Economics at University of North Carolina at Greensboro

With an estimated $21,894 in debt leading to first-year earnings around $46,425, this economics degree appears financially manageable—though the numbers come from comparable North Carolina programs rather than UNCG's specific outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 suggests graduates could reasonably handle loan payments, and by year four, when median earnings reach $51,263, the financial picture improves further. For context, these earnings align with the state median for economics programs and sit just below the national median of $51,722.

What's less clear is how UNCG stacks up against its direct competitors. Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill economics graduates earn substantially more ($99K and $65K respectively in their first year), though those schools also serve different student populations. The fact that UNCG's outcomes need to be estimated from peer programs—while schools like ECU and Elon report actual data—means you're working with less certainty about what this specific program delivers. The university's 90% admission rate and the fact that nearly half of students receive Pell grants suggests it serves a broader population, which may explain why detailed graduate outcomes aren't yet published.

For families weighing cost and accessibility, the estimated debt load is modest enough that an economics degree from UNCG could work financially. Just understand you're making this decision with less program-specific information than you'd have at other NC schools.