Economics and Computer Science graduates pursue 6 occupations, with top roles paying $175,140/yr or more. The career cards below break down wages, daily tasks, and 10-year job growth projections for each.
This page covers Economics and Computer Science as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Interdisciplinary Studies and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Economics and Computer Science is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. You will not have trouble finding it: 6 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 89 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Colleges Offering
6
Graduates / Year
89
Avg Net Price / yr
$23,524
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 89 students who complete Economics and Computer Science programs each year, the majority (66%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
66%34%
Bachelor's66%
Master's34%
What Can You Do With an Economics and Computer Science Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Economics and Computer Science graduates show up in 6 different occupations, and Computer & Information Systems Manager pays the most at $175,140/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
ProgrammingCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingReading ComprehensionActive Learning
Day-to-day responsibilities
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.
Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
Study the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies, such as proposed legislation, taxes, services, and regulations.
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.
Generate standard or custom reports summarizing business, financial, or economic data for review by executives, managers, clients, and other stakeholders.
Maintain or update business intelligence tools, databases, dashboards, systems, or methods.
Manage timely flow of business intelligence information to users.
Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign this work to others.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as programming, data structures, and software design.
Top Colleges for Economics and Computer Science
Only 4 colleges had enough verified data to appear here for Economics and Computer Science. They are sorted by graduate volume, not selectivity, so use them as a starting point rather than a ranking.
Ranked by Economics and Computer Science graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Economics and Computer Science is not the only path through Interdisciplinary Studies: 38 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of an Economics and Computer Science program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Economics and Computer Science Degree: Pros & Cons
The data on Economics and Computer Science shows 2 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Fast-growing fieldRelated careers are projected to grow up to +34.6% over the next decade, with Data Scientist among the fastest-growing roles.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 178,900 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Limited program availabilityOnly 6 colleges offer this program nationally, which may limit geographic flexibility when choosing a school.
Economics and Computer Science Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
What jobs can you get with an Economics and Computer Science degree?
Computer & Information Systems Manager is one path, and it pays a median of $175,140 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does an Economics and Computer Science program take?
Four years of full-time study for an Economics and Computer Science bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Economics and Computer Science?
6 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
What is the difference between Economics and Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Studies?
Economics and Computer Science is the narrower of the two: Interdisciplinary Studies covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Economics and Computer Science-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Economics and Computer Science graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Economics and Computer Science graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Economics and Computer Science graduates?
Outlook is strong overall: related occupations average +12.1% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Data Scientist is among the strongest-growth roles at +34.6%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Other programs in Interdisciplinary Studies. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Choose a Major Pillar
A decision framework for picking a college major using your interests, aptitudes, and federal earnings data to reach a defensible choice before applying.
Yes, most schools allow it, but the schedule math rarely works without either overlapping requirements or extra time. Here's when it actually fits in four years.
The real cost of a second major, when it pays back and when it doesn't, and why a focused single major with a relevant minor often beats a double major.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
All 38 Majors, Ranked by What Graduates Earn
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
Major earnings
Highest paying majors
Job growth
STEM
Field of study
Does Engineering Tech Out-Earn Engineering? The Data Says No
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Engineering tech
Engineering
Program earnings
Applied degree
Technician careers
STEM Is Not One Thing: The Pay Gap Within STEM
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
STEM earnings
Engineering pay
Computer science
Program earnings
Major choice
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.