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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k)

10 Ranked Colleges
2,948 Degrees Awarded
$5,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 48,831 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

At the associate degree level specifically, there were 2,948 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,082 and $17,678 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 10 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 10 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Ventura College

Ventura, California
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ventura College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ventura College is located in Ventura, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 associates’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Ventura College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Ventura College is $506 for Associate Degree Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Ventura College Economics Report

#2

College of the Canyons

Santa Clarita, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend College of the Canyons. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k. College of the Canyons is located in Santa Clarita, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 associates’s economics degrees to qualified students.

College of the Canyons did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend College of the Canyons is $3,392 for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full College of the Canyons Economics Report

#3

East Los Angeles College

Monterey Park, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend East Los Angeles College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k. East Los Angeles College is a public institution located in Monterey Park, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 54 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

East Los Angeles College also made our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for East Los Angeles College is $9,000 for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Economics at East Los Angeles College

#4

Palomar College

San Marcos, California
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Palomar College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in San Marcos, California, this large public school handed out 8 degrees to qualified associates’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Palomar College also made our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Palomar College is $2,891 for Associate Degree Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Economics at Palomar College

#5

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa, California
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Santa Rosa Junior College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k. Santa Rosa Junior College is a fairly large school located in Santa Rosa, California that handed out 12 associates’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, SRJC has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SRJC is $5,026 for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Santa Rosa Junior College Economics Report

#6

American River College

Sacramento, California
#7 in overall quality

American River College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. American River is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 associates’s economics degrees to qualified students.

American River also took the #7 spot in our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend American River College is $4,334 for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full American River College Economics Report

#7

Mt. San Jacinto College

San Jacinto, California
#8 in overall quality

Mt. San Jacinto College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. MSJC is a fairly large public school situated in San Jacinto, California. It awarded 12 associates’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

MSJC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,840 for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MSJC.

Read more about Economics at MSJC

#8

Merritt College

Oakland, California
#3 in overall quality

Merritt College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Merritt College is a medium-sized school located in Oakland, California that handed out 6 associates’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Merritt College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Merritt College is $10,131 for Associate Degree Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Merritt College Economics Report

#9

Antelope Valley College

Lancaster, California
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Antelope Valley College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Antelope Valley College is a fairly large school located in Lancaster, California that handed out 17 associates’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Antelope Valley College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Antelope Valley College is $4,272 for associate degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Economics at Antelope Valley College

#10

Crafton Hills College

Yucaipa, California
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Crafton Hills College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Crafton Hills College is a public institution located in Yucaipa, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CHC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Economics Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,325 for Associate Degree Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Crafton Hills College.

Read more about Economics at CHC

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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