Best Colleges and Universities for Economics Degrees

Badge for BEST FOR ECONOMICS COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

The best economics degree programs are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best economics degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding economics faculty.

A bachelor’s degree in economics is an excellent starting point for a career in finance, policy development, marketing, and a host of other highly lucrative fields. As an economics major, you’ll study production, consumption, wealth transfer, and the way these activities relate to policy and governance. Your economics degree will also incorporate such core principles of monetary policy, budget planning, and cost analysis. The best schools for economics are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of economics concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Degree popularity: Economics bachelor’s degrees are the 35th most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics. It’s most popular among Asian Americans and Pacific Islander men and women, for whom it ranks as the 17th most desired degree, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Economics Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in economics can open numerous professional doors. You could work as an internal financial consultant for a big company, as a stock trade for a brokerage firm, or as an analyst for a government think tank. In fact, the skills and knowledge you’ll acquire in your degree program are highly transferable. This means that your understanding of concepts such as local market behavior, small business enterprising, and investment banking could land you a role in any sector that interests you. The best schools for economics will put you in a position to become a leader in an array of fast-paced and well-paying fields.

Today, top influencers in economics are illuminating topics such as new economic geography, information asymmetry theory, wealth and income inequality, and much more.

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Economics is an excellent major because it can provide a pathway into countless fields and career opportunities. If you’re looking for a well-paying and secure job, an economics degree is a great place to start. Students who major in economics gain skills that are in high demand across a wide range of professional sectors. Abilities such as budget analysis, cost estimation, and market analysis make economics majors highly employable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of job opportunities for economists is expected to grow by a robust 14% by 2029.

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Once you’ve declared your major in economics, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized economics electives, there are a number of common courses that most economics majors will be required to take, including:

  • Principles of Economics
  • Money and Banking
  • Economics of Healthcare
  • Globalization
  • Econometrics
  • Labor Studies
  • Economics and the Developing Sphere
  • Gender and Economy
  • Financial Markets
  • Sustainability and Development

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Earning a degree in economics can qualify you for a number of well-paying jobs. Your specialized knowledge qualifies you to work in one of the better-paying professional fields. According to the BLS, financial analysts earned a median salary of $81,590 in 2019, while personal financial advisors earned $87,850, and economists pulled in $105,020.

With a degree in economics, you’ll have a chance to pursue an array of high-paying opportunities, including these top jobs:

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The Best Colleges and Universities for Economics Degrees

Best Economics Major Research Universities

  1. Harvard University
  2. MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  3. University of Chicago
  4. Princeton University
  5. Yale University

Go to The Best Economics Research Universities

Best Economics Major Liberal Arts Colleges

  1. Swarthmore College
  2. Amherst College
  3. Williams College
  4. Claremont McKenna College
  5. Wesleyan University

Go to The Best Economics Liberal Arts Colleges

Best Economics Major Online Colleges

  1. University of Arizona
  2. University of Maine
  3. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
  4. Missouri State University
  5. University of Alaska Fairbanks

Go to The Best Economics Online Colleges

Career Outlook for Students with Economics Degree

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Economics

Degree Level: Bachelor's

  • Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
  • Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,680
  • Avg. Expenses*: $17,104
  • Avg. Starting Salary*: $45,293
  • Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $63,653
  • Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 10 years
  • Job Growth: 2.32%
  • Number of Jobs: 2,376,200
  • * denotes ‘annually’
  • ** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

CareerJob GrowthAvg. Salary
Economists6.25%$108,366
Managers, All Other3.35%$106,040
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary4.05%$104,688
Data Scientists35.11%$91,799
Statisticians31.83%$90,928

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%MedianTop 10%
$53,242$90,147$141,124

Promising Job Markets

StateCost of LivingAvg. Salary
#2 Alabama13% higher than average$102,252
#3 Illinois7% higher than average$101,612
#4 Virginia5% higher than average$99,747
#5 New York5% higher than average$108,048
#6 Texas10% higher than average$92,580

Top Industries

IndustryAvg. Salary
Economists$108,366
Managers, All Other$106,040
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary$104,688

The Best Economics Schools in Your State

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