by our College Data Analytics Team
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying economics schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose economics graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Middlebury College, our #1 for economics graduate salaries in Vermont. Set in the town of Middlebury, Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, economics degree recipients from Middlebury College typically earn about $150,031 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in economics will find them at Saint Michaels College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Colchester, Saint Michaels College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the economics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $72,531.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Vermont one of the highest-paying schools for economics. University Of Vermont is a public school located in the city of Burlington. Students who complete the economics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,465.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries economics graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 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.