Best Economist programs in Michigan, ranked by enrollment
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.
24 schools in Michigan run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,350 people a year. The job pays a median of $106,350 in Michigan across about 320 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Michigan that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
9 programs in Michigan that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Michigan (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Michigan page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economics, Generalmain feeder CIP 45.0601In Michigan → | 1,008 | 74.7% | 21 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 2 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economicsmain feeder CIP 45.0603In Michigan → | 215 | 15.9% | 10 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 3 | Business/Managerial Economicsmain feeder CIP 52.0601In Michigan → | 45 | 3.3% | 5 | $53,269 | $21,962 |
| 4 | Philosophy, Politics, and Economicsmain feeder CIP 30.5101In Michigan → | 37 | 2.7% | 2 | — | — |
| 5 | CIP 03.0204In Michigan → | 21 | 1.6% | 2 | $37,946 | $24,125 |
| 6 | Economics, Othermain feeder CIP 45.0699In Michigan → | 10 | 0.7% | 2 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 7 | CIP 45.0604In Michigan → | 5 | 0.4% | 2 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 8 | CIP 45.1004In Michigan → | 5 | 0.4% | 1 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 9 | CIP 27.0305In Michigan → | 4 | 0.3% | 1 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
Top 24 schools in Michigan
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 9 of the 24 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 718 | Economics, General | $68,416 | 93% | — | 16% |
| 2 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 346 | Economics, General | $54,013 | 81% | — | 85% |
| 3 | Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 41 | Economics, General | — | 90% | — | 21% |
| 4 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 31 | Economics, General | $50,648 | 58% | — | 81% |
| 5 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 30 | Business/Managerial Economics | $53,536 | 67% | — | 83% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 20 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | — | 58% | — | 85% |
| 7 | Albion College Albion, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 19 | Economics, General | $48,756 | 62% | $16,537 | 81% |
| 8 | Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 19 | Economics, General | $42,508 | 76% | $19,279 | 75% |
| 9 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Economics, General | — | 52% | — | 84% |
| 10 | University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 17 | Economics, General | — | 67% | $16,109 | 75% |
| 11 | Calvin University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 13 | Philosophy, Politics, and Economics | — | 74% | $22,391 | 71% |
| 12 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 12 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | $48,636 | 59% | — | 90% |
| 13 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 11 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | $30,569 | 46% | — | 80% |
| 14 | Hope College Holland, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 11 | Business/Managerial Economics | — | 80% | $21,746 | 79% |
| 15 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 10 | Economics, General | — | 58% | — | 88% |
| 16 | University of Michigan - Dearborn Dearborn, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | $49,665 | 58% | — | 56% |
| 17 | Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 6 | Economics, General | — | 68% | — | 92% |
| 18 | Cornerstone University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Economics, General | — | 62% | $21,132 | 78% |
| 19 | Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Business/Managerial Economics | — | 48% | — | 72% |
| 20 | Andrews University Berrien Springs, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Development Economics and International Development | — | 72% | $17,800 | 82% |
| 21 | Alma College Alma, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Economics, General | — | 63% | $22,790 | 57% |
| 22 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Economics, General | — | 47% | — | 91% |
| 23 | Alpena Community College Alpena, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Economics, General | — | 52% | — | — |
| 24 | University of Michigan - Flint Flint, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Economics, General | — | 40% | — | 70% |
All 24 schools in Michigan
Every school in Michigan with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Public | 718 | 3 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | Public | 346 | 4 |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale | Private not-for-profit | 41 | 2 |
| Wayne State University | Detroit | Public | 31 | 3 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale | Public | 30 | 2 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo | Public | 20 | 2 |
| Albion College | Albion | Private not-for-profit | 19 | 2 |
| Kalamazoo College | Kalamazoo | Private not-for-profit | 19 | 2 |
| Northern Michigan University | Marquette | Public | 17 | 1 |
| University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit | Private not-for-profit | 17 | 2 |
| Calvin University | Grand Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 13 | 4 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant | Public | 12 | 2 |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti | Public | 11 | 3 |
| Hope College | Holland | Private not-for-profit | 11 | 2 |
| Oakland University | Rochester Hills | Public | 10 | 2 |
What economists earn in Michigan
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $124,720. Michigan pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Michigan
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Economists page.
How to become a Economist
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Michigan
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 16 majors mapped to Economists16 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 01.0103Agricultural Economics
- 03.0204Environmental/Natural Resource Economics
- 27.0305Financial Mathematics
- 30.3901Economics and Computer Science
- 30.4001Economics and Foreign Language/Literature
- 30.4901Mathematical Economics
- 30.5101Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
- 45.0601Economics, General
- 45.0602Applied Economics
- 45.0603Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
- 45.0604Development Economics and International Development
- 45.0605International Economics
- 45.0699Economics, Other
- 45.1004Political Economy
- 51.2007Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics
- 52.0601Business/Managerial Economics
Common questions
Answers for people weighing economists programs in Michigan.
What degree do you need to become an Economist?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Economics, General, which awarded 1,008 degrees in Michigan in 2024-25, 74.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Economist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 9 programs to this occupation. The largest are Economics, Business/Managerial Economics, Philosophy, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 1,350 people a year in Michigan.
How much do economists earn in Michigan?+
The median is $106,350 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 14.7% below the U.S. median of $124,720. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for economists growing?+
BLS projects a +1.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 900 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Michigan?+
24 institutions in Michigan reported graduates from at least one of the 9 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do economists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Economist, Economic Analyst, Forensic Economist, Research Economist, Resource Economist, Economic Consultant among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-3011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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