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Economic development internship education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an economic development internship. Economic development interns usually study economics, business, or political science. 78% of economic development interns hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,772 real economic development internship resumes to see exactly what economic development internship education sections show.

The most common colleges for economic development interns are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online economic development internship courses to help get the education required to be an economic development internship.

What education do you need to become an economic development internship?

What degree do you need to be an economic development internship?

The most common degree for economic development interns is bachelor's degree, with 78% of economic development interns earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 6%.
  • Bachelor's, 78%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Associate, 6%
  • Doctorate, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an economic development internship?

You should major in economics to become an economic development internship. 25% of economic development interns major in economics. Other common majors for an economic development internship include business and political science.

Most common colleges for economic development interns

Economic development interns often get their degrees at New York University, George Washington University, The, and Saint Cloud State University. Here are the most common colleges for economic development interns in the US based on their resumes.
Economic development internship common collegePercentages
New York University8.94%
George Washington University, The6.70%
Saint Cloud State University6.70%
Georgia State University5.59%
University of Texas at Austin5.59%

Best majors for economic development interns

RankMajorPercentages
1Economics25.3%
2Business16.3%
3Political Science12.7%
4Finance7.3%
5International Relations3.7%

Best colleges for economic development interns

The best colleges for economic development interns are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

An economic development internship with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for economic development interns. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become economic development interns.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

3. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

4. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

7. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,730

Enrollment

18,830

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

20 best online courses for economic development interns

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1. Managerial Economics and Business Analysis

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2. Earth Economics

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4. Economics: Market Forces of Demand, Supply and Equilibrium

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Economics: Analyzing Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium with real life case studies...

5. Introduction to Economic Theories

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Wondering why economists have not predicted serious financial crises? Shocked by economic assumptions of human behavior as self-centered and focusing only on what can be measured? Asking yourself if there are no sensible economic alternatives to free markets? Then you are at the right place to learn economics! This is the first online course that teaches economics from a pluralist perspective. Economic pluralism means that a plurality of theoretical and methodological viewpoints is regarded as...

6. The Economics of AI

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The course introduces you to cutting-edge research in the economics of AI and the implications for economic growth and labor markets. We start by analyzing the nature of intelligence and information theory. Then we connect our analysis to modeling production and technological change in economics, and how these processes are affected by AI. Next we turn to how technological change drives aggregate economic growth, covering a range of scenarios including a potential growth singularity. We also...

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9. The Art and Science of Economic Policy

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Economic policy affects every citizen. And economic policymaking is best done as a collaborative process with a wide range of stakeholders. This course brings an understanding of the relevance and impacts of economic policymaking in everyday life, and the ways for citizens to be involved in shaping economic policy, in an accessible and interesting manner. Taught by Dr. Vijay Kelkar and Dr. Ajay Shah, along with Aromar Revi, Director, IIHS, the course synthesises more than one hundred years of...

10. China’s Economic Transformation Part 1: Economic Reform and Growth in China

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In 1978, after nearly 30 years of socialist planning under Mao Zedong, China was one of the world’s poorest countries, saddled with an inefficient, inward-looking economy. Today, China is an upper-middle income country and the world’s largest trading nation, contributing more to global economic growth than any other nation. How could such a remarkable transformation take place? This course will examine in detail the reforms that have contributed to China’s economic development and the current...

11. The economic model of emerging countries - Michael Spence

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12. Economics: Behavior of Buyers and Sellers & Product Pricing

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13. Infonomics I: Business Information Economics and Data Monetization

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17. Social and Economic Networks: Models and Analysis

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18. Globalization, Economic Growth and Stability

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Top 10 most affordable universities for economic development interns

The most affordable schools for economic development interns are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for economic development interns are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for economic development interns.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

10. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for economic development interns

The hardest universities for economic development interns to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for economic development interns are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for economic development interns based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for economic development interns

The easiest schools for economic development interns to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of baltimore.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an economic development internship without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for economic development interns.

1. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

4. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

7. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

8. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

9. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average economic development internship salary by education level

According to our data, economic development interns with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $45,263 annually. Economic development interns with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $37,389.
Economic development internship education levelEconomic development internship salary
Master's Degree$37,389
Doctorate Degree$45,263

Economic development internship education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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