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Decid­ing to go back to school often leads peo­ple to ques­tions whether they can afford it. For­tu­nate­ly, there are ways to make an online bachelor’s in eco­nom­ics less expen­sive. For instance, a per­son should begin by look­ing for the cheap­est online eco­nom­ics degree by con­duct­ing a search for the least expen­sive schools that offer an eco­nom­ics degree pro­gram. A per­son must fil­ter through the search results to find an afford­able online degree in eco­nom­ics since some­times more expen­sive appear in the results.

Anoth­er option for find­ing the cheap­est online eco­nom­ics degree is to begin with a com­mu­ni­ty col­lege. A per­son can earn an asso­ci­ate’s and a bach­e­lor’s degree in eco­nom­ics from a com­mu­ni­ty col­lege for a frac­tion of the price of a pri­vate or pub­lic col­lege. A per­son could also look into the option of employ­er reim­burse­ment to earn an afford­able online degree in eco­nom­ics. This par­tic­u­lar option con­sists of a per­son­’s employ­er reim­burs­ing him or her for a por­tion of his or her tuition. Addi­tion­al­ly, an indi­vid­ual can find schol­ar­ships and grants through orga­ni­za­tions or the school itself. It’s also pos­si­ble to receive gov­ern­ment fund­ing from the state or fed­er­al government.

Methodology: Ranking the Most Affordable Economics Degrees

Find­ing an afford­able degree in eco­nom­ics, but find­ing a great one that doesn’t require a scary amount of debt takes some research. Bachelor’s Degree Cen­ter has done the research for you, seek­ing out only accred­it­ed, trust­ed pro­grams known for qual­i­ty, stu­dent sat­is­fac­tion, and job mar­ket rep­u­ta­tion. For the rank­ing, though, one fac­tor is supreme: cost, accord­ing to IPEDS tuition data.

1. West Virginia University

When you’re look­ing for the most afford­able eco­nom­ics degrees to help with your long-term career goals, West Vir­ginia Uni­ver­si­ty is a good choice to help with your plans. West Vir­ginia Uni­ver­si­ty offers a bach­e­lor of arts and a bach­e­lor of sci­ence in eco­nom­ics. The degree pro­grams focus on pro­vid­ing stu­dents with the fun­da­men­tal skills they need to eval­u­ate the econ­o­my, make pre­dic­tions based on cur­rent eco­nom­ic fac­tors, and devel­op poli­cies designed to help stim­u­late the economy.

West Vir­ginia Uni­ver­si­ty teach­es stu­dents to iden­ti­fy the costs and the poten­tial advan­tages of cer­tain deci­sions. That focus on cost analy­sis and deci­sion-mak­ing after weigh­ing the pros and cons of the choice ensures that stu­dents are able to clar­i­fy the poten­tial prob­lems that may arise over time. It also gives stu­dents the oppor­tu­ni­ty to work on devel­op­ing spe­cial­ized skills based on per­son­al inter­ests and career objectives.

High­light: West Vir­ginia Uni­ver­si­ty allows stu­dents in the eco­nom­ics pro­gram to obtain a cer­tifi­cate of glob­al engage­ment to enhance their degree and skills.

Degree: BA or BS in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

2. Purdue University

The BS in Eco­nom­ics from Pur­due Uni­ver­si­ty is an afford­able degree in eco­nom­ics that helps pre­pare stu­dents for a chal­leng­ing career path. The degree pro­gram teach­es stu­dents to eval­u­ate pub­lic poli­cies and deter­mine the ways that a new pol­i­cy may impact the econ­o­my of a state, local envi­ron­ment, or the coun­try. It also gives stu­dents the abil­i­ty to ana­lyze the cur­rent eco­nom­ic envi­ron­ment and make deci­sions based on eco­nom­ic factors.

Pur­due Uni­ver­si­ty rec­og­nizes the role of sci­ence, math­e­mat­ics, and sta­tis­tics in eco­nom­ics. It gives stu­dents a strong foun­da­tion in the skills that apply to eco­nom­ics and ensures that stu­dents are able to use dif­fer­ent tools to com­pare and eval­u­ate details with­in the mar­ket. It also pro­vides a strong foun­da­tion in busi­ness to help stu­dents under­stand the way com­pa­nies may impact the growth or decline of a coun­try’s economy.

High­light: Pur­due Uni­ver­si­ty is AACSB-accred­it­ed for its eco­nom­ics program.

Degree: BS in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

3. Indiana University Bloomington

Indi­ana Uni­ver­si­ty in Bloom­ing­ton offers one of the most afford­able eco­nom­ics degrees for stu­dents who want to work in a chal­leng­ing envi­ron­ment. The BA in Eco­nom­ics empha­sizes quan­ti­ta­tive data analy­sis as it applies to the econ­o­my and ensures that stu­dents have the fun­da­men­tal skills they need for their career objec­tives. The degree pro­gram teach­es math mod­el­ing, eco­nom­ic sta­tis­tics, econo­met­rics, and relat­ed top­ics to pro­vide a strong foun­da­tion in eco­nom­ics. Stu­dents can then focus on elec­tive cours­es based on their per­son­al career goals.

Indi­ana Uni­ver­si­ty in Bloom­ing­ton pre­pares stu­dents to work in a vari­ety of fields and envi­ron­ments. Since stu­dents can focus on elec­tive cours­es that empha­size spe­cif­ic areas of eco­nom­ic the­o­ry, it allows stu­dents to work in gov­ern­ment roles, pol­i­cy devel­op­ment, busi­ness envi­ron­ments, or pri­vate orga­ni­za­tions. That focus on giv­ing stu­dents a strong foun­da­tion ensures that they are pre­pared to han­dle chal­leng­ing sit­u­a­tions at work.

High­light: Indi­ana Uni­ver­si­ty in Bloom­ing­ton offers a vari­ety of schol­ar­ships based on mer­it, finan­cial need, and a stu­den­t’s declared major.

Degree: BA in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

4. North Carolina State University

North Car­oli­na State Uni­ver­si­ty offers two under­grad­u­ate degree pro­grams in eco­nom­ics: a bach­e­lor of arts and a bach­e­lor of sci­ence in eco­nom­ics. Both pro­grams empha­size the fun­da­men­tal skills stu­dents need to work in a busi­ness envi­ron­ment, at the gov­ern­ment lev­el, or in a pri­vate orga­ni­za­tion. The degree pro­grams pro­vide stu­dents with the abil­i­ty to man­age resources and iden­ti­fy risk fac­tors based on the econ­o­my, gov­ern­ment poli­cies, or relat­ed data.

North Car­oli­na State Uni­ver­si­ty empha­sizes the appli­ca­tion of eco­nom­ic the­o­ry and infor­ma­tion to make deci­sions that offer more ben­e­fits when com­pared to risks. It ensures that stu­dents under­stand how eco­nom­ic fac­tors may influ­ence finan­cial mar­kets, com­pa­ny deci­sions, labor orga­ni­za­tion, and soci­ety. It also pro­vides a strong foun­da­tion in social sci­ence to gives stu­dents the fun­da­men­tal skills they need to eval­u­ate the way the econ­o­my may impact dif­fer­ent areas of society.

High­light: North Car­oli­na State Uni­ver­si­ty offers study abroad pro­grams for stu­dents who want to learn more about the way eco­nom­ics may apply to dif­fer­ent regions and environments.

Degree: BA or BS in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

5. Stony Brook University (SUNY)

Stony Brook Uni­ver­si­ty offers an afford­able degree in eco­nom­ics that helps stu­dents reach their long-term career goals. The BA in Eco­nom­ics empha­sizes the fun­da­men­tal the­o­ries of micro­eco­nom­ics and macro­eco­nom­ics that apply to the econ­o­my of the coun­try or small­er local envi­ron­ments. It also pro­vides a strong foun­da­tion in sta­tis­tics and econo­met­rics to pre­pare stu­dents for the chal­lenges of weigh­ing eco­nom­ic fac­tors with sta­tis­ti­cal data to make effec­tive decisions.

Stony Brook Uni­ver­si­ty pre­pares stu­dents to work in a vari­ety of set­ting by pro­vid­ing a strong foun­da­tion in eco­nom­ic the­o­ries and the appli­ca­tion of the­o­ries to a real-world envi­ron­ment. The focus on spe­cif­ic aspects of eco­nom­ics through elec­tive cours­es allows stu­dents to devel­op spe­cial­ized skills that may apply to spe­cif­ic areas of eco­nom­ics and career opportunities.

High­light: Stony Brook Uni­ver­si­ty offers a vari­ety of schol­ar­ships based on mer­it, hon­ors, or a stu­den­t’s major.

Degree: BA in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

6. Iowa State University

Iowa State Uni­ver­si­ty offers a bach­e­lor’s degree in eco­nom­ics that gives stu­dents the abil­i­ty to focus on a long-term goal. The eco­nom­ics pro­gram allows stu­dents to choose from three con­cen­tra­tions: eco­nom­ics, busi­ness eco­nom­ics, or agri­cul­tur­al eco­nom­ics. Since stu­dents can focus on a spe­cif­ic aspect of eco­nom­ics, it allows stu­dents to focus on the area of the econ­o­my that fits their long-term goals for a career.

Iowa State Uni­ver­si­ty stands out by allow­ing stu­dents to obtain a spe­cial­ized degree in eco­nom­ics. It does not lim­it stu­dents to the fun­da­men­tals that apply to all areas of the econ­o­my. Instead, it allows stu­dents to focus on busi­ness, agri­cul­ture, or the econ­o­my as a whole. That focus ensures that stu­dents are able to learn the the­o­ries and appli­ca­tion of the­o­ries that apply to their spe­cif­ic areas of interest.

High­light: Iowa State Uni­ver­si­ty allows stu­dents to enhance their degrees with a dou­ble-major or a minor.

Degree: Eco­nom­ics — 3 concentrations

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

7. University of Iowa

The BA in Eco­nom­ics from the Uni­ver­si­ty of Iowa pre­pares stu­dents to work in a fast-paced envi­ron­ment. The degree pro­gram uses a com­bi­na­tion of math tools, eco­nom­ic the­o­ry, and the appli­ca­tion of the­o­ries in the field to give stu­dents a strong foun­da­tion that allows them to work in chal­leng­ing sit­u­a­tions. It pro­vides the skills stu­dents need to gath­er appro­pri­ate infor­ma­tion, eval­u­ate the details, and then use sta­tis­tics and math to apply a the­o­ry to a task in a real-world setting.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Iowa allows stu­dents to choose from two con­cen­tra­tions in eco­nom­ics: pol­i­cy and busi­ness. The busi­ness con­cen­tra­tion focus­es on the appli­ca­tion of the­o­ries to a busi­ness envi­ron­ment. Stu­dents learn about the use of eco­nom­ic the­o­ries with­in a com­pa­ny or firm, as well as the way the broad econ­o­my may impact busi­ness­es. The con­cen­tra­tion in pol­i­cy focus­es on the way gov­ern­ment poli­cies may impact the econ­o­my, busi­ness­es, or even indi­vid­u­als. It allows stu­dents to work in a gov­ern­ment posi­tion or to address con­cerns about new poli­cies with­in cor­po­rate or busi­ness environments.

High­light: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Iowa is AACSB-accred­it­ed and meets the high stan­dards of edu­ca­tion to main­tain accreditation.

Degree: BA in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

8. Georgia State University

Geor­gia State Uni­ver­si­ty offers three pro­grams for stu­dents who want to study eco­nom­ics: a bach­e­lor of arts, a bach­e­lor of sci­ence, and a bach­e­lor of busi­ness admin­is­tra­tion. Stu­dents are able to focus on a degree pro­gram that fits with their long-term career goals. For stu­dents who want to empha­size social sci­ences, the bach­e­lor of arts offers the oppor­tu­ni­ty to focus on the appli­ca­tion of eco­nom­ic the­o­ries to social sit­u­a­tions or groups. Stu­dents who want to focus on the­o­ries, research, or the sci­ence behind eco­nom­ics may find that the bach­e­lor of sci­ence fits their goals. The bach­e­lor of busi­ness admin­is­tra­tion empha­sizes the use of eco­nom­ic the­o­ries in a busi­ness environment.

Geor­gia State Uni­ver­si­ty stands out by allow­ing stu­dents to focus on a spe­cif­ic area of eco­nom­ics through dif­fer­ent degree pro­grams. That abil­i­ty to choose a pro­gram that fits a stu­den­t’s per­son­al inter­ests and goals ensures that stu­dents are able to obtain a career that works with their plans. It gives stu­dents a flex­i­ble solu­tion to focus on their needs.

High­light: Geor­gia State Uni­ver­si­ty offers research oppor­tu­ni­ties to stu­dents in the school’s eco­nom­ics programs.

Degree: BA, BS, or BBA in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

9. University of Florida

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Flori­da offers a BA in Eco­nom­ics that gives stu­dents a strong foun­da­tion in eco­nom­ic the­o­ries and the appli­ca­tion of the­o­ries to a real-world envi­ron­ment. It devel­ops stu­dent obser­va­tion­al skills and teach­es stu­dents to use data from their obser­va­tions of behav­ior to make deci­sions. It offers a strong foun­da­tion in social sci­ence as well as eco­nom­ics to pre­pare stu­dents to work in gov­ern­ment or busi­ness environments.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Flori­da empha­sizes eco­nom­ic deci­sion-mak­ing skills based on data and sta­tis­tics, as well as the allo­ca­tion of resources for opti­mal eco­nom­ic growth. It also gives stu­dents a strong foun­da­tion in math­e­mat­ics to ensure that they are able to read and under­stand sta­tis­ti­cal data before using the infor­ma­tion to make decisions.

High­light: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Flori­da encour­ages stu­dents to spend one semes­ter abroad to gain insight into the ways eco­nom­ic the­o­ries are applied in dif­fer­ent countries.

Degree: BA in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

10. East Tennessee State University

East Ten­nessee State Uni­ver­si­ty offers a BA and a BS in eco­nom­ics. The degree pro­grams empha­size prob­lem-solv­ing skills and crit­i­cal think­ing skills to pre­pare stu­dents for the chal­lenges they may face when work­ing in a gov­ern­ment or busi­ness envi­ron­ment. It rec­og­nizes that mod­ern tech­nol­o­gy and tools con­tribute to a com­plex eco­nom­ic sys­tem that rapid­ly evolves and changes. That is why it pro­vides a strong foun­da­tion in eco­nom­ic the­o­ries before help­ing stu­dents adapt to mod­ern challenges.

East Ten­nessee State Uni­ver­si­ty pre­pares stu­dents to adapt through an edu­ca­tion that pre­pares them for mod­ern chal­lenges asso­ci­at­ed with tech­nol­o­gy and the rapid shift in eco­nom­ic strate­gies. It also ensures that stu­dents are able to rec­og­nize chang­ing behav­ior that may impact or influ­ence eco­nom­ic policies.

High­light: East Ten­nessee State Uni­ver­si­ty is AACSB-accred­it­ed for economics.

Degree: BA or BS in Economics

Learn more about the pro­gram here!

Is an Economics Degree a Good Investment?

A per­son may ques­tion whether get­ting an eco­nom­ics degree is worth it when com­par­ing the cost of a degree ver­sus the earn­ing poten­tial of the career options. First and fore­most, if some­one is ask­ing is an eco­nom­ics degree worth it, he or she should know what can I do with econ degree. One answer to what can you do with a degree in eco­nom­ics is an invest­ment ana­lyst. Anoth­er answer to what can I do with an eco­nom­ics degree is becom­ing a finan­cial ana­lyst. On aver­age, a per­son in this posi­tion can earn $85,660 per year.

Addi­tion­al­ly, a finan­cial advi­sor is anoth­er option for what you can do with a degree in eco­nom­ics. With this option for what to do with eco­nom­ics degree, a per­son earns an aver­age of $63,120 annu­al­ly. What can I do with an econ degree could also include a cred­it ana­lyst, which earns an aver­age of $82,300. A per­son could also choose to be a pol­i­cy analyst.

What to do with eco­nom­ics degree could also incor­po­rate the option of earn­ing a mas­ter’s degree. As a choice for what can I do with an eco­nom­ics degree, this par­tic­u­lar option can lead to a per­son becom­ing an econ­o­mist. For this par­tic­u­lar option for what do you do with an eco­nom­ics degree, an indi­vid­ual can earn over $100,000 per year. Once a per­son reach­es a mas­ter’s degree lev­el, what do you do with an eco­nom­ics degree also includes teach­ing eco­nom­ics or hold­ing a man­age­ment position.

As not­ed above from the earn­ing poten­tial of prospec­tive career options, the answer to is an eco­nom­ics degree worth it is yes.

Can I Get a Job with Just a Bachelor’s?

For­tu­nate­ly, the list of what jobs can an eco­nom­ics degree get you is exten­sive. Many of the best jobs with an eco­nom­ics degree are acces­si­ble with only a bach­e­lor’s degree. In fact, one of the best jobs to get with an eco­nom­ics degree is a cred­it ana­lyst. Anoth­er answer to what jobs can an eco­nom­ics degree get you include a finan­cial ana­lyst. As one of the best jobs with an eco­nom­ics degree, a cred­it ana­lyst is the per­son respon­si­ble for decid­ing if a per­son is wor­thy of lend­ing mon­ey to. They must eval­u­ate cred­it infor­ma­tion and assess the per­son­’s risk. As one of the best jobs with an eco­nom­ics degree, a per­son could also work in sup­ply chains, com­pa­nies, and mar­ket­ing depart­ments to help with the busi­ness’ cred­it, which often entails the respon­si­bil­i­ty of mak­ing pay­ments on time or decreas­ing the num­ber of cus­tomer disputes.

Anoth­er option for the best jobs to get with an eco­nom­ics degree is a mar­ket research ana­lyst. This per­son assists with research­ing mar­ket­ing trends to deter­mine the best prod­ucts and ser­vices to offer. The per­son also eval­u­ates the suc­cess of mar­ket­ing efforts to deter­mine strengths and deficits in a mar­ket­ing plan.

How Much Can I Make with an Economics Degree?

The eco­nom­ics degree salary varies based on a per­son­’s area and job. The degree in eco­nom­ics salary is high­er for some­one who takes on a role as a cred­it ana­lyst as opposed to a mar­ket research ana­lyst. For instance, the aver­age eco­nom­ics degree salary for some­one who wants to become a cred­it ana­lyst is over $80,000. On the oth­er hand, the eco­nom­ics jobs salary for some­one who’s a finan­cial advi­sor is slight­ly over $60,000. The degree in eco­nom­ics salary for a finan­cial ana­lyst is over $80,000 as well.

A per­son can also take on roles as an entry-lev­el econ­o­mist. The degree in eco­nom­ics salary for this role is slight­ly over $53,000. How­ev­er, with expe­ri­ence or a mas­ter’s degree, a per­son can earn much more than the aver­age start­ing salaries for eco­nom­ics majors. For instance, the eco­nom­ics jobs salary for an econ­o­mist with expe­ri­ence is over $100,000 per year, much more than the eco­nom­ic degree start­ing salary for an economist.

Start­ing salaries for eco­nom­ics majors are low­er than the nation­al aver­age. How­ev­er, over time, a per­son can earn a much high­er salary than the eco­nom­ic degree start­ing salary.

The eco­nom­ics bach­e­lor degree salary can be high­er if a per­son takes on a man­age­ment posi­tion. How­ev­er, to earn more than the eco­nom­ics bach­e­lor degree salary, a per­son may need to earn a mas­ters. In addi­tion to a high­er salary than the bach­e­lor degree in eco­nom­ics salary, a per­son also has more job oppor­tu­ni­ties with a mas­ters. For instance, a per­son can take on teach­ing roles, which of often have a high­er salary than the aver­age bach­e­lor degree salary in economics.

Relat­ed Rankings: 

25 Best Bach­e­lor’s in Economics

15 Best Online Bach­e­lor’s in Economics

10 Fastest Online Bach­e­lor’s in Economics