1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Wheaton College](/school/wheaton-college/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Wheaton College Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/wheaton-college/)[Cost & aid](/school/wheaton-college/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/wheaton-college/admissions/)[Majors](/school/wheaton-college/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/wheaton-college/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Wheaton College graduates earn? The reported median is $57,675 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $68,250 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$10,575 per year. Four years after completing a bachelor's degree at Wheaton College, graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $57,675. That figure is below the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $10,575. It lands in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The return pillar overall sits in the 48th percentile, a middle-of-the-pack result that reflects a mix of higher- and moderate-earning programs. The university's strongest pillar is mobility, where [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #601 among nonprofit four-year institutions. That mobility strength coincides with a solid return picture. The median earnings figure is not far from the peer median. The program mix includes several fields that pay above the national benchmark for their discipline. The spread between the downside and upside earnings scenarios at Wheaton College—from $42,654 to $83,838—shows how much program choice matters four years after completion. Across 14 programs with published earnings data, the highest-earning fields shape the upper end of that range. Economics completers earn a median of $84,829, and Business/Managerial Economics graduates reach $80,258. Health Sciences, another large program, earns a median of $69,566. An estimated 36.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because the four-year earnings snapshot counts only those working and not enrolled, a graduate who enters a master's or professional program right after finishing is not captured. That means the published median reflects the portion of the class that entered the workforce directly, and the estimate is worth keeping in mind when reading the return figures. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $57,675 Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Wheaton College reported median** $57,675 **Peer schools comparable schools · $10,575 above Wheaton College** $68,250 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $42,654 to $83,838, around the reported median of $57,675. Compare the lower scenario with [Wheaton College borrowing and monthly payments](/school/wheaton-college/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $42,654 **Median · reported** $57,675 **Higher estimate** $83,838 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Wheaton College graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). That comparison is not reported for Wheaton College. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Wheaton College caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## Which fields at Wheaton College report the highest earnings? At Wheaton College, program medians four years after completion are highest in economics and business fields, while several large programs show more moderate earnings. Economics leads at $84,829 with 40 degrees awarded, followed by Business/Managerial Economics at $80,258 on 81 degrees awarded and Health Sciences at $69,566 with 44 degrees awarded. By contrast, Psychology — one of the larger programs — shows a median of $49,974 on 42 degrees awarded. The wide spread between the top and moderate-earning fields reflects the mix of degrees the college awards. The largest programs at Wheaton College span the social sciences, business, and health fields, with the Social Sciences family accounting for 15.0% of degrees awarded, Business for 12.6%, and Health Professions for 7.6%. Business/Managerial Economics awarded 81 degrees and shows a median of $80,258 four years after completion, while English Language and Literature awarded 47 degrees with a median of $52,647. The highest-earning program is Economics, which awarded 40 degrees and reports a median of $84,829. Health Sciences follows at $69,566, with 44 degrees awarded. International Relations and National Security Studies rounds out the top earners at $65,230, with 24 degrees awarded. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Economics** $84,829 **Business/Managerial Economics** $80,258 **Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General** $69,566 **International Relations and National Security Studies** $65,230 **Communication and Media Studies** $60,695 **English Language and Literature, General** $52,647 **Psychology, General** $49,974 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods** $48,374 [Explore Wheaton College program cohorts and field ranks](/school/wheaton-college/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings at Wheaton College depend heavily on the field a student chooses, a spread captured by three earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix. The downside earnings scenario is $42,654, the typical scenario is $57,675, and the upside scenario reaches $83,838. Among the largest programs, Economics sits at the high end at $84,829 four years after completion, while Psychology sits at the lower end at $49,974. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Wheaton College who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $57,675. That figure is below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), by $10,575. Azimuth places the university's median earnings in the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 550 completers. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a range of outcomes. The typical earnings scenario is $57,675, with a downside of $42,654 and an upside of $83,838. An estimated 36.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. This is an estimate derived from the institution's program mix, not an observed enrollment figure. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).