Economics & Policy

Economist

Studies how people, firms and governments use resources, and advises on policy and strategy.

What this career is

Economists analyse data and build models to understand markets, growth, inequality, trade and policy. They work in central banks, governments, international organisations, consultancies, think tanks and universities.

What professionals do

Collect and clean economic data
Build statistical and econometric models
Write reports and policy briefs
Present findings to policymakers or clients

Outlook: Advanced degrees and quantitative skills matter a lot; demand is steady in public and private sectors.

Official occupation data

Tasks, skills, US pay and job growth from O*NET and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Key skills

Economic analysis & econometrics

analytical

Economists, policy analysts and many researchers use econometrics to estimate causal effects.

Start with

· Learn regression and causal inference basics
· Replicate a simple economics paper

Marginal Revolution University

Statistics

analytical

Statistics helps you avoid misleading conclusions and is required for data, economics and research roles.

Start with

· Cover descriptive statistics, distributions and hypothesis tests
· Run a simple A/B test analysis

Statistics and probability

Python

technical

Python is the default language for data analysis, machine learning and scripting, and a common first language for engineers.

Start with

· Complete an introductory course with exercises
· Automate a small task you do weekly

CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python

Writing & argument

communication

Essays, research reports, policy memos and scholarship applications all depend on strong writing.

Start with

· Write a one-page memo each week
· Enter an essay competition

Purdue Online Writing Lab

Research methods

analytical

Needed for academic research, policy analysis and evidence-driven roles in any sector.

Start with

· Learn qualitative and quantitative designs
· Replicate a published study with open data

Understanding Research Methods

Data visualization

analytical

Analysts are judged on how clearly they communicate findings, not just on the analysis itself.

Start with

· Learn when to use bar, line and scatter charts
· Build a one-page dashboard

Data Visualization

Education paths

1Bachelor's in economics with strong mathematics
2Master's in economics for most professional economist roles
3PhD for academic, central-bank research and senior international-organisation roles