""

Master's Degree in Economics

About the Program

The master’s degree offered in the Department of Economics prepares graduates for a diverse set of careers, from government, business, and non-profit to further graduate studies. The program aims to fulfill a specific educational need: technical training for jobs that require strong analytical skills in Economics. The program shows a path in this rich range of possibilities that today’s labor markets offer for career development.

A minimum of 30 credits of graduate-level coursework is required. 

STEM certified 45.0603

Master's Program Management Committee:
Director of Graduate Studies - Master's Program: Brian Rogers
Associate Director of Graduate Studies - Master's Program: Grace Johnson
Members: Michele Boldrin, Francisco (Paco) Buera, George-Levi Gayle, Dorothy Petersen, Ping Wang, Jonathan Weinstein

Meet Our Faculty

Our faculty are deeply committed to our students and their success in and out of the classroom. They conduct groundbreaking work and collaborate to shape the future of our university, our region, and our world.

Browse the Economics Faculty

Admissions

Our program is designed to accommodate students of varying educational backgrounds. For more information about pre-requisites, please consult our FAQ section.

The application involves submission of:

  1. An application form
  2. An application fee
  3. Three letters of recommendation
  4. Personal Statement (Statement of Purpose)
  5. Resume/CV
  6. Scanned electronic transcripts of all prior undergraduate and graduate work to be uploaded to the admissions application and official original transcripts submitted if offered admission
  7. TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores for applicants whose native language is not English. Please use School Code 6929 and Department Code 1801 when sending scores.
  8. GRE (optional)
  9. Writing Sample (optional) - You have the option to submit a writing sample of about 5-20 pages in length, demonstrating the ability to think clearly about a research question in Economics.

The deadline to apply is February 15.

Apply Now

 

For additional information about the admissions process, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies - Admissions FAQ. 

Graduate Student Resources

Academic Calendar

find dates for deadlines, holidays, and more

Center for Diversity & Inclusion

discover programs, resources, and events related to diversity

Apply Now

become part of WashU

Center for Career Engagement

prepare for career success

Library Services

find the sources, people, spaces, and technology to accelerate your studies

Writing Center & Speaking Studio

get support for writing and public speaking

The Graduate Center

formerly the Liberman Graduate Student Center

Center for Counseling & Psychological Services

mental health treatment and support

search more resources

Studying at WashU and the Department of Economics was an amazing experience. The program has all the resources you need to thrive. Beyond lecture content, I liked talking to the faculty regarding the research ideas I developed, and some turned into bigger projects under their supervision. I received a lot of help from my academic advisor as well, as she offered great advice about class choices, academic priorities, and the pace of working through the program. Department emails shared information on job fairs, seminars, and grad socials. This helped me to explore all kinds of career opportunities and also meet with PhD students in the department. The PhD students I met were very kind and helpful and, through talking with them, I learned how to approach Economics as a researcher and how to think more deeply about the questions behind economic models. Overall, my experience in the Department of Economics at WashU was both inspiring and rewarding, and it has helped me grow academically, professionally, and personally.

― Liqi Chai 2025 graduate

Contact

For more information, email us at economics@wustl.edu. 

Visit our Instagram for news and updates about our program, our students, and our graduates.