Economics major
Economics: courses, careers, and where to study
Economics studies how individuals, firms, and governments allocate resources, combining theory with empirical analysis and a strong mathematical foundation.
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Economics earn a median $82,686 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $58,184 to $116,323 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college
An Economics major covers microeconomics (consumer and firm behavior, market structure), macroeconomics (growth, inflation, monetary and fiscal policy), and econometrics (statistical analysis of economic data). Coursework requires calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and most departments now strongly recommend or require advanced econometrics. The major often comes in two flavors: a BA (lighter math) and a BS or "Mathematical Economics" (heavier math, recommended for PhD-bound students).
Economics graduates are sought by financial services, consulting, government, tech (data and product analytics), and academia. The major pairs well with a CS minor for technical roles or a Math/Statistics double for quantitative finance.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Economics maps to CIP 45.0601, Economics, General, within the SOCIAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:
A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Economics is awarded as
Of the 47,983 Economics credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:
- Certificate: <1%, 255 credentials.
- Associate: 11%, 5,153 credentials.
- Bachelor's: 75%, 36,206 credentials.
- Graduate: 13%, 6,369 credentials.
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 46 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 2 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Microeconomic theory
- Macroeconomic theory
- Econometrics (regression, time series, causal inference)
- Calculus, linear algebra, probability
- Field electives: labor, public, international, behavioral
- Game theory
- Economic history or development
- Senior research paper
Typical careers
- Financial Analyst
- Management Consultant
- Data Analyst / Economist
- Policy Analyst
- Investment Banker
- PhD Economist (academia)
Typical salary range: $60,000–$90,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 economists median $115,440)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
How much do Economics graduates earn?
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Economics earn a median $82,686 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $58,184 to $116,323 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
| Credential | National median | Middle half of programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $82,686 | $58,184 to $116,323 |
| Master's | $100,743 | $74,382 to $133,995 |
Compare Economics programs in your state
Highest-earning bachelor's Economics programs
- Williams College (MA): $166,678, median federal debt $12,925
- Duke University (NC): $161,149, median federal debt $13,187
- Princeton University (NJ): $160,763, median federal debt $11,250
- University of Chicago (IL): $159,578, median federal debt $13,395
- Harvard University (MA): $155,592, median federal debt $6,617
- Dartmouth College (NH): $152,929, median federal debt $18,132
- Claremont McKenna College (CA): $146,524, median federal debt $12,000
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA): $144,886, median federal debt $22,020
- Yale University (CT): $142,936, median federal debt $12,562
- Amherst College (MA): $141,730, median federal debt $16,662
Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Economics. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Economics, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $136,550 | 106,700 | +4.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Social Science Research Assistants | $58,040 | 5,200 | +4.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | $119,980 | 1,200 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Economists | $115,440 | 900 | +1.2% | Master's degree |
| Survey Researchers | $63,380 | 700 | -5.2% | Master's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 6 of these 6 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Economics does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Economics major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Economics program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Economics department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Economics program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Economics credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- University of California-Los Angeles, CA · 1,079 credentials
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI · 982 credentials
- University of Chicago, IL · 956 credentials
- University of California-Berkeley, CA · 834 credentials
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, MI · 782 credentials
- University of California-Santa Barbara, CA · 767 credentials
- New York University, NY · 669 credentials
- Columbia University in the City of New York, NY · 594 credentials
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC · 560 credentials
- The University of Texas at Austin, TX · 551 credentials
- University of Virginia-Main Campus, VA · 535 credentials
- Northwestern University, IL · 506 credentials
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Economics credentials were awarded
13 states have a distinct enough set of Economics colleges to be worth its own page.
Every Economics program with its own CampusPin page
148 programs in 38 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.
Economics programs in Arizona, 2 programs
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion Bachelor's, $78,485
- University of Arizona Bachelor's, $83,267
Economics programs in California, 20 programs
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Bachelor's, $98,927
- California State University-Fullerton Bachelor's, $71,595
- California State University-Long Beach Bachelor's, $71,220
- California State University-Northridge Bachelor's, $72,890
- California State University-Sacramento Bachelor's, $70,290
- California State University-San Marcos Bachelor's, $83,339
- Loyola Marymount University Bachelor's, $88,682
- Occidental College Bachelor's, $103,164
- San Diego State University Bachelor's, $74,123
- San Francisco State University Bachelor's, $82,697
- Santa Clara University Bachelor's, $121,307
- University of California-Davis Bachelor's, $83,248
- University of California-Irvine Bachelor's, $83,937
- University of California-Riverside Bachelor's, $66,682
- University of California-San Diego Bachelor's, $87,307
- University of California-Santa Barbara Bachelor's, $98,178
- University of California-Santa Cruz Bachelor's, $76,382
- University of California, Berkeley Bachelor's, $135,050
- University of California, Los Angeles Bachelor's, $95,440
- University of Southern California Bachelor's, $94,435
Economics programs in Colorado, 2 programs
- Colorado State University-Fort Collins Bachelor's, $69,934
- University of Colorado Boulder Bachelor's, $73,319
Economics programs in Connecticut, 3 programs
- Trinity College Bachelor's, $122,068
- University of Connecticut Bachelor's, $81,881
- Yale University Bachelor's, $142,936
Economics programs in Delaware, 1 program
- University of Delaware Bachelor's, $95,318
Economics programs in District of Columbia, 3 programs
- American University Bachelor's, $85,016
- George Washington University Bachelor's, $99,406
- Georgetown University Bachelor's, $118,999
Economics programs in Florida, 6 programs
- Florida Atlantic University Bachelor's, $74,056
- Florida International University Bachelor's, $70,022
- Florida State University Bachelor's, $73,527
- University of Florida Bachelor's, $89,075
- University of Miami Bachelor's, $92,998
- University of South Florida Bachelor's, $67,007
Economics programs in Georgia, 2 programs
- Emory University Bachelor's, $111,631
- Georgia State University Bachelor's, $58,344
Economics programs in Hawaii, 1 program
- University of Hawaii at Manoa Bachelor's, $60,401
Economics programs in Illinois, 6 programs
- North Central College Bachelor's, $80,494
- Northern Illinois University Bachelor's, $66,760
- Northwestern University Bachelor's, $126,006
- University of Chicago Bachelor's, $159,578
- University of Illinois Chicago Bachelor's, $63,429
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Bachelor's, $86,860
Economics programs in Indiana, 2 programs
- DePauw University Bachelor's, $94,761
- Indiana University-Bloomington Bachelor's, $99,653
Economics programs in Iowa, 2 programs
- Iowa State University Bachelor's, $75,355
- University of Iowa Bachelor's, $76,746
Economics programs in Kansas, 1 program
- University of Kansas Bachelor's, $69,084
Economics programs in Kentucky, 1 program
- Centre College Bachelor's, $75,885
Economics programs in Louisiana, 1 program
- Tulane University of Louisiana Bachelor's, $79,957
Economics programs in Maryland, 4 programs
- Johns Hopkins University Master's, $138,425
- Towson University Bachelor's, $76,509
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County Bachelor's, $79,729
- University of Maryland, College Park Bachelor's, $83,880
Economics programs in Massachusetts, 11 programs
- Boston College Bachelor's, $121,337
- Boston University Bachelor's, $96,723
- Brandeis University Bachelor's, $95,872
- College of the Holy Cross Bachelor's, $118,131
- Harvard University Bachelor's, $155,592
- Tufts University Bachelor's, $123,809
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Bachelor's, $80,434
- University of Massachusetts Boston Bachelor's, $70,552
- Wellesley College Bachelor's, $121,787
- Westfield State University Bachelor's, $72,539
- Williams College Bachelor's, $166,678
Economics programs in Michigan, 2 programs
- Michigan State University Bachelor's, $79,428
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Bachelor's, $110,552
Economics programs in Minnesota, 2 programs
- St Olaf College Bachelor's, $84,559
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities Bachelor's, $82,488
Economics programs in Nevada, 1 program
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas Bachelor's, $72,119
Economics programs in New Hampshire, 2 programs
- Dartmouth College Bachelor's, $152,929
- University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Bachelor's, $84,460
Economics programs in New Jersey, 2 programs
- Montclair State University Bachelor's, $66,148
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick Bachelor's, $86,120
Economics programs in New York, 21 programs
- Barnard College Bachelor's, $111,909
- Binghamton University Bachelor's, $81,040
- Colgate University Bachelor's, $128,887
- College of Staten Island CUNY Bachelor's, $70,747
- Columbia University in the City of New York Bachelor's, $137,710
- Cornell University Bachelor's, $137,935
- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College Bachelor's, $83,354
- CUNY City College Bachelor's, $67,679
- CUNY Hunter College Bachelor's, $69,920
- CUNY Queens College Bachelor's, $65,049
- Fordham University Bachelor's, $94,170
- Hamilton College Bachelor's, $130,633
- Hobart William Smith Colleges Bachelor's, $111,833
- New York University Bachelor's, $116,510
- St Lawrence University Bachelor's, $96,345
- Stony Brook University Bachelor's, $74,965
- SUNY Buffalo State University Bachelor's, $58,497
- Syracuse University Bachelor's, $83,649
- University at Albany Bachelor's, $63,331
- University at Buffalo Bachelor's, $70,720
- University of Rochester Bachelor's, $109,324
Economics programs in North Carolina, 4 programs
- Duke University Bachelor's, $161,149
- East Carolina University Bachelor's, $64,597
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bachelor's, $103,846
- Wake Forest University Bachelor's, $98,209
Economics programs in Ohio, 3 programs
- Denison University Bachelor's, $97,394
- Miami University-Oxford Bachelor's, $90,742
- Ohio State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $75,485
Economics programs in Oklahoma, 1 program
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Bachelor's, $76,123
Economics programs in Oregon, 2 programs
- Oregon State University Bachelor's, $70,436
- University of Oregon Bachelor's, $75,695
Economics programs in Pennsylvania, 11 programs
- Bucknell University Bachelor's, $108,422
- Drexel University Bachelor's, $98,178
- Gettysburg College Bachelor's, $94,295
- Lafayette College Bachelor's, $112,864
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $81,228
- Temple University Bachelor's, $73,154
- University of Pennsylvania Bachelor's, $129,985
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Bachelor's, $76,549
- Ursinus College Bachelor's, $75,573
- Villanova University Bachelor's, $100,288
- Washington & Jefferson College Bachelor's, $72,305
Economics programs in Rhode Island, 3 programs
- Brown University Bachelor's, $124,508
- Providence College Bachelor's, $95,590
- University of Rhode Island Bachelor's, $77,225
Economics programs in South Carolina, 2 programs
- Clemson University Bachelor's, $79,468
- University of South Carolina-Columbia Bachelor's, $77,536
Economics programs in South Dakota, 1 program
- South Dakota State University Bachelor's, $64,432
Economics programs in Tennessee, 2 programs
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Bachelor's, $67,902
- Vanderbilt University Bachelor's, $140,337
Economics programs in Texas, 7 programs
- Rice University Bachelor's, $129,575
- Texas A & M University-College Station Bachelor's, $81,562
- Texas Christian University Bachelor's, $89,466
- Texas Tech University Bachelor's, $68,973
- The University of Texas at Arlington Bachelor's, $71,821
- The University of Texas at Austin Bachelor's, $89,354
- University of Houston Bachelor's, $78,204
Economics programs in Utah, 3 programs
- Brigham Young University Bachelor's, $95,227
- University of Utah Bachelor's, $84,146
- Utah State University Bachelor's, $85,136
Economics programs in Vermont, 1 program
- University of Vermont Bachelor's, $69,416
Economics programs in Virginia, 5 programs
- George Mason University Bachelor's, $87,548
- University of Virginia-Main Campus Bachelor's, $110,773
- Virginia Military Institute Bachelor's, $76,296
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Bachelor's, $92,653
- William & Mary Bachelor's, $105,467
Economics programs in Washington, 3 programs
- University of Puget Sound Bachelor's, $81,082
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus Bachelor's, $87,239
- Western Washington University Bachelor's, $64,123
Economics programs in Wisconsin, 2 programs
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Bachelor's, $85,366
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bachelor's, $64,454
Related majors
Mathematics
Mathematics develops formal proof, abstraction, and quantitative analysis, feeding into research, finance, computing, actuarial science, and graduate programs across STEM.
Finance
Finance majors learn how money moves, corporate finance, investments, financial markets, and risk management, preparing for roles in banking, investments, and corporate analysis.
Business Administration
Business Administration is the most popular U.S. major, a broad foundation in accounting, finance, marketing, management, and economics that prepares graduates for nearly any industry.
Political Science
Political Science studies governments, political behavior, and policy, preparing graduates for law school, public service, journalism, and policy research.
Still deciding between Economics and something else?
These guides put Economics side by side with the major it is most often confused with, using the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk to show where the two actually lead.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Economics degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Economics degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Economics path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.