by our College Data Analytics Team
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find where economics graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose economics graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in economics, no school beat Seattle University this year. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career economics graduates from Seattle University make a median of around $74,691 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned it the #2 place for economics. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. Economics graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of about $92,399 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in economics will find them at Whitman College, which ranked #3. Whitman College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Walla Walla. Early-career economics graduates from Whitman College make a median of around $92,363 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in economics will find them at Gonzaga University, which ranked #4. Gonzaga University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. Economics graduates of Gonzaga University earn a median of about $93,627 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in economics will find them at Whitworth University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Spokane, Whitworth University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the economics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $63,134.
Central Washington University earned the #6 position for economics graduate earnings this year. Central Washington University is a public school located in the town of Ellensburg. Economics graduates of Central Washington University earn a median of about $72,632 a year early in their careers.
Washington State University earned the #7 position for economics graduate earnings this year. Set in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a public institution. Early-career economics graduates from Washington State University make a median of around $90,097 per year.
Western Washington University placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for economics. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a public institution. Economics graduates of Western Washington University earn a median of about $74,441 a year early in their careers.
University Of Puget Sound placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for economics. University Of Puget Sound is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tacoma. Early-career economics graduates from University Of Puget Sound make a median of around $69,224 per year.
Eastern Washington University placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for economics. Eastern Washington University is a public school located in the town of Cheney. Economics graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of about $63,899 a year early in their careers.
Pacific Lutheran University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying economics schools. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, economics degree recipients from Pacific Lutheran University typically earn about $43,806 annually.
Seattle Pacific University came in at #12 for economics graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle Pacific University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the economics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $41,502.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their economics graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 12 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.