Economics at Western Illinois University

With estimated first-year earnings around $47,000 and debt near $25,000, this economics degree appears to track right at Illinois state medians—but that comparison reveals how wide the gap is between typical and elite outcomes in this field. The state's top programs produce graduates earning $85,000 to $92,000 their first year out, more than double what peer programs at similar institutions suggest for Western Illinois.

The 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in manageable territory, meaning your student would owe about half their first-year salary. That's better than many bachelor's programs and suggests loan payments won't dominate the household budget early on. Economics generally offers strong career flexibility, and the fundamentals work here—this isn't a degree where graduates typically struggle to service their debt.

The challenge is more about opportunity cost. Based on comparable Illinois programs, your student would start roughly $4,700 below the national median for economics majors and significantly behind peers who attend the state's research universities or selective private colleges. If your student has the academic profile for admission elsewhere, that earnings difference compounds over a career. If Western Illinois is the most realistic option academically or financially, the estimated numbers suggest a functional investment—just understand you're looking at middle-of-the-pack outcomes in a field where the top programs deliver dramatically more.