Economics govern the way the world functions. Not only does it examine the way businesses use scarce resources such as labor, capital, and physical resources, but it examines how public policy impacts the economy. Students studying economics will examine the ways businesses can run more efficiently researching and examining ongoing trends and patterns with the global economy. Students who study economics often go on to pursue advanced degrees or work in the private or public sector. There are also online economic degrees and master’s in economic degrees available.
What is an Associate Degree in Economics?
Typically, an associate degree in economics is a two-year degree program. This degree gives students the basic foundation needed to research and study trends on their own. Compared to a four-year degree in economics, an associate degree does not have as many science and math courses required. Many times, students who earn a two-year economics degree will go on to pursue a traditional four-year degree from a college or university.
What Are the Benefits?
Earning an associate degree in economics has several benefits. Students will gain a better understanding of how the world economy works, given the limited resources available. Further, students who earn this degree can be a huge asset to many private and public companies. Economic majors regularly examine ongoing processes and find ways to simplify and downsize. Not only can this help to save companies money, but it can help save them time, making them more profitable. There are several available careers for students who graduate with a degree in economics including accounting, finance, and marketing positions.
What is the Outlook and Salary?
A two-year degree in economics does not lean heavily on science and math courses, but often students have a great foundation in the social science behind economics. For this reason, many students with an associate degree in economics go on to work in marketing, accounting, finance, hotel and resort management, or bookkeeping. Because there are several different paths a student can take upon graduation, the salary has a wide range. Most students can expect to earn $45,000 per year with an associate degree in economics.
We understand that choosing your future career path is a weighty decision and one that should not be taken lightly. It can be so overwhelming looking at the number of schools that offer an associate degree in economics. To try to streamline your decision-making process we have put together a list of schools that we think offer the best associate degree in economics.
The 11 Best Associate Degree in Economics
1. Barton County Community College – Great Bend, Kansas (25 Points)
Barton County Community College offers incredibly small class sizes which help to give students a one on one connection between students and professors. This associate’s degree in economics is combined with a business degree which helps to set students up for success in the career world. Students will get to participate in traditional courses in the classroom, as well as additional professor led study sessions outside of the classroom.
Students will have the opportunity to network with regional business opportunities and professionals in the area. This will help set them up for success following graduation. Many students go on to pursue exciting careers in marketing, accounting, finance, and communications.
- Tuition: $178 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, GED or High School Transcripts
2. Cochise College – Vista, Arizona (23 Points)
Located in Vista, Arizona, Cochise College offers an exciting and comprehensive associate’s degree in economics. Students will gain an understanding of economics on a global scale, following trends and changes as the global economy grows and shrinks. Further, students will gain an understanding of statistics, be able to graph various situations, and grow their research skills.
This program offers convenient evening classes which makes this degree easy for people who work during the day. Further, the program offered by Cochise College is easily transferrable to a traditional university to allow students to go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in economics or business.
- Tuition: $260 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Student Release Form, GED or High School Transcripts
2. South Seattle College – Seattle, Washington (23 Points)
The economics program offered at South Seattle College is all-encompassing and convenient for students to enroll in. This program not only focuses on supply and demand in a global market but also highlights the human behavior that influences these changes. Students enrolled in the economics program from South Seattle College will have the opportunity to enroll in several different courses and classes as they relate to economics.
Students can enroll in a terminate associate’s degree in economics, or they can choose to enroll in a transferrable degree. The transferrable degree option makes it easy for students to move their credits to a traditional college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in economics.
- Tuition: $196 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, GED or High School Transcripts
3. Tyler Jr. College – Tyler, Texas (19 Points)
Tyler Jr. College offers a competitive associate’s degree option for those who are interested in economics. The program is designed to help give students the foundation needed to go on to higher education studies in business or accounting. This program is designed to set students up for success following graduation in either the private or public sector.
Enrolling in the economics degree at Tyler Jr. College ensures students’ success. Students will have the opportunity to work hand and hand with a career coach to help them in their future endeavors. Further, students have the chance to take their courses online, which is perfect for working professionals seeking their associate degree in economics.
- Tuition: $228 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, High School Transcripts
4. College of Southern Idaho – Twin Falls, Idaho (18 Points)
The economics program offered at the College of Southern Idaho gives students options when it comes to their economics degree. Students may choose between an economics degree that has a business concentration, or a degree that has a social science concentration. Both are associate’s degrees and both can be awarded as a terminate associate degree.
It is important to note that the social science concentration does not meet the minimum requirements for students who wish to go on to enter business school. Students who want to pursue a higher degree or transfer to a traditional business program offered at a college or university should enroll in the economics degree that has a business concentration.
- Tuition: $285 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, SAT or ACT Test Scores, High School Transcripts, Initial Interview Appointment
5. West Los Angeles College – Culver City, California (14 Points)
The associate’s of arts degree in economics offered by West Los Angeles College allows students to explore the financial world around them, following trends as the market grows and shrinks. This curriculum is heavily weighted toward the analytical side of economics with students learning how to interpret statistics, graphs, and ongoing trends and changes.
The associate’s degree program is aligned with the curriculums taught at other University of California schools, making it very easy for students to transfer credits from this degree program to a traditional four-year bachelor’s degree program in California. This degree also closely aligns with social science programs offered at traditional four-year schools.
- Tuition: $337 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, GED or High School Transcripts, Proof of Residency (optional)
6. Merced College – Merced, California (13 Points)
The economics program offered at Merced College focuses on efficiency. This can be related to the market or businesses. Students are taught how to monitor and watch for trends that can help to significantly speed up production, eliminate catching points, and help to make the entire business process run more smoothly. This knowledge can then be applied to both private and public sector jobs, working for both government and global businesses alike.
Students have the opportunity to take both a macroeconomics course and a microeconomics course which are both required for a general economics degree. These two courses can further be applied to other degree options at Merced College, working as a foundation for many accounting, marketing, and finance degree options.
- Tuition: $263 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, Proof of Financial Ability to Pay, Health Exam, Autobiographical Essay, Transcripts, Letter of Recommendation
7. West Valley College – Saratoga, California (11 Points)
The associate’s degree in economics offered at West Valley College includes 60 units that must be completed for graduation. Courses for this degree focus on how businesses make their decision given the scarcity of resources in the world. These courses must be completed with at least a 2.0 GPA to obtain a degree.
The associate degree in economics is set up for students to easily transfer their credits to a traditional four-year college or university to pursue a higher education degree in economics, accounting, marketing, or finance. This associate degree in economics is intended to give students the foundation needed to get a basic understanding and grasp of the way the global economy functions.
- Tuition: $393 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Verification of Age/High School Graduation
8. Palo Alto College – San Antonio, Texas (10 Points)
This brand new degree offered at Palo Alto College is designed to help give students the basic understanding and knowledge necessary to go on to pursue higher education degrees in business-related fields. Students will gain a better understanding of how the global economy functions as a result of individual decisions, strategies, and policies. Further, this degree will examine how public policy impacts global economics.
Offered as an associate degree, this course curriculum is set up to help students transfer their degrees to a traditional four-year college or university. In the Palo Alto College course catalog, this program is listed as a pre-major or transfer degree for students wishing to get a solid footing in economics before transferring.
- Tuition: $592 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, High School Transcripts or GED
9. Foothill College – Los Altos Hills, California (9 Points)
At Foothill College students enrolled in the associate degree in economics program will have the opportunity to examine economics from its core. This means that students will learn how the scarcity of resources, including labor, capital, and physical resources, impacts the way society and the global economy function. Further, students examine the ways public policy such as trade rules and regulation, unemployment, and employee benefits impact the economy.
Students graduating with an associate degree in economics are encouraged to work in several different career sectors including private and public businesses. If students wish to go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in economics it is highly recommended that students enroll in statistics and calculus-based math courses to give them the necessary foundation to succeed.
- Tuition: $397 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, GED or High School Transcripts
9. Blinn College – Brenham, Texas (9 Points)
The economics degree option at Blinn College gives students a well-rounded education that helps to set students up to transfer to a traditional four-year college. In conjunction with business and economics courses, students can expect to take courses in math, science, the humanities, and social science.
The economics course offers plenty of flexibility at Blinn College. Students can take the necessary courses for this degree at several branch campuses as well as online. This is perfect for working students who need a flexible schedule to earn their degree.
- Tuition: $339 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, GED or High School Transcripts
10. Columbus State Community College – Columbus, Ohio (4 Points)
The economics program at Columbus State Community College offers an associate degree for students. This is offered as a terminate degree because it is not heavily weighted toward math and science courses. For students who wish to transfer to a traditional four-year college, it is suggested that students supplement their course schedule with calculus and statistics courses.
The program consists of 61 credit hours which must be completed for graduation. Courses will focus on both macroeconomics and microeconomics so students will earn a well-rounded foundation.
- Tuition: $397 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, GED or High School Transcripts
Methodology
To grade the above-listed schools we have adopted a point scoring system. Every school is scored based on two criteria which include the cost of tuition per credit and the total enrollment size of the school. To determine the tuition cost per credit schools were examined on a yearly tuition cost basis. The cost of tuition for the year was divided in half to account for two semesters, and further divided by 12 assuming 12 credits per semester. Out of state tuition was used in these calculations. The school with the lowest tuition cost received the highest number of points, and thus the most favorable ranking.
The second metric used to score our top schools to earn an associate degree in economics was the overall enrollment size. It was assumed that schools with a lower enrollment offer a better student to teacher ratio, and thus a better experience. The school with the lowest amount of students was given the most amount of points. The total points awarded for the tuition score and the enrollment score were added together giving a total cumulative score. The school with the most amount of points was given the most favorable ranking.
We always love to hear from the schools that are featured on our list. If your school has been ranked, and you notice that the information is not accurate, please let us know. We always want to give our students the most up to date and accurate information possible, given the big decisions they are making about their future career paths.
