Economics at William Jewell College

Economics programs in Missouri span a wide range—from Washington University's exceptional $66,000 first-year earnings to programs starting in the low $40s. Based on comparable programs statewide, William Jewell's economics degree appears to track right at the Missouri median of $46,583, though it falls about $5,000 short of the national benchmark for economics bachelor's degrees. That gap matters when you're trying to build financial momentum early in your career.

The estimated debt picture here is mixed. At roughly $24,000, it's slightly above the state median for economics programs but close to the national average. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52, graduates would be looking at manageable monthly payments—about half what they'd earn in their first year. That's workable, though not particularly advantageous compared to programs with stronger earnings outcomes or lower debt loads.

The real question is whether William Jewell's smaller, more selective environment (34% admission rate, solid SAT scores) translates into networking advantages or career placement that isn't captured in these estimated figures. Since we're working with peer program data rather than actual outcomes from this school, you're making a bet on institutional quality without a clear earnings track record to validate it. If the estimated figures hold true, this becomes a reasonable but unremarkable investment—functional debt relative to income, but without the earnings premium that would make it compelling.