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Development Economics

Types of Degrees Development Economics Majors Are Earning

Those studying Development Economics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	181
Master’s Degree	183
Doctor’s Degree	10

What Development Economics Majors Need to Know

Programs in Development Economics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Development Economics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Development Economics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Development Economics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Development Economics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Development Economics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Development Economics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Development Economics graduates include:

• Lecturer
• Economics Adjunct Instructor
• Economics Instructor
• Labor Economics Teacher
• Instructor
• College Professor
• Professor
• Labor Economics Professor
• Transportation Economics Teacher
• Accounting Lecturer
• Economic Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Agricultural Economics Professor
• Teacher
• Economics Adjunct Professor

What Can You Do With a Development Economics Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Development Economics commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary	2.9%	$69,831	$55,613–$84,048

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Development Economics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	35.8%
Doctoral degree	33.2%
Master’s degree	11.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.0%
Post-master’s certificate	3.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.7%
Some college courses	2.5%
Postsecondary certificate	2.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.6%
Post-doctoral training	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Development Economics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 63.5% of Development Economics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	238	63.5%
Men	137	36.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Development Economics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	139	37.1%
Asian	32	8.5%
Hispanic or Latino	56	14.9%
Black or African American	25	6.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.3%
Two or More Races	16	4.3%
Race Unknown	8	2.1%
International Students	98	26.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Development Economics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Development Economics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$56,270
4 years	$74,609
5 years	$87,950

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $87,950 — roughly 56% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Development Economics Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Development Economics. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	5	1
Doctoral (Research)	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Development Economics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Development Economics graduates earn a median of $74,609 four years after completion — roughly 96% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Economics	45,628
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics	22,727
Economics, General	21,627
Applied Economics	368
International Economics	281
Political Economy	266
Economics, Other	250
Applied/Public Sociology	105

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.