Virginia · Economics

Best institutions to study Economics in Virginia

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
24
offering CIP 45.06
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,093
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$56,261
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
12
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,933
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
68%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Economists
$144,880
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville Public · Bachelor's degree
$74,95838596%$19,000
2Washington and Lee University
Lexington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$71,7373394%$11,983$23,399
3William & Mary
Williamsburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$65,60311489%$19,678
4James Madison University
Harrisonburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$62,2867380%$18,575
5University of Richmond
University of Richmond Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$61,0274185%$24,049$23,000
6Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$56,26113786%$22,500
7George Mason University
Fairfax Public · Bachelor's degree
$53,02415768%$21,500
8Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$52,1552262%$21,034$27,000
9Virginia Military Institute
Lexington Public · Bachelor's degree
$46,0464576%$23,250
10Christopher Newport University
Newport News Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,3093272%$23,125

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 Virginia

Jobs in Virginia
950
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$144,880
median $137,590
Best-paying metro
$137,150
Richmond, VA

Related careers

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$87,420 avg · 25,610 jobs
Data Scientists
$134,590 avg · 8,920 jobs
Economists
$144,880 avg · 950 jobs
Statisticians
$120,570 avg · 720 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Economics programs in Virginia.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Virginia - Main Campus tops the list at $74,958. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Economists earn in Virginia?+

The average annual wage for Economists in Virginia is $144,880 (median $137,590), across about 950 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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