weather lower initial earnings—perhaps those with family support or minimal living expenses in their first years out of college.

For families seeking immediate financial returns, the slow start is real. But for students who need an accessible path to an economics degree and can be patient, the eventual earnings trajectory justifies the modest debt load. Just understand you're trading a weaker launch for solid mid-career positioning.