Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
University of Chicago graduates demonstrate consistent earnings growth throughout their early and mid-career periods. Median earnings begin at $80,870 six years after enrollment, increase to $87,164 at eight years, and reach $91,885 at the ten-year measurement point.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Strong relative performance — graduates earn notably more than peers at comparable institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $15,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
University of Chicago graduates maintain manageable debt levels despite the institution's high sticker price. Median student debt of $15,000 falls significantly below the peer median of $24,181, creating a favorable $9,181 difference for University of Chicago graduates.
University of Chicago achieves exceptional return on investment performance, ranking at the 97.7th percentile with among the highest we track tier status. Graduates earn $858 beyond expectations compared to similar students nationally, placing the university in the above-average tier at the 59.6th percentile for value-added performance.
Approximately 25.5% of University of Chicago graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with medium confidenc...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Computer Science leads institutional earnings at $175,145, demonstrating exceptional technology sector outcomes and contributing significantly to overall return performance. Applied Economics produces $127,832 earnings with the largest enrollment of 423 graduates, providing substantial impact on institutional averages.
Algebra and Number Theory generates $107,611 earnings with strong enrollment of 159 students, reflecting the university's quantitative program strength. Education Policy Analysis achieves $85,597 despite smaller cohort size, indicating specialized program value.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution demonstrates significant variation in post-graduation outcomes across University of Chicago's diverse academic programs. The gap between 75th percentile ($158,433) and 25th percentile ($60,576) represents a 2.6:1 ratio, reflecting differences in field selection and career trajectory.
