Economics: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Q: Which universities have the largest Economics programs?

Currently 659 accredited institutions offer Economics degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Michigan (U‑M), Ann Arbor (757 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (627 graduates), and University of Connecticut (UConn) (380 graduates).

Q: Is enrollment in Economics growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 33,812 in 2010 to a peak of 31,167 in 2020, before declining slightly to 21,627 in 2023-24. This represents a 36% decrease overall from 2010.

Q: What career paths are available with a Economics degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Managers, All Other, Economics Teachers, Postsecondary, and Economists. Related occupations employ approximately 1,772,480 professionals nationwide.

Program Overview

Economics is a rigorous academic discipline dedicated to understanding how individuals, organizations, and societies allocate limited resources to meet unlimited wants. It explores the mechanisms behind decision-making in markets, governments, and institutions, emphasizing efficiency, equity, and sustainability in resource use.

Economic theory: Foundations of how markets function, including assumptions about rational behavior, supply and demand dynamics, and the role of incentives in shaping outcomes.
Microeconomics: Analysis of individual and firm-level choices, pricing strategies, market structures, and the implications of competition and consumer behavior.
Macroeconomics: Examination of large-scale economic phenomena such as inflation, unemployment, economic growth, and the impact of fiscal and monetary policy.
Comparative economic systems: Study of different models of economic organization, including capitalism, socialism, and mixed economies, with focus on historical development and performance.
Money and banking systems: Exploration of financial institutions, monetary policy, credit creation, interest rates, and the role of central banks in stabilizing economies.
International economics: Investigation of global trade patterns, exchange rates, balance of payments, and the economic implications of globalization and cross-border investment.
Quantitative analytical methods: Application of statistical, mathematical, and computational tools to model economic behavior, test hypotheses, and forecast trends.
Policy and industry applications: Practical analysis of economic challenges in sectors like healthcare, energy, education, and public finance, with emphasis on evidence-based decision-making.

Economics Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

21,627

Total Graduates (2023-2024)

659

Universities & Colleges

Career Pathways

Career & Salary Outlook Schools Offering This Program Related Programs

Economics Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Economics degrees, including Managers, All Other, Economics Teachers, Postsecondary and Economists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 1,772,480 professionals.

National Average Salaries

Occupation	Median Salary	Salary Range	Total Employment	Hourly Rate
Managers, All Other 11-9199	$136,550	$68,860 - $227,590	630,980	$65.65
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1063	$119,980	$57,550 - $217,160	12,420	N/A
Economists 19-3011	$115,440	$62,340 - $212,710	15,880	$55.50
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2031	$64,580	$47,330 - $104,670	1,072,540	N/A
Survey Researchers 19-3022	$63,380	$36,950 - $118,730	7,720	$30.47
Social Science Research Assistants 19-4061	$58,040	$36,410 - $100,620	32,940	$27.90

Salary Comparison

Data Source: Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 estimates, based on 6 related occupations. Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics.

*Salary Range Explanation: The salary range represents the 10th to 90th percentile, meaning 80% of workers in this occupation earn within this range. This excludes the lowest 10% and highest 10% of earners to provide a more realistic picture of typical compensation.

Important Disclaimer: Salary data represents national averages and varies by location, experience, employer, and market conditions. These statistics are estimates for general guidance and do not guarantee specific employment outcomes for graduates.

Economics Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $71,292 in Nebraska to $118,035 in District of Columbia—a 66% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, Delaware, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 1,772,480 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.

Average Salary Range:

Top Universities for Economics by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Economics programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Economics is found at University of Michigan (U‑M), Ann Arbor (757 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (627 graduates), University of Connecticut (UConn) (380 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (374 graduates), and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill (345 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 14,497 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.

College Name	Award Levels	Graduates	Admissions	Location	Control	Website
University of Michigan (U‑M)	Bachelor's Master's	757	SAT: 1350-1530 ACT: 31-34	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Public	umich.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Bachelor's Other Award	627	SAT: 1360-1510 ACT: 28-32	Madison, Wisconsin	Public	wisc.edu
University of Connecticut (UConn)	Bachelor's	380	SAT: 1210-1420 ACT: 29-33	Storrs, Connecticut	Public	uconn.edu
Texas A & M University	Bachelor's	374	SAT: 1140-1380 ACT: 25-31	College Station, Texas	Public	tamu.edu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Bachelor's	345	SAT: 1370-1530 ACT: 30-34	Chapel Hill, North Carolina	Public	unc.edu
University of California (UCI)	Bachelor's	326	N/A	Irvine, California	Public	uci.edu
The University of Texas	Bachelor's	325	SAT: 1230-1490 ACT: 27-33	Austin, Texas	Public	utexas.edu
University of Florida (UF)	Bachelor's	318	SAT: 1300-1480 ACT: 28-33	Gainesville, Florida	Public	ufl.edu
University of Massachusetts	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	307	SAT: 1300-1480 ACT: 29-33	Amherst, Massachusetts	Public	umass.edu
Pasadena City College (PCC)	Associate's	287	N/A	Pasadena, California	Public	pasadena.edu
Boston University (BU)	Bachelor's	264	SAT: 1400-1520 ACT: 32-34	Boston, Massachusetts	Private	bu.edu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)	Bachelor's	257	SAT: 1270-1510 ACT: 29-34	Champaign, Illinois	Public	illinois.edu
Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC)	Associate's	247	N/A	Woodland Hills, California	Public	lapc.edu
Stony Brook University (SBU)	Bachelor's	231	SAT: 1320-1490 ACT: 28-33	Stony Brook, New York	Public	stonybrook.edu
Binghamton University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	221	SAT: 1320-1490 ACT: 29-34	Vestal, New York	Public	binghamton.edu
San Diego State University (SDSU)	Bachelor's Master's	216	N/A	San Diego, California	Public	sdsu.edu
Rutgers University	Bachelor's	216	SAT: 1270-1480 ACT: 28-33	New Brunswick, New Jersey	Public	newbrunswick.rutgers.edu
Santa Barbara City College (SBCC)	Associate's	215	N/A	Santa Barbara, California	Public	sbcc.edu
University of Colorado Boulder (CU)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	215	SAT: 1230-1420 ACT: 28-33	Boulder, Colorado	Public	colorado.edu
Michigan State University (MSU)	Bachelor's	203	SAT: 1150-1350 ACT: 26-31	East Lansing, Michigan	Public	msu.edu
CUNY Queens College	Bachelor's	196	SAT: 1100-1320	Queens, New York	Public	qc.cuny.edu
University of South Florida (USF)	Bachelor's Master's	192	SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 24-29	Tampa, Florida	Public	usf.edu
The University of Alabama (UA)	Bachelor's	187	SAT: 1170-1400 ACT: 24-31	Tuscaloosa, Alabama	Public	ua.edu
Golden West College (GWC)	Associate's	186	N/A	Huntington Beach, California	Public	goldenwestcollege.edu
Grossmont College	Associate's	182	N/A	El Cajon, California	Public	grossmont.edu
Southern Methodist University (SMU)	Bachelor's	180	SAT: 1320-1480 ACT: 30-34	Dallas, Texas	Private	smu.edu
Moorpark College	Associate's	177	N/A	Moorpark, California	Public	moorparkcollege.edu
West Valley College (WVC)	Associate's	175	N/A	Saratoga, California	Public	westvalley.edu
Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC)	Associate's	166	N/A	Valley Glen, California	Public	lavc.edu
Missouri State University	Other Award	164	SAT: 990-1220 ACT: 19-25	Springfield, Missouri	Public	missouristate.edu
Clemson University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	159	SAT: 1230-1390 ACT: 28-32	Clemson, South Carolina	Public	clemson.edu
George Mason University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	157	SAT: 1140-1340 ACT: 25-30	Fairfax, Virginia	Public	www2.gmu.edu
Frostburg State University (FSU)	Bachelor's	155	N/A	Frostburg, Maryland	Public	frostburg.edu
Florida International University (FIU)	Bachelor's	154	SAT: 1060-1250 ACT: 20-26	Miami, Florida	Public	fiu.edu
CUNY Hunter College	Bachelor's Master's	153	SAT: 1210-1470	New York, New York	Public	hunter.cuny.edu
University of Missouri (Mizzou)	Bachelor's	149	SAT: 1150-1330 ACT: 23-29	Columbia, Missouri	Public	missouri.edu
Syracuse University	Bachelor's	145	SAT: 1260-1430 ACT: 28-32	Syracuse, New York	Private	syracuse.edu
Brigham Young University (BYU)	Bachelor's	145	SAT: 1290-1450 ACT: 28-32	Provo, Utah	Private	byu.edu
California State University	Bachelor's Master's	144	N/A	Sacramento, California	Public	csus.edu
Wake Forest University (WFC)	Bachelor's	137	SAT: 1390-1510 ACT: 32-34	Winston-Salem, North Carolina	Private	wfu.edu
Saddleback College	Associate's	129	N/A	Mission Viejo, California	Public	saddleback.edu
University of Houston (UH)	Bachelor's	129	SAT: 1150-1330 ACT: 23-28	Houston, Texas	Public	uh.edu
College of the Holy Cross	Bachelor's	128	SAT: 1250-1420 ACT: 28-32	Worcester, Massachusetts	Private	holycross.edu
University at Buffalo (UB)	Bachelor's Master's	126	SAT: 1210-1380 ACT: 27-32	Buffalo, New York	Public	buffalo.edu
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)	Bachelor's Master's	125	N/A	Manchester, New Hampshire	Private	snhu.edu
University of Maryland (UMBC)	Bachelor's	118	SAT: 1220-1410 ACT: 23-30	Baltimore, Maryland	Public	umbc.edu
CUNY City College (CCNY)	Bachelor's Master's	117	SAT: 1220-1460	New York, New York	Public	ccny.cuny.edu
University of Minnesota (UMN)	Bachelor's	110	SAT: 1310-1480 ACT: 27-31	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Public	twin-cities.umn.edu
University of Arizona	Bachelor's Master's	109	SAT: 1160-1420 ACT: 21-30	Tucson, Arizona	Public	arizona.edu
University of California (UCSC)	Bachelor's	104	N/A	Santa Cruz, California	Public	ucsc.edu
University of Miami (UM)	Bachelor's	103	SAT: 1330-1470 ACT: 30-33	Coral Gables, Florida	Private	miami.edu
Sierra College	Associate's	102	N/A	Rocklin, California	Public	sierracollege.edu
Folsom Lake College (FLC)	Associate's	96	N/A	Folsom, California	Public	flc.losrios.edu
University of Iowa	Bachelor's	94	SAT: 1130-1320 ACT: 22-28	Iowa City, Iowa	Public	uiowa.edu
Texas Christian University (TCU)	Bachelor's	93	SAT: 1150-1375 ACT: 26-31	Fort Worth, Texas	Private	tcu.edu
Southwestern College (SWC)	Associate's	91	N/A	Chula Vista, California	Public	swccd.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)	Bachelor's	91	SAT: 1240-1420 ACT: 27-32	Blacksburg, Virginia	Public	vt.edu
Diablo Valley College (DVC)	Associate's	90	N/A	Pleasant Hill, California	Public	dvc.edu
William & Mary (W&M)	Bachelor's	88	SAT: 1365-1510 ACT: 32-34	Williamsburg, Virginia	Public	wm.edu
Bucknell University	Bachelor's	86	SAT: 1300-1450 ACT: 31-33	Lewisburg, Pennsylvania	Private	bucknell.edu
Cuesta College	Associate's	83	N/A	San Luis Obispo, California	Public	cuesta.edu
College of the Canyons	Associate's	82	N/A	Santa Clarita, California	Public	canyons.edu
James Madison University (JMU)	Bachelor's	80	SAT: 1170-1320 ACT: 25-29	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Public	jmu.edu
California State University (CSUN)	Bachelor's	79	N/A	Northridge, California	Public	csun.edu
American University (AU)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	78	SAT: 1300-1450 ACT: 29-33	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	american.edu
Swarthmore College	Bachelor's	78	SAT: 1460-1560 ACT: 33-34	Swarthmore, Pennsylvania	Private	swarthmore.edu
Santa Clara University (SCU)	Bachelor's	77	SAT: 1340-1500 ACT: 30-33	Santa Clara, California	Private	scu.edu
United States Military Academy (USMA)	Bachelor's	76	SAT: 1200-1430 ACT: 28-33	West Point, New York	Public	westpoint.edu
El Camino Community College District (ECC)	Associate's	75	N/A	Torrance, California	Public	elcamino.edu
Santa Monica College (SMC)	Associate's	75	N/A	Santa Monica, California	Public	smc.edu
De Anza College	Associate's	74	N/A	Cupertino, California	Public	deanza.edu
University of South Carolina (USC)	Bachelor's Master's	74	SAT: 1180-1380 ACT: 26-32	Columbia, South Carolina	Public	sc.edu
University of Massachusetts	Bachelor's	73	SAT: 1080-1290 ACT: 24-30	Boston, Massachusetts	Public	umb.edu
St Lawrence University	Bachelor's	73	SAT: 1255-1410 ACT: 29-32	Canton, New York	Private	stlawu.edu
Cerritos College	Associate's	72	N/A	Norwalk, California	Public	cerritos.edu
University of Georgia (UGA)	Bachelor's	72	SAT: 1160-1390 ACT: 25-32	Athens, Georgia	Public	uga.edu
Georgia State University	Bachelor's	71	SAT: 1040-1280 ACT: 19-26	Atlanta, Georgia	Public	gsu.edu
Columbia University in the City of New York	Bachelor's Post-Master's Doctorate (R)	70	SAT: 1490-1570 ACT: 34-35	New York, New York	Private	columbia.edu
College of San Mateo (CSM)	Associate's	68	N/A	San Mateo, California	Public	collegeofsanmateo.edu
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)	Bachelor's	68	SAT: 1430-1540 ACT: 32-35	Cleveland, Ohio	Private	case.edu
Mt San Jacinto Community College District (MSJC)	Associate's	67	N/A	San Jacinto, California	Public	msjc.edu
Indiana University (IUB)	Bachelor's	67	SAT: 1170-1400 ACT: 27-32	Bloomington, Indiana	Public	indiana.edu
American River College (ARC)	Associate's	66	N/A	Sacramento, California	Public	arc.losrios.edu
Evergreen Valley College (EVC)	Associate's	66	N/A	San Jose, California	Public	evc.edu
Oregon State University (OSU)	Bachelor's	66	N/A	Corvallis, Oregon	Public	oregonstate.edu
Las Positas College (LPC)	Associate's	66	N/A	Livermore, California	Public	laspositascollege.edu
Miami University	Bachelor's	65	SAT: 1210-1380 ACT: 26-31	Oxford, Ohio	Public	miamioh.edu
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	Bachelor's	64	SAT: 1210-1410	New York, New York	Public	baruch.cuny.edu
Florida Atlantic University (FAU)	Bachelor's Master's	63	SAT: 1040-1210 ACT: 20-26	Boca Raton, Florida	Public	fau.edu
Trinity College	Bachelor's	61	SAT: 1310-1460 ACT: 30-33	Hartford, Connecticut	Private	trincoll.edu
University of Central Florida (UCF)	Bachelor's	61	SAT: 1190-1350 ACT: 25-29	Orlando, Florida	Public	ucf.edu
Cabrillo College	Associate's	60	N/A	Aptos, California	Public	cabrillo.edu
California State University (CSULB)	Bachelor's Master's	60	N/A	Long Beach, California	Public	csulb.edu
University of Hawaii (UHM)	Bachelor's	60	SAT: 1020-1240 ACT: 20-27	Honolulu, Hawaii	Public	manoa.hawaii.edu
University of Cincinnati (UC)	Bachelor's	59	SAT: 1150-1360 ACT: 24-29	Cincinnati, Ohio	Public	uc.edu
East Los Angeles College (ELAC)	Associate's	58	N/A	Monterey Park, California	Public	elac.edu
Orange Coast College (OCC)	Associate's	58	N/A	Costa Mesa, California	Public	orangecoastcollege.edu
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)	Bachelor's	57	N/A	San Luis Obispo, California	Public	calpoly.edu
San Francisco State University (SFSU)	Bachelor's	56	N/A	San Francisco, California	Public	sfsu.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)	Bachelor's	56	SAT: 1120-1340 ACT: 25-32	Chicago, Illinois	Public	uic.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Economics programs

How much can I earn with a Economics degree?

Salaries for Economics graduates vary by role and location. Managers, All Other earn a median of $136,550 annually, while Economics Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $119,980. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $118,035 compared to $71,292 in Nebraska. Approximately 1,772,480 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.

Which universities have the largest Economics programs?

Currently 659 accredited institutions offer Economics degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Michigan (U‑M), Ann Arbor (757 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (627 graduates), and University of Connecticut (UConn) (380 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.

Is enrollment in Economics growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 33,812 in 2010 to a peak of 31,167 in 2020, before declining slightly to 21,627 in 2023-24. This represents a 36% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.

What career paths are available with a Economics degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Managers, All Other, Economics Teachers, Postsecondary, and Economists. Related occupations employ approximately 1,772,480 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.

Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.

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