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Quantitative Economics

Types of Degrees Quantitative Economics Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Quantitative Economics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	17,172
Master’s Degree	4,284
Doctor’s Degree	1,271

What Quantitative Economics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Quantitative Economics emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Quantitative Economics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Quantitative Economics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Quantitative Economics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Quantitative Economics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Quantitative Economics graduates include:

• Data Analyst
• Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Transportation Economics Teacher
• Economics Assistant Professor
• Industrial Economics Teacher
• Agricultural Economics Teacher
• Industrial Economics Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Microeconomics Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Labor Economics Professor
• College Professor
• Economic Adjunct Instructor
• Associate Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	43.5%
Doctoral degree	22.4%
Master’s degree	18.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.8%
Post-master’s certificate	2.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.3%
Some college courses	2.0%
Postsecondary certificate	1.5%
Post-doctoral training	0.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Quantitative Economics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 61.9% of Quantitative Economics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	8,663	38.1%
Men	14,064	61.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	7,730	34.0%
Asian	3,362	14.8%
Hispanic or Latino	1,767	7.8%
Black or African American	634	2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	18	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	24	0.1%
Two or More Races	803	3.5%
Race Unknown	684	3.0%
International Students	7,705	33.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Quantitative Economics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Quantitative 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 Quantitative Economics Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Quantitative 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	3	8
Master’s	5	12
Doctoral (Research)	1	5

^{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 Quantitative Economics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Quantitative 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
Economics, General	45.0601
Economics, Other	45.0699
International Economics	45.0605
Political Economy	45.1004
Survey Research/Methodology	45.0103

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.