Economics: Harvard University vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
In-State
5.4x
$236,304 tuition
13.4x
$68,912 tuition
Out-of-State
5.4x
$236,304 tuition
4.0x
$232,288 tuition
$1,267,102 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$924,371 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Harvard University University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 5.4x 13.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 4.0x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $236,304 $68,912
Year 1 Earnings $103,993 $68,416
10-Year Earnings $1,267K $924K
Median Debt $6,617 $18,750
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 0.8 months 3.3 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 65/100 71/100
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 17.9%

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.

Harvard University University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $236,304 $68,912
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $236,304 $232,288
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,267K $924K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 5.4x 13.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 4.0x
5-Year Salary Growth +55% +59%

"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.

Harvard University University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,355K $1,267K $995K $973K $924K $761K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 5.7x 5.4x 4.2x 14.1x 13.4x 11.0x
DegreeWorth Score 67 65 58 73 71 63

For the full AI analysis of Economics career paths, see the Harvard University or University of Michigan-Ann Arbor program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$167,392
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$35,577/yr
Harvard University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
5.4x / 13.4x
Out-of-state: 5.4x / 4.0x

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: Harvard University or University of Michigan-Ann Arbor?
Harvard University scores 65/100 while University of Michigan-Ann Arbor scores 71/100. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 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?
Harvard University has an in-state earnings multiple of 5.4x vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor's 13.4x. That means University of Michigan-Ann Arbor grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $167,392 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Harvard University and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor compare on Economics earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $103,993 at Harvard University vs $68,416 at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,267,102 vs $924,371 — a difference of $342,731.
How much does Economics cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $236,304 at Harvard University and $68,912 at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Median debt at graduation is $6,617 vs $18,750. 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.