Washington · Economics

Best institutions to study Economics in Washington

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
14
offering CIP 45.06
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
525
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$45,401
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
11
College Scorecard
Median net price
$28,508
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
67%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Economists
$120,550
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
1Whitworth University
Spokane Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$63,1341871%$23,510
2University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Seattle Public · Bachelor's degree
$53,93426485%$14,166
3Central Washington University
Ellensburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$52,1291354%$15,000
4University of Puget Sound
Tacoma Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$48,1531468%$35,057$26,031
5Whitman College
Walla Walla Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,8323981%$28,508$17,500
6Western Washington University
Bellingham Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,4013165%$19,000
7Gonzaga University
Spokane Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,8452186%$30,006$22,500
8Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$43,806869%$19,944
9Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$41,5021562%$24,653$26,835
10Washington State University
Pullman Public · Bachelor's degree
$39,7626160%$25,656

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 Washington

Jobs in Washington
450
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$120,550
median $109,300
Best-paying metro
$131,660
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Related careers

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$107,970 avg · 24,460 jobs
Data Scientists
$158,040 avg · 9,600 jobs
Statisticians
$112,600 avg · 2,960 jobs
Social Science Research Assistants
$56,120 avg · 450 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Economics programs in Washington.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Whitworth University tops the list at $63,134. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Economists earn in Washington?+

The average annual wage for Economists in Washington is $120,550 (median $109,300), across about 450 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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