Economics at University of Kentucky

Kentucky economics graduates start nearly $10,000 below the national median for their major, and while 34% earnings growth brings them to $55,856 by year four, they remain in the bottom quarter of economics programs statewide. Among Kentucky's dozen economics offerings, only a handful perform worse—Centre College and Western Kentucky both deliver stronger outcomes despite this program carrying higher debt loads than Centre's typical graduate.

The silver lining is genuine: debt management here is exceptional. At $26,942, borrowing sits in the 6th percentile nationally for economics programs, meaning 94% of comparable programs saddle students with more debt. The 0.65 debt-to-earnings ratio is completely manageable, particularly as salaries climb into the mid-$50,000s. With Kentucky's relatively low cost of living, these earnings stretch further than coastal equivalents.

The question for families is whether $41,713 starting salary justifies an economics degree when the field typically commands higher premiums. If your student is genuinely passionate about economics and plans to leverage UK's alumni network within Kentucky, the low debt makes this workable. But if graduate school or competitive out-of-state opportunities are on the horizon, understand that this program starts you behind peers from stronger economics programs—and catching up requires either exceptional individual performance or additional credentials.