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International Economics

Types of Degrees International Economics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing International Economics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	220
Master’s Degree	61

What International Economics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in International Economics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a International Economics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

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

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to International Economics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, International Economics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by International Economics professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for International Economics graduates include:

• Agricultural Economics Professor
• Econometrics Professor
• Labor Economics Professor
• Professor
• Economics Instructor
• Finance Professor
• Industrial Economics Teacher
• Adjunct Economics Professor
• Lecturer
• Economics Adjunct Instructor
• Economics Professor
• Economic Adjunct Instructor
• Accounting Lecturer
• Associate Professor
• Adjunct Economics Instructor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	35.7%
Bachelor’s degree	34.5%
Master’s degree	9.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.3%
Post-master’s certificate	4.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.0%
Postsecondary certificate	2.6%
Some college courses	2.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.6%
Post-doctoral training	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in International Economics?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 58.7% women and 41.3% men among International Economics graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	165	58.7%
Men	116	41.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	75	26.7%
Asian	9	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino	13	4.6%
Black or African American	8	2.8%
Two or More Races	8	2.8%
Race Unknown	132	47.0%
International Students	36	12.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do International Economics Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of International Economics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 International Economics Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for International 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
Bachelor’s	2	0

^{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 International Economics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, International 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	CIP Code
Economics	45.06
Applied Economics	45.0602
Development Economics and International Development	45.0604
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics	45.0603
Economics, General	45.0601
Economics, Other	45.0699
Political Economy	45.1004

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.