Est. Earnings (1yr)
$51,077
Est. from KY median (3 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,102
Est. from national median (155 programs)

Analysis

Thomas More's economics program carries an estimated $24,102 in debt—slightly below what similar economics programs produce nationally—while comparable Kentucky programs suggest first-year earnings around $51,000. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 means graduates would owe roughly half their first year's salary, a manageable threshold by traditional standards.

The estimated earnings align almost exactly with Kentucky's median for economics degrees, putting this program in the middle of the pack statewide. Western Kentucky's reported outcomes show graduates earning about $3,000 more annually, while University of Kentucky's economics majors surprisingly report lower starting salaries despite the flagship institution's name recognition. With a 97% admission rate and solid but not exceptional test scores, Thomas More serves a broader student population than some competitors, which may explain why the school draws from peer benchmarks rather than having sufficient graduate data to report.

For families considering this path, the fundamental economics proposition looks sound based on these estimates: borrowing $24,000 to access a career starting around $51,000 provides breathing room in those critical early years. The real question is whether Thomas More's specific outcomes will match these peer-based projections, something only time and more graduate data will reveal. If your child thrives in smaller settings and values the personal attention a 97% acceptance rate often enables, this could work—just recognize you're making this decision with informed guesswork rather than hard proof of this program's track record.

Where Thomas More University Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Kentucky

Economics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Kentucky (12 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Thomas More UniversityCrestview Hills$38,400$51,077*$24,102*
Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green$11,436$53,857*$55,446$19,500*0.36
Centre CollegeDanville$50,550$51,077*$67,177$27,000*0.53
University of KentuckyLexington$13,212$41,713*$55,856$26,942*0.65
National Median$51,722*$22,816*0.44
* Estimated from similar programs

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 Thomas More University, approximately 22% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 3 similar programs in KY. Actual outcomes may vary.