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Economics Major

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Economics

39,397 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
4,803 Master's Degrees Annually
#15 in Popularity
$115,590 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Economics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many economics graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 39,397
Master’s Degree 4,803
Associate Degree 3,446
Doctor’s Degree 1,248
Graduate Certificate 122
Basic Certificate 33
Undergraduate Certificate 6

What Economics Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to economics and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Economics Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Skills for Economics Majors

economics majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Economics Majors

As you progress with your economics degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Economics Major?

People with a economics degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Compliance Managers 8.0% $107,480
Economics Professors 10.9% $101,480
Economists 6.1% $104,340
Environmental Economists 6.1% $104,340
Investment Fund Managers 8.0% $107,480
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 23.2% $63,120
Regulatory Affairs Managers 8.0% $107,480
Supply Chain Managers 8.0% $107,480
Survey Researchers 2.1% $57,700
Wind Energy Project Managers 8.0% $107,480

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics?

39,397 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
35% Percent Women
31% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is one of the most frequently chosen undergraduate majors. It is the 15th most popular in the country with 39,397 students graduating with a bachelor’s in economics in 2021. This major attracts more men than women. About 65% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of economics majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 5,089
Black or African American 1,616
Hispanic or Latino 4,101
White 17,686
International Students 8,183
Other Races/Ethnicities 2,722

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Economics. About 20.8% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • South Korea
  • India
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Vietnam

How Much Do Economics Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in economics made a median starting salary of $45,868 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $39,715 (25th percentile) and $52,857 (75th percentile).

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We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to economics so take that into consideration.

Salaries According to BLS

Economics majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $70,960 to $116,020 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for an Economics Major  ( 70960 to 116020 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some careers associated with economics require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to economics have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 0.9%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 0.7%
Some College Courses 0.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.6%
Bachelor’s Degree 35.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 1.4%
Master’s Degree 23.3%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 3.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 1.1%
Doctoral Degree 22.0%
Post-Doctoral Training 0.8%

Online Economics Programs

In 2020-2021, 929 schools offered a economics program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 4 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 143 27
Bachelor’s Degree 51 11
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 361 13
Post-Master’s 14 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 195 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Economics Worth It?

The median salary for a economics grad is $115,590 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 190% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,513,800 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to economics.

Major Number of Grads
Political Science & Government 49,282
Sociology 38,475
General Social Sciences 18,997
International Relations & National Security 14,306
Anthropology 11,415
Criminology 11,039
Geography & Cartography 8,526
Other Social Sciences 2,414
Urban Studies 1,507
Sociology & Anthropology 541
Archeology 339
Demography & Population Studies 88

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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