Economics Degree in St. Louis, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Economics degree analysis for St. Louis, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$63K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$97K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.9 yrs
in St. Louis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Economics in St. Louis, MO Overview
St. Louis is one of Missouri's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 23,342. Public tuition averages $12,343/year here — near the national average for public universities. Economics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Econometrics and Statistical Analysis. The adjusted starting salary in St. Louis is approximately $63,050, growing to $97,000 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,343/yr
Private Tuition
$55,255/yr
Room & Board
$8,721/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,996/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
48%
Economics Salary in St. Louis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Louis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Economics salary: $65,000 starting, $100,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.St. Louis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Economics ROI Calculator for St. Louis
Estimate your return on investment for a Economics degree using local St. Louis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,343 | Private avg: $55,255
St. Louis avg aid: $9,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$29,100
vs HS diploma in St. Louis
ROI Payback Period
2.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Louis
$740,244
Lifetime earnings premium ($824,500) minus total education cost ($84,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Economics in St. Louis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Louis for Economics
Washington University in St. Louis
private
$60,590/yr
$242,360 total
Saint Louis University
private
$49,920/yr
$199,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Louis Community College
$3,600/yr
Top Employers for Economics in St. Louis
St. Louis offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Economics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Louis Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Economics Job Titles
Economics in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$61K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
Springfield, MO
$52K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$55K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$56K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$62K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$57K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$59K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$54K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Business Majors in St. Louis
Business Analytics
$76K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$68K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Information Systems
$49K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$49K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$49K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$60K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$49K starting · 4 yr ROI
Business Administration
$56K starting · 4.2 yr ROI
Economics Degree in St. Louis — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Economics ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in St. Louis.