Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
Economist Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an economist. Economists usually study economics, finance, or business. 58% of economists hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,374 real economist resumes to see exactly what economist education sections show.
The most common colleges for economists are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online economist courses to help get the education required to be an economist.
There are certain economist certifications that you should consider. These economist certifications include Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
What education do you need to become an economist?
What degree do you need to be an economist?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Master's, 30%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become an economist?
Most common colleges for economists
Economist Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 8.39% |
| National University | 7.34% |
| American University | 6.99% |
| University of Chicago | 6.99% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.29% |
Best majors for economists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economics | 49.8% |
| 2 | Finance | 9.8% |
| 3 | Business | 8.0% |
| 4 | Political Science | 4.7% |
| 5 | Accounting | 4.4% |
Best colleges for economists
The best colleges for economists are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Harvard University.
An economist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for economists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become economists.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA • Private
In-State Tuition
$13,620
Enrollment
27,730
20 best online courses for economists
Advertising Disclosure
1. Earth Economics
After this course you will be an Earth Economist that can provide evidence-based advise on the best global policy. As an Earth Economist you will better understand the behavior and advice of economists, have become a better economist yourself and know where to find Earth's data and how to analyze these world observations. Our planet is too important: we need you to get engaged! Earth Economics offers a completely new angle to policy analysis by its focus on the truly global level and its...
2. Introduction to Economic Theories
Wondering why economists have not predicted serious financial crises? Shocked by economic assumptions of human behavior as self-centered and focusing only on what can be measured? Asking yourself if there are no sensible economic alternatives to free markets? Then you are at the right place to learn economics! This is the first online course that teaches economics from a pluralist perspective. Economic pluralism means that a plurality of theoretical and methodological viewpoints is regarded as...
3. Macroeconomics: A Comprehensive Economics Course
A Course Designed to Give You a Better Understanding of the World Around You--Perfect for University and Adult Learners!...
4. Economics Decoded: 10 Essential Principles Shaping Our World
Master the application of 10 core economics principles to make informed decisions in both professional and personal life...
5. The Art and Science of Economic Policy
Economic policy affects every citizen. And economic policymaking is best done as a collaborative process with a wide range of stakeholders. This course brings an understanding of the relevance and impacts of economic policymaking in everyday life, and the ways for citizens to be involved in shaping economic policy, in an accessible and interesting manner. Taught by Dr. Vijay Kelkar and Dr. Ajay Shah, along with Aromar Revi, Director, IIHS, the course synthesises more than one hundred years of...
6. The Economics of AI
The course introduces you to cutting-edge research in the economics of AI and the implications for economic growth and labor markets. We start by analyzing the nature of intelligence and information theory. Then we connect our analysis to modeling production and technological change in economics, and how these processes are affected by AI. Next we turn to how technological change drives aggregate economic growth, covering a range of scenarios including a potential growth singularity. We also...
7. Econ 101: The Complete Intro to Economics For Beginners
Economics 101: Economics Made Easy For You! Become an Economics Pro With This Course...
8. Economics: Macroeconomic Fundamentals for Managers 2023
Learn fundamental MBA-level principles for business: outsourcing/offshoring, fiscal & monetary policy + more from Eazl...
9. Managerial Economics and Business Analysis
In the exceedingly fast-paced business world, growing business demands a clear grasp of how a firm obtains a competitive advantage in its operations, how the business cycle and monetary policies impact the firm’s ability to maximize shareholders’ wealth, and how to obtain and efficiently use data to develop actionable business strategies. The Managerial Economics and Business Analytics Specialization is targeted towards aspiring managers, senior managers, and business executives who wish to...
10. Doing Economics: Measuring Climate Change
This course will give you practical experience in working with real-world data, with applications to important policy issues in today’s society. Each week, you will learn specific data handling skills in Excel and use these techniques to analyse climate change data, with appropriate readings to provide background information on the data you are working with. You will also learn about the consequences of climate change and how governments can address this issue. After completing this course, you...
Top 10 most affordable universities for economists
The most affordable schools for economists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for economists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for economists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Cost of Attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for economists
The hardest universities for economists to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for economists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for economists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
17%
SAT Average
1,507
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
5%
SAT Average
1,520
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,506
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for economists
The easiest schools for economists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, oklahoma wesleyan university, and the university of texas permian basin.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an economist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for economists.
1. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
88%
SAT Average
1,044
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
3. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,046
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
78%
SAT Average
1,020
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
Average economist salary by education level
| Economist education level | Economist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $107,071 |
| Doctorate Degree | $134,794 |
Economist Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for economist jobs
Loading...
Loading...
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025