This snapshot pulls from CollegeWhale’s scholarship database and planning tools to show how many scholarships are available for Economics majors, the total dollars listed, and how early-career pay compares to typical college costs.
We currently list 10 active scholarships tied to Economics programs, sourced from professional groups, nonprofits, and private sponsors. New awards are added regularly.
The scholarships currently listed total approximately $63,500 in advertised award value. Many programs offer renewable or variable awards, so available funding may be higher over time.
Early-career median pay for Economics graduates is about $115,000 per year. We estimate a typical 4-year net college cost around $108,584.
That means first-year earnings are roughly 106% of total college cost, with an estimated payback period of 0.9 years (before taxes and living expenses).
The average cost of in-of-state college in the United States is $27,146 per student per year, including books, supplies, and daily living expenses. Out-of-state students pay $45,708 per year. Private, nonprofit university students pay $58,628.
According to data provided by educationdata.org as of 8/2025. Our ROI calculation is based on in-state average tuition. Median pay statistics are provided by bls.gov
The CollegeWhale Scholarship FastFind™ makes it easy to discover the best Economics scholarships — fast. Filter by award amount, deadline month, and estimated time to apply, then instantly download your personalized list. No sign-ups, no personal info, no spam — just real, verified scholarships.
The FFSH Scholarship Program is offered by the Foundation for Financial Service History (FFSH) to support students pursuing higher education and careers in financial services, business, economics, accounting, finance, and related fields. This scholarship is designed to help motivated students
Award: Varies Deadline: April Est. Application Time: Med (88 min)The Teradata H.O.P.E. in Tech Scholarship is designed to help students who have faced significant challenges and are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. By providing this financial support, Teradata seeks to foster a more inclusive and diverse technology industry, ensuring
Award: $2,500 Deadline: May Est. Application Time: Low (10 min)The NSHSS Foundation Business & Public Policy Scholarship is awarded by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) to support students pursuing degrees in business, finance/economics, or public policy. This scholarship is open to high school students of all
Award: $1,000 Deadline: May Est. Application Time: High (128 min)The Goldman Sachs Scholarship for Excellence is designed to attract Black, Hispanic, and Native American students to the firm's summer internship program. Recipients receive a paid summer internship offer at Goldman Sachs, with up to $15,000 awarded upon starting the
Award: $15,000 Deadline: Rolling Est. Application Time: Med (58 min)The Lime Connect Equity Through Education Scholarship, sponsored by BMO Capital Markets, aims to support students with disabilities who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership potential while pursuing a degree in business-related disciplines. This scholarship promotes diversity and inclusion within the
Award: $10,000 Deadline: February Est. Application Time: Low (13 min)The Additional Economics Scholarships are institutional awards administered by Auburn University at Montgomery for students pursuing undergraduate study in Economics. These scholarships are designed to recognize academic achievement while also providing meaningful financial support to students who demonstrate commitment to
Award: $500 Deadline: Rolling Est. Application Time: Med (58 min)The MasterCard WorldWide Scholarship Program has been a long-standing opportunity for talented undergraduate students seeking both financial support and recognition for their academic and leadership achievements. Established in 1999, the program is funded in partnership with the United Negro College
Award: $5,000 Deadline: October Est. Application Time: Med (88 min)The GEICO Achievement Scholarship Program is a long-running corporate scholarship initiative created to support high-achieving undergraduate students who show strong academic performance, leadership potential, and a commitment to excellence in fields tied to GEICO’s core business needs. Every year, GEICO
Award: $1,000 Deadline: February Est. Application Time: High (118 min)The Virtual Business Scholarship is an annual national scholarship program created by Knowledge Matters, the developer behind the widely used Virtual Business simulation software. Designed for high school students with a strong interest in business, entrepreneurship, marketing, management, or personal
Award: $2,000 Deadline: April Est. Application Time: Med (33 min)If you are a student who is making a difference, achieving academic goals, and helping your community, The Buick Achievers Scholarship is looking for students like you. The Buick Achievers Scholarship is seeking motivated and passionate college bound students nationwide,
Award: $25,000 Deadline: Rolling Est. Application Time: Low (13 min)This comprehensive collection of Economics scholarships and grants for the 2026 - 2027 school years, curated from our regularly updated databases. To explore all available scholarship matches, visit our Scholarship Database and Grant Database, which both offer easy-to-use filters, current deadlines, and detailed eligibility information to help you discover the best Economics scholarship opportunities.
Economics scholarships support students studying how markets allocate resources, how incentives shape behavior, and how policy decisions affect employment, inflation, trade, and inequality. Funding can offset tuition, books, software, research expenses, and (in some cases) study abroad or conference travel. Economics awards come from universities, foundations, professional associations, policy institutions, and employers that hire analysts.
Economics scholarships are often “signal-based.” Committees look for evidence you can handle quantitative work (calculus, statistics, econometrics), interpret data, and write clearly about real economic questions. The strongest applications connect a specific interest area—labor markets, development, monetary policy, industrial organization, environmental economics, behavioral economics—to coursework, projects, and long-term goals.
CollegeWhale Tip: “I’m interested in economics” is too broad. A stronger application names a question and the tools you use to answer it—for example: “I’m studying wage growth using CPS data and a difference-in-differences approach,” or “I’m analyzing how interest rate changes affect small-business lending using bank call report data.” Even a class project can work if it’s specific.
| Your Focus | Scholarships That Tend to Fit | What Reviewers Typically Want to See |
|---|---|---|
| Econometrics / Data Analytics | Department awards, research fellowships, data-driven policy scholarships | Statistics/econometrics grades, coding in R/Stata/Python, reproducible projects |
| Public Policy / Government | Public service scholarships, policy institution fellowships, civic leadership awards | Policy writing samples, internships, clear issue focus (housing, labor, health, climate) |
| Development / Global Economics | Study abroad and international development fellowships, Rotary-style grants | Field interest, language/region focus, research proposal or applied project plan |
| Finance / Banking / Consulting | Industry scholarships, corporate programs with internship components | Quant skills, leadership, evidence of analytical work and professional readiness |
| PhD Track | Pre-doctoral preparation programs, research-intensive fellowships, AEA-linked opportunities | Real analysis / advanced math, research assistant work, econometrics strength |
Scholarships and grants for economics students generally fall into categories that reflect what committees are trying to fund.
Economics majors can qualify for awards ranging from small departmental scholarships to competitive national programs. Many economics departments administer annual scholarships for declared majors and may prioritize students who contribute to departmental life through tutoring, research assistance, or teaching support.
Common eligibility requirements include:
Applicants are often strongest when they can point to concrete work: an econometrics paper, a policy memo, a data project, a thesis proposal, or research assistant duties.
High school seniors can build early momentum by applying for broad merit programs and scholarships that reward independent work.
Competitive high school applicants often show:
The National Economics Foundation Scholarship is aimed at students studying economics, finance, or public policy. While requirements can vary, competitive applicants typically demonstrate strong quantitative preparation and the ability to discuss real economic issues with clarity.
Typical components include:
Awards are often in the $1,000 to $5,000 range and may be renewable.
Women remain underrepresented in certain advanced economics roles, particularly in academic and high-level policy settings. Several programs support women pursuing economics and related quantitative disciplines.
Strong applications often combine quantitative strength with a clearly defined topic focus (labor, education, development, finance, public policy).
Graduate economics funding is often larger and more structured, particularly at the PhD level. Many PhD programs offer tuition waivers and stipends, while external fellowships can provide additional flexibility or prestige.
Graduate students should also consider research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and internal fellowships tied to departments, research centers, or policy labs.
Employers hire economics students for roles in analytics, risk, consulting, banking, and economic research. As a result, some scholarships are connected to recruiting pipelines.
Industry awards tend to value quantitative skill, professionalism, leadership, and evidence you can apply economics outside a classroom.
The Joseph A. Johnson Jr. Distinguished Economics Scholarship supports minority students pursuing economics or related quantitative disciplines.
Awards are commonly up to $2,500 annually and can support tuition, books, and research-related costs.
The AEA Summer Program is a fully funded academic program for undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds considering PhD study in economics. While not a traditional scholarship, it functions as a major funding and preparation opportunity.
Participation can strengthen PhD applications and improve access to research assistant positions.
The SYLFF supports graduate students in economics, public policy, and international affairs at participating universities.
SYLFF is a strong fit for students connecting economics to development, governance, or international policy.
Many economics students receive funding directly through university scholarships, departmental awards, or research centers. Some are automatic at admission; others require a separate departmental application.
Beyond well-known programs, many departments award smaller annual scholarships for top-performing majors, thesis work, research assistants, and peer tutors.
Economics scholarships are typically won by students who show clear analytical preparation and a defined direction.
Data & content oversight by Lauren Nichols
Co-Founder of CollegeWhale, specializing in scholarship data systems and financial aid research.