Master's in Economics FAQ

Yes, the M.S. in economics at Georgia Tech is a federally-certified STEM program. 
 

Yes, our master’s program is ranked #18 by TFE Times and in the top 25% nationally by IDEAS, the largest bibliographic database dedicated to Economics. In addition, Georgia Tech is also ranked the #1 Best Value Public University by The Princeton Review and Niche and has been named one of Forbes’ New Ivies. See more Georgia Tech rankings here.
 

Yes, our master's program focuses on quantitative skills in statistics and data science. Our courses will train you in statistics and probability, multivariate linear regression, causal inference, forecasting and time series data, machine learning, statistical coding, and large data management. They will expose you to R, Python, STATA, SQL, and SAS programming to prepare you for a career in industry or academic research.  
 

Yes, we offer one-year, two-year, and part-time tracks to complete the M.S. on your schedule. The two-year track requires two courses per semester (including summers), while part-time students take one course per semester and complete the program in 3.5 years. 
 

A Master’s in Economics focuses more on quantitative data science skills, while an MBA focuses more on business and leadership skills. The course curricula differ substantially, and an MBA typically requires work experience upon entry. You can earn both at Georgia Tech through our Dual Degree MBA program. 
 

Both tracks require ten courses or 30 credit hours. The one-year program is ideal for students who want to quickly re-enter the job market and minimize tuition costs. The two-year program is better for international students or aspiring Ph.D. applicants who want to maximize research time.

Ph.D. applications are due in the fall, so the two-year program provides 1.5 years rather than just a few months to gain research experience, build relationships for recommendation letters, and take additional math classes (if necessary) before applying.
 

The master’s program does not require a thesis. However, we provide opportunities for students to work on their own research and write papers with faculty. All students enrolling in the two-year degree option are encouraged to work on their own research projects.
 

The program begins in the Fall each year. The first sequence of core classes is only offered in the Fall and is a prerequisite for the Spring courses. An early Summer start is possible. However, all students must apply and be accepted to the fall cohort before changing the start time to Summer. 
 

Yes. You are required to take four core courses and six elective courses. Fall courses are prerequisites for Spring courses. There is more flexibility in the case of elective courses.
 

Classes are typically offered during the day on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. In some cases, a class or two may be taught in the late afternoon or evening, depending on the specific semester, course, and faculty availability. Students enrolling in the program should plan on taking classes during the daytime.
 

Yes. Our faculty direct the Climate, Environmental, and Resource (CLEAR) Economics Lab, the Health Economics and Policy Innovation Collaborative (HEPIC), and the Energy Policy and Innovation Center, lead the Health Care Consolidation Project, and co-organize multiple conferences each year. 

You will also have the opportunity to present your work at the annual Ivan Allen College graduate research conference, where students across the College share projects, receive feedback, and compete for awards. The Georgia Tech Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education hosts the annual Career, Research, and Innovation Development Conference and Three Minute Thesis competition as well.
 

The School of Economics maintains a well-equipped computer lab dedicated to graduate students. In addition, the Georgia Tech Library has a dedicated economics librarian, state-of-the-art computerized collections and databases available to all graduate students, and interlibrary loans to access resources at Emory University and all other University System of Georgia libraries.
 

The average salary for graduates of Georgia Tech’s Master’s in Economics program was approximately $110,000 in recent years. 
 

Recent graduates have gone directly from the master’s program to positions such as:

Georgia Tech’s Career Center offers frequent workshops on finding a job, writing a resume, and networking. Their Graduate Career Development team provides one-on-one career advising, administers the Graduate Internship Program, and runs the CareerBuzz job board, which shares domestic and international job and research opportunities.

Georgia Tech also holds several career fairs for students. In addition, the School of Economics provides one-on-one advising for all students and weekly communications with job and internship opportunities.
 

Many students can qualify for an application fee waiver. Please visit the Institute Fee Waiver page to see if you qualify.
 

Review of applications for the M.S. in Economics program begins on Feb. 1. All applications received after this date are considered on a rolling and space-available admissions basis through Apr. 1 of each year.

Please note: Georgia Tech requires additional time to process I20s for international students. International students also need additional time to secure their student visas from the U.S. Consulates in their home countries. 
 

The admissions committee looks for individuals with strong quantitative skills. Strong grades in calculus, statistics, microeconomics theory, and econometrics courses can signal this to the committee. A fundamental understanding of differential calculus is essential. Individuals can also submit a GRE quant score. On average, GRE quant scores are around 164 for the program.
 

No, we do not require work experience for admission to the M.S. in Economics.
 

GRE scores are not required for M.S. applicants, but we encourage international students to include them. See fee reduction opportunities for the GRE.
 

All international candidates must submit a valid TOEFL or IELTS score to be considered for admission to the program unless one of the following applies:

• You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• You are a citizen of a country where English is the sole official language of instruction
• You have received or will receive a degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States or have attended a regionally accredited university in the United States for at least one academic year. 

TOEFL and IELTS scores must be submitted within two years of the test date. The Institute code for the TOEFL is 5248. If you are taking the IELTS, please search “Georgia Institute of Technology” and then choose “Graduate” to have your scores sent to Georgia Tech.

The required minimum total score on the exams are:

• TOEFL-Internet-based exam: 95, with minimum section scores of 19 or higher in each skill area.
• IETLS exam: Overall score minimum of 7, with minimum section scores for reading = 6.5; listening = 6.5; speaking = 6.5; writing = 5.5. 

Please see the Graduate Education English Proficiency page for more details and contact grad.ask@grad.gatech.edu for any related questions.
 

Georgia Tech accepts unofficial transcripts at the time of application. We do not accept screenshots of your grades and courses. If you are admitted, we will then require that you submit your official transcripts prior to registering for classes.
 

Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot pre-screen them. The School of Economics has a holistic admissions process, which means that we look at multiple aspects of each application before making an admission decision. We do not have predetermined cut-offs, and all candidates who satisfy the graduate school admission requirements are welcome to apply. 
 

You will need the equivalent of four years of college education in the U.S., as described on the Graduate Admissions International Students page. The page also indicates where you can get your non-US academic credentials evaluated. 
 

We offer some options to transfer coursework credits a student has already earned. If the School of Economics approves prior coursework, your required M.S. credits will be reduced.

Georgia Tech undergraduate majors may be able to transfer permitted ECON 4XXX (cross-listed ECON 6xxx) credits toward the M.S. degree. The maximum allowable transfer is two relevant courses or six credit hours. Students who transfer two advanced undergraduate courses in this category may obtain the M.S. in Economics degree for an additional twenty-four hours of coursework.

Students who did not receive their undergraduate degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology may transfer a maximum of two relevant graduate-level courses from another university, provided they were taken in the past two years. The possible waiver of these two courses must be approved by the director of graduate programs.