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Senior economist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a senior economist. Senior economists usually study economics, finance, or business. 47% of senior economists hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 445 real senior economist resumes to see exactly what senior economist education sections show.
The most common colleges for senior economists are the National University and the National University.
There are also many online senior economist courses to help get the education required to be a senior economist.
What education do you need to become a senior economist?
What degree do you need to be a senior economist?
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Master's, 33%
- Doctorate, 16%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a senior economist?
Most common colleges for senior economists
| Senior economist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| National University | 8.54% |
| University of Texas at Austin | 8.54% |
| American University | 7.32% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 7.32% |
| Georgetown University | 6.10% |
Best majors for senior economists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economics | 53.8% |
| 2 | Finance | 8.6% |
| 3 | Business | 8.0% |
| 4 | Political Science | 5.8% |
| 5 | Agricultural Business | 3.7% |
Best colleges for senior economists
The best colleges for senior economists are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A senior economist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior economists. 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 senior economists.
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 senior economists
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5. Introduction to Economic Theories
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 Art and Science of Economic Policy
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...
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9. The Economics of AI
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...
10. China’s Economic Transformation Part 1: Economic Reform and Growth in China
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. (Oxford) Master Diploma: Economics (Includes Macro/Micro)
NINETY HOURS : Micro/Macro/Global/Business/Behavioural Economics...
12. Introduction to Behavioral Economics & Consumer Psychology
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13. Doing Economics: Measuring Climate Change
This course will give you practical experience in working with real-world data, with applications to important policy issues in today’s society. Each week, you will learn specific data handling skills in Excel and use these techniques to analyse climate change data, with appropriate readings to provide background information on the data you are working with. You will also learn about the consequences of climate change and how governments can address this issue. After completing this course, you...
14. Social and Economic Networks: Models and Analysis
Learn how to model social and economic networks and their impact on human behavior. How do networks form, why do they exhibit certain patterns, and how does their structure impact diffusion, learning, and other behaviors? We will bring together models and techniques from economics, sociology, math, physics, statistics and computer science to answer these questions. The course begins with some empirical background on social and economic networks, and an overview of concepts used to describe and...
15. Microeconomics: A Comprehensive Economics Course
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16. The economic model of emerging countries - Michael Spence
Understanding Economics. Learn how the world works and why it is the way it it...
17. Economics: Macroeconomic Fundamentals for Managers 2023
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18. Economics: Behavior of Buyers and Sellers & Product Pricing
The Easiest Beginner level Course on Economics with real life examples and graphic content. Perfect for Newbies!...
19. The Macroeconomics Course
Aggregate Output and Economic Growth. Business Cycles. Monetary and Fiscal Policy. International Trade and Capital Flows...
20. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for senior economists
The most affordable schools for senior economists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for senior economists 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 senior economists.
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 senior economists
The hardest universities for senior economists to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for senior economists 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 senior economists 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 senior economists
The easiest schools for senior economists 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 a senior economist 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 senior economists.
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 senior economist salary by education level
| Senior economist education level | Senior economist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,854 |
| Doctorate Degree | $146,843 |
Senior economist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025