Why Pursue an Economics Master's Degree
A graduate degree in economics offers strong career and salary potential. In 2024, professionals with a master’s in economics earned a median annual income of $115,440 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), reflecting the high demand for advanced analytical and quantitative skills. Forbes also ranks economics among the top master’s degrees for job opportunities.
Beyond financial rewards, the program provides versatile expertise for careers in finance, consulting, government, technology and policy research, while also preparing students for doctoral study. With rigorous training and practical application, the MS in Economics delivers proven ROI for those ready to shape business and policy.
A Flexible Curriculum that is Highly Marketable
There are three concentrations that were designed based on the input of professionals in various industries:
- General Economics
- Financial Economics
- Business Data Analysis & Forecasting.
The General Economics concentration allows students to take 21 credits of electives from a large inventory of courses. Students in the Financial Economics and Business Data Analysis & Forecasting concentrations can choose 6 credits of electives.
Register for an Info Session
Join an upcoming information session to learn more about the MS in Economics at the Carlos Alvarez College of Business. Review admission requirements, explore the application process and ask questions directly to program representatives. Attendees will also receive a one-time application fee waiver.
STEM Designated Degree Program
This program in the Carlos Alvarez College of Business is included on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s STEM Designated Degree Program list.
STEM Designated Degree Programs provide several benefits, including:
- High career growth potential and competitive salaries
- Development of transferrable skills such as adaptability, critical thinking, research and analysis
- International students on an F-1 visa are eligible for up to 24 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Admission & Application Requirements
Applications are submitted through the UT San Antonio Graduate Application. Please upload all required documents (listed below) on your UT San Antonio Graduate Application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure completion and submission of the application, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents are on file with UT San Antonio by the appropriate application deadline.
| Economics (MS) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Required Degree | Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution. | |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours. Otherwise qualified individuals with a GPA below 3.0 may still be eligible for admission consideration. For further information, please contact [email protected]. | |
| Coursework | Completed adequate credit hours or foreign institution equivalent coursework as preparation for the program. | |
| Transcripts* | Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English | |
| Credential Evaluation | Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions. Submit an evaluation of your transcripts from FCSA or any NACES-approved credential evaluation agency. | |
| English Language Proficiency | 550 TOEFL Paper / 79 TOEFL Internet / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100 | |
| Purpose Statement | Required | |
| Letters of Recommendation | 1 academic or professional reference(s) demonstrating your attributes for successful completion of this program (you will request these through the Graduate Admissions Application; let your recommenders know of your deadline to ensure submissions are on time)(letter should be from a university professor or instructor; optional 2 letters of recommendation can be submitted) | |
| *Unofficial transcripts will be taken into consideration for admissions; however, if admitted into the program, you must submit official transcripts to the University. | ||
Application Deadlines
Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.
| Economics (MS) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing on Admission Decision: Completed applications will be reviewed for admission on a rolling basis. Decisions generally will be made and sent to applicants within 4 to 6 weeks of receiving the application. | |||
| Application Deadlines for: | Priority | International | Domestic |
| Spring 2026 | November 1 | December 12 | |
| Summer 2026 | Not Available | Not Available | |
| Fall 2026 | June 1 | August 1 | |
| Spring 2027 | November 1 | December 1 | |
| Summer 2027 | Not Available | Not Available | |
Funding Opportunities
Graduate Student Opportunities and Scholarships
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs), Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs), Graduate Administrative Assistantships (GAAs) and student grading positions are available to master’s students on a competitive basis.
$1,000 Graduate Competitive Scholarship for Non-Resident Students
Non-resident graduate students who have been admitted or are continuing their studies may apply for a competitive scholarship worth $1,000. If awarded, this scholarship allows students to pay in-state (resident) tuition rates.
Career Options
UT San Antonio prepares you for future careers that are in demand. The possible careers below are based on data pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls information from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.
"When the Federal Reserve hires analysts, it looks for candidates with strong technical skills who are adept at gathering and analyzing large amounts of data using R, SAS, and Python. The program at UTSA produces those types of candidates."
- AT&T
- BBVA
- Capital Asset Exchange and Trading, LLC
- Federal Reserve Bank
- Frost Bank
- Goldman Sachs
- H-E-B
- JPMorgan Chase
- Marathon Petroleum
- Oracle
- SWBC
- USAA
- Valero Energy Corporation
