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Economics

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 45.0601 - 45.0699.

Types of Degrees Economics Majors Are Earning

Those studying Economics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	4,406
Bachelor’s Degree	34,393
Master’s Degree	5,419
Doctor’s Degree	1,409

What Economics Majors Need to Know

Programs in Economics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Economics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Economics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Economics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Economics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Economics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Economics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Economics graduates include:

• Teacher
• Economics Instructor
• Faculty Member
• Accounting Lecturer
• Economics Lecturer
• Economics Adjunct Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Economics Adjunct Instructor
• Microeconomics Professor
• Labor Economics Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• Economics Assistant Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Instructor

What Can You Do With a Economics Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Economics commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	1.8%	$77,927	$66,306–$89,549

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Economics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	39.8%
Doctoral degree	28.2%
Master’s degree	13.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.9%
Post-master’s certificate	3.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.2%
Some college courses	2.2%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.1%
Post-doctoral training	0.3%
First professional degree	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Economics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 63.4% of Economics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	16,682	36.6%
Men	28,946	63.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Economics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	17,633	38.6%
Asian	6,304	13.8%
Hispanic or Latino	5,722	12.5%
Black or African American	1,720	3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	57	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	53	0.1%
Two or More Races	1,756	3.8%
Race Unknown	1,560	3.4%
International Students	10,823	23.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Economics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Economics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$56,270
4 years	$74,609
5 years	$87,950

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $87,950 — roughly 56% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Economics Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Economics. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	35	11
Bachelor’s	35	33
Master’s	18	22
Doctoral (Research)	2	7

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Economics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Economics graduates earn a median of $74,609 four years after completion — roughly 96% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Social Sciences	185,019
Political Science and Government	44,942
Sociology	31,380
Social Sciences, General	17,510
International Relations and National Security Studies	13,035
Anthropology	10,768
Criminology	10,365
Geography and Cartography	7,105
Social Sciences, Other	1,942
Urban Studies/Affairs	1,343
Sociology and Anthropology	496
Archeology	393

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.