Economics: Brigham Young University vs University of California-Berkeley

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
32.9x
$25,984 tuition
17.4x
$59,400 tuition
Out-of-State
32.9x
$25,984 tuition
5.7x
$182,508 tuition
$855,563 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$1,033,146 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Brigham Young University University of California-Berkeley
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 32.9x 17.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 32.9x 5.7x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $25,984 $59,400
Year 1 Earnings $63,332 $80,446
10-Year Earnings $856K $1,033K
Median Debt $11,000 $12,650
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.1 months 1.9 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 78/100 77/100
Acceptance Rate 69.2% 11.7%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (56% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Economics graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Economics graduates.

Brigham Young University University of California-Berkeley
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $25,984 $59,400
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $25,984 $182,508
10-Year Projected Earnings $856K $1,033K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 32.9x 17.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 32.9x 5.7x
5-Year Salary Growth +56% +56%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Economics (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Brigham Young University University of California-Berkeley
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $897K $856K $714K $1,095K $1,033K $835K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 34.5x 32.9x 27.5x 18.4x 17.4x 14.1x
DegreeWorth Score 80 78 73 79 77 69

For the full AI analysis of Economics career paths, see the Brigham Young University or University of California-Berkeley program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Economics graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$33,416
Brigham Young University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$17,114/yr
University of California-Berkeley grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
32.9x / 17.4x
Out-of-state: 32.9x / 5.7x

Career Paths

Economics graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980 1,200 +2.1% 48%
Economists $115,440 900 +1.2% 61%
Data scientists $112,590 23,400 +33.5% 64%
Statisticians $103,300 2,000 +8.5% 66%
Market research analysts and marketing specialists $76,950 87,200 +6.7% 55%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Survey researchers $63,380 700 -5.2% 62%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Economics: Brigham Young University or University of California-Berkeley?
Brigham Young University scores 78/100 while University of California-Berkeley scores 77/100. Brigham Young University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Economics?
Brigham Young University has an in-state earnings multiple of 32.9x vs University of California-Berkeley's 17.4x. That means Brigham Young University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $33,416 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Brigham Young University and University of California-Berkeley compare on Economics earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $63,332 at Brigham Young University vs $80,446 at University of California-Berkeley. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $855,563 vs $1,033,146 — a difference of $177,583.
How much does Economics cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $25,984 at Brigham Young University and $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley. Median debt at graduation is $11,000 vs $12,650. Both programs lead to the same Economics career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.