# What can you do with an Economics degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/economics/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** An Economics degree commonly leads to roles such as economic research assistant, data analyst and policy analyst (entry). Five years after graduating, Economics graduates had median earnings of £51,200 (middle half: £37,000–£69,900), and 87.9% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Economics graduates is finance and insurance (28.6% of those in work).

Economics trains students to model choices, markets, and policy with data. First jobs are often analyst or research assistant roles. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with an Economics degree?

- **Economic research assistant**: Supports senior economists with data pulls, robustness checks, and briefing notes. Skills often asked for: literature reviews, cleaning datasets, charts.
- **Data analyst**. Skills often asked for: SQL, regression basics, dashboards.
- **Policy analyst (entry)**. Skills often asked for: consultation responses, cost notes, stakeholder maps.
- **Graduate economist**. Skills often asked for: forecast tables, scenario notes, quality assurance.

## Where do Economics graduates work?

Economics graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 28.6% | £67,300 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 25% | £53,400 |
| Information and communication | 10.3% | £54,400 |
| Public administration and defence | 7.4% | £44,300 |
| Administrative and support services | 6.3% | £43,900 |
| Wholesale and retail | 5.7% | £42,100 |
| Education | 3.6% | £35,500 |
| Manufacturing | 1.9% | £42,100 |

## How much do Economics graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Economics (CAH15-02-01). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £30,700 | £24,200–£39,500 | 88.7% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £39,200 | £30,700–£52,700 | 89.3% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £51,200 | £37,000–£69,900 | 87.9% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £71,400 | £45,600–£107,600 | 83.7% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Economics graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [University of Cambridge](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-cambridge/) | £105,000 | 100 |
| [London School of Economics](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/lse/) | £79,800 | 160 |
| [University of Bath](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bath/) | £72,800 | 145 |
| [University College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/ucl/) | £69,500 | 150 |
| [University of Warwick](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-warwick/) | £68,400 | 195 |
| [University of Oxford](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-oxford/) | £67,000 | 85 |
| [University of Bristol](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bristol/) | £64,000 | 230 |
| [Durham University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/durham-university/) | £63,300 | 150 |
| [University of Exeter](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-exeter/) | £63,300 | 260 |
| [University of Nottingham](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-nottingham/) | £59,700 | 225 |

## Is Economics the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You want to use algebra and data to argue about policy.
- You like reading papers as well as textbooks.
- You are comfortable saying what a model cannot show.

It may not suit you if:
- You hoped to avoid mathematics and econometrics.
- You want a course that is only current affairs.
- You dislike precise definitions.

## Interview questions for Economics graduate roles

Research-assistant and analyst interviews usually test whether you can handle a dataset and explain a trade-off in plain English. These prompts are editorial illustrations.

- A chart shows a sharp rise. What else would you want to know before writing a headline? (What it tests: Base, seasonality, definition changes, and not overclaiming causation.)
- Explain opportunity cost to someone setting a local-authority budget. (What it tests: Applied micro without jargon for its own sake.)
- Two sources give different unemployment rates. How do you reconcile them? (What it tests: Definitions, coverage, and documenting the choice.)
- You have a day to produce a briefing. What do you cut? (What it tests: Prioritising the decision-maker’s question over a literature review dump.)
- When would you not use an average to describe a wage distribution? (What it tests: Skew, outliers, and why a median might be the honest figure — conceptually, not a recalled LEO cell.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with an Economics degree?

Common starting roles include economic research assistant, data analyst, policy analyst (entry) and graduate economist. Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Economics graduates in work were finance and insurance (28.6%), professional, scientific and technical services (25%) and information and communication (10.3%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Economics graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Economics graduates of £30,700 one year after graduating, £39,200 three years after graduating, £51,200 five years after graduating and £71,400 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is an Economics degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 87.9% of Economics graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £51,200. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Economics 8 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Economics graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Economics were at University of Cambridge (£105,000), London School of Economics (£79,800) and University of Bath (£72,800). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Economics in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Economics