Maryland · Economics

Best colleges for Economics in Maryland

Ranked by graduate earnings

Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland-College Park and University of Maryland-Baltimore County are the top bachelor's Economics programs in Maryland by graduate earnings. Johns Hopkins University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $78,181, College Scorecard. Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland-College Park and University of Maryland-Baltimore County award the most Economics degrees in Maryland: 375, 358 and 126 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 Maryland colleges offer Economics and award 1,155 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Economics program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It explores how economies function and how individuals respond to various incentives, making…

Institutions
16
offering CIP 45.06
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,155
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$51,483
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,136
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
66%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Economists
$146,600
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$78,18137594%$11,888$12,494
2University of Maryland-College Park
College Park Public · Bachelor's degree
$58,65035889%—$20,097
3University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree
$54,85912670%—$21,920
4Towson University
Towson Public · Bachelor's degree
$50,9103669%—$18,838
5St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$51,4831470%—$24,946
6Washington College
Chestertown Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$50,8351165%$24,973$27,000
7Goucher College
Baltimore Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$46,7741157%$22,667$25,000

Colleges awarding the most Economics degrees in Maryland

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore Private not-for-profit
375$78,181
2University of Maryland-College Park
College Park Public
358$58,650
3University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore Public
126$54,859
4United States Naval Academy
Annapolis Public
97Not reported
5Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public
85Not reported
6Towson University
Towson Public
36$50,910
7Salisbury University
Salisbury Public
18Not reported
8St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City Public
14$51,483
9Goucher College
Baltimore Private not-for-profit
11$46,774
10Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore Private not-for-profit
11Not reported
Show the other 6 Maryland colleges offering Economics
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Washington CollegeChestertownPrivate not-for-profit11
Mount St. Mary's UniversityEmmitsburgPrivate not-for-profit4
Morgan State UniversityBaltimorePublic3
Hood CollegeFrederickPrivate not-for-profit2
Prince George's Community CollegeLargoPublic2
McDaniel CollegeWestminsterPrivate not-for-profit2

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Economists (SOC 19-3011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.2%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$115,440
typically Master's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingMathematicsReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive ListeningWriting

What Economists earn in Maryland

Jobs in Maryland
1,130
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$146,600
median $144,680
Best-paying metro
$147,800
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Related careers

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$85,610 avg · 13,570 jobs
Data Scientists
$144,080 avg · 3,340 jobs
Statisticians
$133,370 avg · 2,730 jobs
Economists
$146,600 avg · 1,130 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Economics programs in Maryland.

Which Maryland colleges award the most Economics degrees?+

Johns Hopkins University (375 graduates a year), University of Maryland-College Park (358 graduates a year) and University of Maryland-Baltimore County (126 graduates a year) award the most Economics degrees in Maryland, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 Maryland colleges offer Economics.

What is the best college for Economics in Maryland?+

By graduate earnings, Johns Hopkins University leads among bachelor's Economics programs in Maryland, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $78,181, College Scorecard. University of Maryland-College Park and University of Maryland-Baltimore County follow. By degrees awarded, Johns Hopkins University is the largest, with 375 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Economics program in Maryland has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Johns Hopkins University tops the list at $78,181. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Economists earn in Maryland?+

The average annual wage for Economists in Maryland is $146,600 (median $144,680), across about 1,130 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Economics program?+

The Economics program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It explores how economies function and how individuals respond to various incentives, making…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, mathematics, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Economists?+

The national job outlook is about +1.2% growth with around 900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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