How to become an Economist : Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Scope, Salary

Economists are qualified, trained and skilled professionals who are in charge of studying the relationship between a society’s resources as well as its production and output. An Economist studies societies which start from small and local communities to an entire economy to large global economies. Every year around 20,000 students apply for courses that would help them become Economists. It usually takes around 5 – 10 years for an individual to become a successful Economist. 

In order to become an Economist not only in India but also Abroad, aspiring candidates have to pursue Postgraduate or PhD in Economics Courses. Admission to these courses are done through bothmerit as well as through Entrance Exams such as DU JAT, IPU CET, CUET, JNUEE etc. India is home to a number of Top Economics Colleges offering relevant courses such as LSR Delhi, Loyola College Chennai, St. Xavier Mumbai, CU Bangalore and many others. The average fee to pursue Economics courses ranges around INR 10,000 – 1.50 LPA.

After the completion of the course they can join any Economics Consultancies, Economics Department, Publishing House, Research and Development Agencies with an average starting salary of INR 5.50 – 7 LPA, which can go up with gradual experience, knowledge and updated skills. The highest salary of an Economist can go up to INR 46.3 LPA with proper knowledge and relevant work experience.

How to Become an Economist: Quick Facts

Industry Consultant
Eligibility 10+2 with any Subjects
Average Starting Salary INR 2,00,000 - INR 6,00,000
Job Opportunity Economics Consultancies, Economics Department, Research and Development Agencies and Schools, Coaching Centres, Home Tuitions, Museums, Private Tuitions, Publishing House etc.

Types of Economists

Career as an Economist is very rewarding as it offers a wide range of opportunities. The bindings of an Economist are very less, they can either start working with government and private companies.

  • Research Economists: Their responsibility is to create numerical models to clarify and interpret business cycles, inflation, demand, supply impacts of expense strategies or joblessness using Mathematics and Statistics to the theory and standards of Economics. They apply econometrics for investigation and forecast of all monetary action. They study the demand and supply of resources, goods, services by collecting and analyzing data, researching trends, and evaluating economic issues. Research Economists must be good at numerical ability and analytical skills along with Mathematical and logical acumen. The average salary for Research Economists ranges from INR 4,00,000 to INR 8,00,000 per annum.
  • Labour Economists: They study the supply of laborers and the interest for work by employers. They additionally study research on work levels and how wages are set. They additionally investigate the impacts of work related approaches like the lowest pay permitted by labour related policies and foundations, like associations. Labour Economists are involved in the study of the factors affecting the efficiency of these workers, their deployment between different industries and occupations, and the determination of their pay. They also Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy in an organisation. The average salary of labour economists ranges around INR 4,00,000 LPA.
  • Financial Economists: Their work job is to create money related approaches, foresee future monetary action. The monetary financial specialist additionally contemplates banking techniques, credit structures and so on. Financial Economists also study market activity and their responsibilities include collecting and analyzing financial and socioeconomic data, advising businesses and governments on economic decisions, and developing models for economic forecasting. They collect and analyze financial, political, and socioeconomic data, conduct surveys and utilize various sampling techniques for an organisation. The average salary of a Financial Economist ranges around INR 5 LPA.
  • International Economists: They study, gather, and examine the information identified with unfamiliar exchange and how it might be productive for the nation of origin. They work and set up worldwide exchange strategies, trade control and activity of unfamiliar exchange.he additionally examine worldwide monetary business sectors and trade rates. International Economists study global financial markets, currencies and exchange rates, and the effects of various trade policies such as tariffs.  They assist with research projects to analyze topics relevant to contemporary problems in applied international trade. The average salary for such professionals ranges around INR 3 LPA to INR 5 LPA.

How to Become an Economist in India

Becoming an Economist in India has a very conventional process. Students who wish to become Economists in India must start preparation early as this will be beneficial for them.

  • School Level Preparation: Every student who wishes to become an Economist must have a good subject combination such as geography, accounting and economics at a higher secondary level. Since Economics is an optional subject in class 12, they must choose Economics in class 12 in order to pursue their dream. They must have English as their optional subject as it may help in the long run. Candidates need to research well about the profession before getting into the field.

How to Become an Economist After 12th

Some of the crucial steps that are to be followed in order to become an Economist after successfully class 12th board exams are listed below for your reference,

  • UG Preparation: After completion of their class 10+2, one will have to clear the relevant entrance examination and complete any 3 year Economics Honours course. The graduation course is of 3 years in India. They must choose for the course as per their preference in the desired mode of education. However, they must go for full time mode as it will create a base for the students at the undergraduate level. They must study all the related topics throughout the course to become an Economist.
  • PG Preparation: Most of the candidates opt for the postgraduate courses in the field of economics to become an economist. However, they can also go for specialised courses in related fields of economics. Having a postgraduate degree increases the chances to get an easy job and a decent salary package.

Economics Courses

Candidates aiming to become an Economist must have a Undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the same field. Below are some of the courses that they can opt for to become an Economist.

BA Economics

BA Economics is a 3 year UG course with core subjects such as Macro and Micro Economics, Financial Economics, Economic Statistics etc.It deals with the study of various economic theories, econometrics, applied economics and various other related topics.

Admission Process

  • Admissions to BA Economics courses are done both on the basis of merit and on the basis of entrance exams.
  • Candidates need to register themselves to the colleges offering BA Economics courses as per their norms and regulation.
  • For entrance based, they need to appear for the exam and wait for the merit list.
  • For merit based, admission will be given on the basis of marks scored at the Intermediate level.

Entrance Exam

Entrance Exams Registration Dates Exam Dates
CUET April, 2023  May 21 – May 31, 2023

MA Economics

MA Economics is a 2 year PG course focusing on the topics like macroeconomics, microeconomics, public economics, econometry, international and financial economics

Admission Process

  • Admission to MA Economics course is done on the basis of merit marks scored at the UG level or Entrance Exam.
  • Candidates need to select the college and register themselves as per the rules and regulations. 
  • After the release of the merit list, candidates will be given admission according to the decisions made by the admission committee.

Entrance Exam

Exam Name Exam Mode Exam Date
DUET Online 3rd week of July, 2023
JNUEE Online  To be announced

BSc Economics

BSc Economics is a 3 year UG course providing students relevant knowledge regarding economic analysis, fundamentals, and principles of Economics. This course helps the students to learn the importance of economic development and the ways it needs to be practiced in various sectors. 

Admission Process

  • Admission to the BSc Economics course will be based on the merit list prepared on the basis of marks scored at the Intermediate level. 
  • However, some colleges may also conduct entrance examinations for admission in the BSc Economics course.
  • They are required to fill in all the details on the official website while registering themselves for the admission.
  • Post announcement of merit list, they will be allocated seats in the desired college offering BSc Economics course.

Entrance Exam

Entrance Exam Mode of Examination Date of Examination
SET 2023 Computer-Based May 6 – 14, 2023
GIPE 2023 Computer-Based To be announced

PG Diploma in Economics

PG Diploma in Economics is a 1 year full time diploma course focusing on the financial aspects of policy-making, increasing student's understanding of the principles, applications and context underlying economic policy.

Admission Process

  • To get admission into PGD economics, candidates must score well at the UG level.
  • Few colleges and universities conduct their own entrance examinations for admission into PGD Economics.
  • Whereas some colleges also offer direct admission to the students on the basis of their previous marks.
  • After the successful verification of the documents, candidates will be offered admission to the colleges offering PGD Economics.

How to become an Economist Abroad

Mentioned below is a detailed description of the candidates aiming to become an Economist abroad.

US

Students aiming to become an Economist in the US Economics in USA need to submit test scores like IELTS/TOEFL and GRE along with their bachelor's degree. It is usually a 1-2 year-long course costing up to 120,000 USD (INR 89 lakhs).

Colleges in US

University Average Course Fees (INR)
MIT 82.26 L
Stanford University 81.71 L
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) 92.84 L
Columbia University 64.64 L
New York University 28.12 L
UCLA 55.64 L
University of Michigan 89.11 L
Cornell University 42.11 L
Boston University 43.79 L
University of Wisconsin 55.41 L

UK

Economics courses in the UK trains students to analyze data on the production of goods and resources. This course involves the investigation of both small scale (microeconomics) and global (macroeconomics) economic factors, resulting in improving the prosperity of customers and economic goods.

Colleges in UK

Canada

Masters courses in Economics in Canada is a 1 to 2-year course available as a MA and MS. It  costs around 13,000-45,000 USD all expenses included annually. It is offered as a specialized degree focused on one discipline such as Development Economics, Natural Resource Economics, Economic Policy, Agriculture Economics etc.

Colleges in Canada

Australia

In Australia, Masters in Economics is a 2-year full-time course that helps international students to investigate aspects of distribution, consumption, and production of services and goods. Post completion, graduates can get hired as Economists, Statisticians, Consultant, Analyst across different industries around the world.

Top Colleges in Australia

University Average Course Fees (INR)
University of Melbourne 33.08 L
The University of Queensland 38.61 L
Australian National University 15 L
UNSW Sydney 16.76 L
University of Sydney 46.55 L
Monash University 28.77 L
University of Adelaide 30.28 L
Curtin University 36.16 L
Macquarie University 34.01 L
La Trobe University 33.08 L

Benefits of Becoming an Economist

Being an Economist is perhaps the most presumed profession and you have different benefits of doing this work. Here, we have advanced a portion of the advantages of a career as an Economist.

  • High Salary: Being an Economist is a titled job, but on the other hand most of the students are also attracted to the salary that the profession brings. Salaries of Economists are very attractive all across the world, hence one major reason why most students wish to become Economists.
  • Job Security: Profession of an Economist is probably most secure, as long as an Economist has his license, he can be employed anywhere in the world. Here, the Economists do not have to worry about staying relevant, they will just have to keep on doing what they do. Hence the job security of an Economist is probably higher than anything else.
  • Unique Experience: It is a unique experience to be an Economist and give life to patients, often Economists give second life to patients. The whole experience of becoming an Economist is very intriguing so such experience makes every day a challenge.
  • Higher Studies: The career of an Economist has no full-stop, completing the bachelor in Economics is just the beginning. Then they will have to do an internship and then they will be placed in some consulting companies as a permanent Economist. After becoming an Economist, they can also pursue post graduation to become Masters in Economics Honours. 

Skills Required to Become an Economist

Some of the key skills that are essential to be an Economist are tabulated below for your reference,

Mathematical aptitude Comfort with uncertainty
Knowledge of social sciences Written skills
Good at understanding complex systems Independent thinker
Curious Verbal communication skills

Salary of an Economist

The salary of Economists in India varies from INR 2,00,000 - INR 7,00,000, the digits change pertaining to what kind of job role the Economists have. The overall salary is usually higher than any other profession which is why most students pursue.

Average Annual Salary

Name of Organisation  Average Annual Salary 
Govt  INR 4 – 8 L
Private  INR 3 – 6 L

Specialisation Wise

Specialization Wise Average Annual Salary
Research Economists INR 6 – 8 L
Labour Economists INR 6 – 8 L
Financial Economists INR 10 – 12 L
Business Economists INR 10 – 12 L
International Economists INR 10 – 15 L


Experience Wise

Experience in Years Average Annual Salary
1-4 INR 6 L
5-9 INR 8 L
10-19 INR 10 L
20+ INR 14 L

How to become an Economist: FAQs

Ques. How many years does it take to study Economist?

Ans.  To turn into an Economist, you should acquire, at least, a bachelor degree (3 years) majoring in economics, as well as an honours degree in economics. An Economics major should be possible as a feature of a Bachelor of Social Science course, a Bachelor of Commerce degree or a Business Science certificate.

Ques. Is Economist a good career?

Ans. If you appreciate researching and breaking down financial issues and their connected information utilizing math and measurements, and in the event that you appreciate making conjectures, planning arrangements and prompting others through reports and introductions, at that point filling in as a business analyst may be an ideal profession decision for you.

Ques. Do Economists travel a lot?

Ans. Economists regularly work autonomously in an office.  A few financial analysts telecommute, and others might be needed to go as an aspect of their responsibilities or to go to meetings. Market analysts invest quite a bit of their energy utilizing computers to dissect information, audit research, or compose discoveries.

Ques. What companies hire economists?

Ans. Companies such as Netflix, Microsoft, Pandora, Coursera, Expedia, Uber, Yelp, and Zillow have also hired economists.

Ques. Is it hard to become an economist?

Ans. It can take numerous long periods of education, undergraduate or postgraduate degree, and work experience to find a job; some top positions require a PhD, which can require eight years of graduate degree. This can be high-pressure work.

Ques. What should I do after 12th to become an Economist?

Ans. After 12th, you will have to start preparing for a Bachelor in Economics, and after getting admission in top colleges.

Ques. What is an Economist salary in India?

Ans. The average salary of an economist varies between INR 2,00,000 to INR 6,00,000. This is the average starting salary, but it may vary depending on the types of economist.

Ques. Can an MBA be done after a BA in Economics?  

Ans. Yes. You can also do an MBA after BA Economics Honours because it is a graduation course. Although your BA degree would not be very helpful for doing an MBA but you are eligible to do an MBA. 

Ques. What subjects to study to become an Economist?

Ans. After admission in the economics Course, various subjects would be introduced, but at 10+2 level, one has to study any subject eligible for.

Ques. How can I earn money after completing Economics Honours?

Ans. You can start working for any Organizations, or you may also start Preparation for various Government Exams.

Ph.D. (Economics) : 5 answered questions

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Ques. Is it really difficult to get into PhD economics programs of universities like DSE, ISI or JNU with an M.A. Economics degree from IGNOU?

● Top Answer By Aarushi Kumar on 03 Nov 22

Ans. PhD or research is all about finding out new concepts. Thus we provide a deeper in already existing knowledge. PhD in Social Science is very much different from that of pure sciences, yet the goal is the same. As you know for doing research/PhD at the university level, the qualification required is PG degree. Every university has different criteria for selecting candidates. As you know DSE, JNU, ISI, IEW, IIPA, and IIMs are the prime institutions for teaching, learning and researching in economics, management and public administration. If you are willing to get into one of these institutions, a Master’s from IGNOU will have the same value as that from any other university. To get selected into these prestigious institutions, you will have to pass through a rigorous selection process of Entrance Group discussion  Personal interview  Moreover you will have to provide testimonials from your professors about your academic developments.Read more
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Ques. I have completed my MBA With specialization in rural development am I eligible for phd economics

● Top Answer By Tithi Aggrawal on 16 Sept 23

Ans. In order to determine your eligibility we must go through the eligibility criteria of the Ph.D. program offered by JNU Delhi. To get admission you must have a Master’s Degree/BE/B.Tech with 55% marks or equivalent Grade ‘B’ in UGC 7-point scale. There is no specific specialization mentioned that makes you eligible for admission to the Ph.D. in Economics program at JNU. Furthermore, you will be invited for a viva voce examination. To be eligible for this you must secure the following marks out of 70 in the written examination for doctoral courses:  General Category: 35% (24.50 marks out of 70)  OBC: 31.50% (22.05 marks out of 70)  SC/ST/PH: 25% (17.50 marks out of 70) The final selection of candidates for admission to the doctoral programs of study is made on the basis of inter-se merit of candidates in their respective categories, based on their performance  in the written examination,  in the viva voce (wherever prescribed), and  after incorporating the Deprivation Points, wherever applicable. No candidate is eligible for admission to the doctoral programs of study unless he/she secures the following minimum overall score which is 40% for the General Category, 36% for the OBC category, and 30% for SC/ST/PH.Read more
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Ques. Which institute is better for a PhD in economics (in terms of exposure, curriculum, study methods, etc.), IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Bangalore?

● Top Answer By Pratik Parikh on 20 Oct 23

Ans. IIM is a brand in itself. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore are prestigious institutes.  Both are equally good for a Phd in Economics. You may choose either of the two for your higher studies. You can also consider Jamia Millia Islamia for a Phd. A Phd. from this college is also highly valued. Look into the research interests of the faculty while making a choice. This is the most important factor that you should consider while choosing a college for your Phd.  Both IIMA and IIMB are a good choice for your higher studies. You must choose between them based on your goals. Read more
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Ques. How good are your chances to get into PhD economics at MIT/Harvard/Stanford after completing MA economics from DSE or MSQE from ISI Delhi/Kolkata?

● Top Answer By Debarghya Sanyal on 04 Sept 21

Ans. Getting admission to MIT, Harvard or Stanford can be possible from ISI Delhi. It has a very good Economics Unit. However, the same cannot be said about ISI Kolkata and also MSQE, for that matter. Do not expect to get into MIT or Harvard or Stanford by studying in ISI Kolkata. It goes without saying that you will have to have and maintain an excellent academic record to even be considered for admission to the institutes you aspire to study in. And you also must have a good reference with the faculty so that they can write letters of recommendation for you.Read more
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Ques. Between JNU and Delhi School Of Economics, which option will be the best to pursue a PhD in economics for an individual?

● Top Answer By Tithi Aggrawal on 04 Jul 23

Ans. Ph.D. is different from other degrees in which you learn and take exams. During your Ph.D. you need a research guide who takes an interest in your work and is involved in active research in the same field as you. Unless your guide is active in research, they can not guide you. Here research refers to publishable research in good journals. Your field of research will determine the better option out of the two to pursue your Ph.D. in Economics. If say, you wish to work on Marxism/Communism or related topics, CESP JNU is the right choice for you. You will find ample assistance in JNU. If you wish to work in Micro Theory such as on Contract theory or Industrial Organization, DSE will be the right option. There are more faculty members in DSE than CITD JNU who work in these areas. If you wish to work on DSGE literature ( Macro), the guide will exist as a formality and you will be on your own for the most part. This field of research is not pursued by most in India and you will mostly have to rely on yourself. Also, if you wish to work in the corporate after your Ph.D. , join DSE as it offers very good placements. JNU does not offer on campus placements. The economics at JNU though, is very enriching. There you will be exposed to a variety of subjects, debates, etc.  You must choose between JNU and DSE for your Ph.D. Economics, based on your personal preference and your field of research.Read more
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