How to become an economist
Source: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/careers/graduate-jobs/how-to-become/how-to-become-an-economist Parent: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/careers/graduate-jobs/how-to-become
Find out how to become an economist and how our Business School can prepare you for a career in economics.
Information is correct as of October 2025. Before deciding whether to pursue a career, contact your college careers service for the most up-to-date guidance.
What does an economist do?
Economists play a role in understanding and helping to tackle complex global issues like climate change, poverty, and rising living costs. They're found in boardrooms and parliaments, banks and start-ups, classrooms and global institutions.
Economics is one of the top subjects to study at university for net lifetime financial returns according to research from The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
At its core, economics is about choices, and economists explore how people, businesses, and governments make decisions and how those choices shape the world around us. They develop and use theories and data not just to explain, but to improve the way societies function.
To study economics is to gain a toolkit for navigating everyday and urgent issues and a voice in conversations that matter. If you're inspired to find solutions to real-world problems, economics gives you the tools to lead.
Qualifications required to become an economist
To become an economist, you will need:
- a degree in economics or a relevant joint degree which includes economics with a related subject such as finance, law, management studies or mathematics
- a Masters or PhD - not all employers require this but it may be preferable to have a postgraduate degree in economics as well depending on your specialism.
When you study economics at Sussex, you can build your expertise by choosing from a range of specialist options including data coding and visualisation, climate change economics, education economics, financial economics and development economics.
Explore our economics courses.
Join our Business School
When you study economics at Sussex, you’ll be joining the University of Sussex Business School where you'll benefit from extensive career support and business connections, including mentoring, networking, guest lectures and the development of workplace skills.
Economics students also run an active society that invites guest speakers and organises events, bringing together students from Economics courses as well as those from other courses who share an interest in economics.
The Business School is also home to the renowned UK Trade Policy Observatory (UKTPO) - one of the most trusted voices in the analysis of the UK’s trading future. Facilities include the Bloomberg Lab where you can access real-time data onsite from the Bloomberg Professional service platform.
My economics degree was a significant foundational element in understanding how businesses can operate on a macro and micro level.” Harvey PLATT\ BA Economics
What skills should an economist have?
To become an economist, you’ll need to have:
- critical analysis skills
- accuracy and attention to detail
- modelling skills
- excellent communication skills
- programming and coding skills
- knowledge of quantitative methods.
Find out more about becoming an economist.
Earning potential for an economist
- £28kstarting salary for qualified economists (but this depends on your employer).
- £60kfor an experienced economist (but this depends on your employer).
- 37hour working week is what you'll generally be contracted to, although you can expect to work longer hours during busier periods.
- 3 yearsis how long it can take to qualify as an economist.
salary based on information from National Careers Service.
How to get work experience as an economist
To get experience in economics, you may want to:
- do a placement year or internship as part of your degree
- join student industrial societies and organisations such as The Society of Professional Economists or the Royal Economic Society to show your interest in the subject and make contacts.
How to get into economics
Once you've graduated, you could look to:
- contribute to government policy-making across a wide-range of topics and departments by joining the GES graduate training scheme
- become an assistant economist for the government via its Assistant Economist Scheme.
Studying at Sussex
If you choose to study your degree at Sussex, you’ll benefit from:
- careers support for up to three years after you graduate
- the chance to join our alumni network Sussex Connect
- mentoring schemes so you get real-world advice, support and experience while you study.