Statistics on studying economics in the UK

This page includes a range of data on numbers studying economics at school and university.

The Economics Network Employability Survey 2019 has information on what employers value in Economics graduates.

A-level grades in Economics, Business Studies, and Mathematics. These charts show the percentage of UK students receiving each of the grades A to U in each subject and for all subjects in 2021.

Numbers of students taking A-level This chart shows the number of candidates taking both Economics, Business Studies and Maths A-levels in each year from 2012 to 2021.

Total acceptances for Economics UK undergraduate degrees This chart shows the number of acceptances for economics degrees up to 2020.

Female acceptances as % of all acceptances for economics degrees Shows the percentages up to 2020.

Total students studying economics degrees from 2014-15 to 2019-20

For charts of earnings premia, see the IFS reports "The impact of undergraduate degrees on lifetime earnings" (2020) and "The impact of undergraduate degrees on early-career earnings" (2018). The 2018 report is summarised, with simplified charts, in Sean Coughlan, "Biggest winners and losers from degrees" BBC News.

An Excel file of most of the above charts is available for printing and customising.