Bachelor’s Degrees in Economics
Education Levels of Economics Majors
During the most recent year for which data is available, 35,886 people earned their bachelor's degree in economics. This earns it the #15 spot on the list of the most popular bachelor's degree programs in the nation.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in economics at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 35,886 |
| Master’s Degree | 5,317 |
| Associate Degree | 3,384 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 1,385 |
| Graduate Certificate | 208 |
| Basic Certificate | 42 |
| Undergraduate Certificate | 3 |
Earnings of Economics Majors With Bachelor’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in economics is $51,722. A lot of factors can contribute to this number, such as the location of your workplace and the availability of other perks and bonuses. To get a better picture, earnings for this category of people can range from a low of $45,446 to a high of $58,921.
Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in economics is $39,273. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit. The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $53,656 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $27,002.
Those students who are paying back their debt on a 10-year repayment plan have a median monthly payment of $467.
Student Diversity
More men than women pursue bachelor's degrees in economics. About 65.5% of graduates in this field are male.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 23,520 |
| Women | 12,366 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of economics bachelor’s degree students is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 4,933 |
| Black or African American | 1,414 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,836 |
| White | 15,851 |
| International Students | 7,059 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 2,793 |
Most Popular Economics Programs for Bachelor’s Degrees
There are 781 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in economics. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
The most popular school in the United States for economics students seekinga bachelor's degree is University of California - Los Angeles. Roughly 44,500 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 796 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UCLA. About 49% of this group were women, and 47% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at University of California - Los Angeles make a median salary of 51,722.
University of California - Berkeley comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in economics. Roughly 42,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 758 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UC Berkeley. About 48% of this group were women, and 50% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at University of California - Berkeley make a median salary of 51,722.
University of California - Santa Barbara is the 3rd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Each year, around 26,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 695 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UCSB. About 38% of this group were women, and 47% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Data shows that UCSB graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
University of Wisconsin - Madison is the 4th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Roughly 44,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $9,644 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,728 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 624 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UW - Madison. Around 15% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 33% were women. Data shows that UW - Madison graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
The 5th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Each year, around 47,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $17,977 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $27,192 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 618 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from U-M. Around 21% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 36% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor make a median salary of 51,722.
The 6th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of California - Davis. Each year, around 39,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 615 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UC Davis. Of these students, 35% were women and 53% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. University of California - Davis economics graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $51,722.
Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus is the 7th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Roughly 0 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $19,672 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $24,956 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 612 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from Penn State University Park. Around 19% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 27% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus make a median salary of 51,722.
University of Virginia - Main Campus is the 8th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Each year, around 25,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $18,823 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $19,118 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 509 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from University of Virginia. Around 28% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 37% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at University of Virginia - Main Campus make a median salary of 51,722.
The 9th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Chicago. Roughly 17,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $63,801 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $65,145 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 491 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UChicago. Around 45% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 36% were women. Data shows that UChicago graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
The 10th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of California - Irvine. Each year, around 36,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 472 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UC Irvine. Around 31% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 44% were women. Data shows that UC Irvine graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
University of Connecticut comes in at #11 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in economics. Each year, around 27,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $16,332 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $18,834 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 455 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UCONN. Of these students, 30% were women and 28% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Data shows that UCONN graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
The 12th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Each year, around 52,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $14,768 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $15,545 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 443 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UIUC. About 24% of this group were women, and 36% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign make a median salary of 51,722.
New York University is the 13th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Each year, around 52,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $60,438 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $38,826 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 437 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from NYU. Of these students, 43% were women and 35% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. New York University economics graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $51,722.
University of California - San Diego comes in at #14 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in economics. Each year, around 39,500 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 436 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UCSD. Around 43% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 32% were women. University of California - San Diego economics graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $51,722.
University of Maryland - College Park is the 15th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Each year, around 40,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $9,889 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $16,560 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 432 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UMCP. Of these students, 30% were women and 35% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. University of Maryland - College Park economics graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $51,722.
The 16th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Utah State University. Roughly 27,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,387 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,763 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 419 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from USU. Of these students, 46% were women and 4% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Utah State University economics graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $51,722.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill comes in at #17 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in economics. Each year, around 30,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,019 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,552 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 409 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UNC Chapel Hill. Around 25% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 34% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in economics at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill make a median salary of 51,722.
The 18th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Massachusetts Amherst. Roughly 31,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $16,591 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $14,723 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 404 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from UMass Amherst. Of these students, 24% were women and 25% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Data shows that UMass Amherst graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
The 19th most popular school in the country for economics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Queens College. Roughly 19,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,930 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,090 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 394 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from QC. Of these students, 39% were women and 69% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Data shows that QC graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $51,722.
Rutgers University - New Brunswick is the 20th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in economics. Each year, around 50,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $13,674 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $19,824 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 387 people received their bachelor's degree in economics from Rutgers New Brunswick. Around 39% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 25% were women. Rutgers University - New Brunswick economics graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $51,722.
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to economics that offer bachelor’s degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 41,131 |
| Sociology | 25,951 |
| Anthropology | 8,349 |
| International Relations & Security | 8,079 |
| General Social Sciences | 5,605 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student 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 percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By pixabay under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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