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130 Excellent Economics Research Topics To Consider

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Are you an economics student searching for good topics for your research paper? If yes, then keep on reading this blog. To make the topic selection process easier for you, here we have suggested a list of the best economics research topics on various areas associated with the subject. In addition to that, we have also presented a brief overview of economics research paper topic selection and writing.

Quickly explore the entire list and choose any ideal topic for composing your economics thesis or dissertation.

Economics Research Paper Topic Selection and Writing

Have your professor asked you to submit an economics research paper? If yes, then topic selection is the first step you should do. In case, your supervisors had not suggested any research ideas, make sure to choose a unique economics research topic that you are interested in. The topic you choose should be understandable for you and your readers, and it should also have a wide research scope with the necessary information for crafting a comprehensive research paper or essay.

After you have selected a research topic for your economics assignment, sketch an outline with the research ideas that you have gathered. Then, with the help of the essay outline you have prepared, draft the research paper in a well-structured manner by including the essential elements such as the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction paragraph of your research paper should have a catchy opening sentence, brief background information on the topic, and a strong thesis statement addressing the purpose of your research paper. After the introduction, in the body paragraphs, you should include innovative topic sentences and explain your arguments with supporting evidence in a way to persuade your reader. Then, you should finally close your research paper with an engaging conclusion that contains a brief summary of the main points.

List of the Best Economics Research Paper Topics

You may think that it is easy to choose a research topic for your economics research paper. But actually, it is not. As economics is a complex and broad subject, choosing a perfect research topic from it is a daunting task.

If you are asked to write an economics research paper or essay, then you can prefer to choose a topic from economics research areas such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, behavioral economics, agricultural economics, development economics, financial economics, and so on.

Here, we have sorted different categories of economics topics and have recommended a list of excellent economics research topic ideas for you to consider. Go through the entire list and pick a topic that is ideal for writing academic papers as per your instructor’s requirements.

Economics Research Topics

Agricultural Economics Research Topics

  • Farmer’s contribution to agricultural social capital.
  • Agricultural economics and agribusiness.
  • An analysis of economic efficiency in agriculture.
  • Agricultural and resource economics.
  • Agricultural economics and environmental considerations of biofuels.
  • Analysis of food security and poverty status among households in Ehime Mbano
  • Role of bank loans and credit facility in financing Nigerian agriculture sector: a case study of Nigeria agricultural cooperative and rural development bank
  • Evaluation of the impact of micro-finance banks on the South African agriculture sector
  • How poultry farming is becoming a veritable tool for the economic empowerment of South Africa?
  • Critical analysis of the problems and prospects of agriculture financing in rural India

Behavioral Economics Research Paper Topics

  • What does the economy of trust mean?
  • How does the brain change when a person is striking a great deal?
  • The impact of economic stability on the social life of a person
  • The buying capacity and gender
  • How does race relate to economic power?
  • Big data and its implications for behavioral economics
  • The impact of behavioral finance on investment decisions.
  • Cognitive and behavioral theories in economics.
  • Behavior implications of wealth and inequality.
  • Using behavioral economics to help in reducing substance abuse

Development Economics Research Topics

  • The relation between development and incentive for migration.
  • The economic consequences of population growth in developing countries.
  • The determinants of high-performing institutions in emerging economies
  • The impact of globalization on income distribution in emerging economies
  • The problems of tax and taxation in connection with economic growth.
  • The economic impact of terrorism on developing markets.
  • Investigate the relationship between family planning, labor force, and income fluctuations.
  • The impact of natural disasters on the economy and political stability of emerging markets.
  • Budgeting and decision-making by low-income earners in emerging economics
  • The impact of multinational commodity trading through the development of economic perspective.
  • Compare and contrast the impact of demand-pull inflation and cost-push inflation on a country’s economy
  • Discuss the impact of multinational commodity trading through the perspective of development economics
  • Discuss the concepts of mercantilism, linear stages of growth model, economic nationalism, and structural-change theory
  • Investigate the relationship between unemployment and fluctuations in national income
  • Compare and contrast the economic patterns of villages across Papua New Guinea

Environmental Economics Research Paper Topics

  • Explain the energy markets’ economic potential.
  • How does global warming affect economic growth?
  • How technological advancement leads to economic growth
  • Evolution of economic institutions concerning climate change
  • Cost-benefit analysis of the regulation of the environment
  • The economic perspectives of the distribution of natural resources across boundaries
  • The relationship between financial subsidies and the generation of eco-friendly products
  • Detailed analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System
  • Why it’s important to analyze the economics of clean drinking water
  • How wildlife protection affects the economy

Read more: Outstanding Environmental Science Topics for You to Consider

Financial Economics Research Topics

  • Risk-taking by mutual funds as a response to incentives.
  • Financial economics for infrastructure and fiscal policy.
  • Managerial economics and financial accounting as a basis for business
  • The analysis of the global financial crisis of 2020
  • Stock market overreaction.

Health Economics Research Ideas

  • How do chronic diseases affect the workforce and the economy?
  • How can public hospitals optimize their revenue collection?
  • The economics of the pharmaceutical industry
  • How an unhealthy country translates into a poor country
  • Is the world’s hunger affected by economics?
  • How does perfect competition work in the pharmaceutical world?
  • How does an infectious disease outbreak affect the economy?
  • Is health insurance important?
  • How is the economy affected by a smoking ban?

Research Paper Topics on International Trade

  • What are the gains and losses of international trade for developing countries?
  • The importance of international trade in developing countries
  • The relationship between economic growth and international trade
  • The impact of Brexit on small and middle businesses in the UK
  • To what extent does a currency union affect trade?
  • The roles of exchange rate and exchange rate regime in the US export.
  • To what extent are the gains of less developed countries from trade liberalization exaggerated?
  • Foreign direct investment in the United States: Determinants and impact
  • The relationship between foreign direct investment and wages
  • The effects of the banana crisis on the Jamaican and British economies

Macroeconomics Research Topics

  • Global recession and factors that contribute to it.
  • The relationship between Internet connectivity and productivity in the workplace.
  • The relationship between economic growth and unemployment in your country.
  • Income Dynamics and demographic economics.
  • What should our government do to minimize the risks of future default?
  • The connection between politics and economics.
  • The world problems through macroeconomic analysis .
  • US Market Liquidity and Macroeconomics.
  • The structure, history, and activities of the World Bank.
  • Economics of education in developing markets.
  • Public policies and socio-economic disparities.
  • Banks and their role in the economy.
  • Problems and possible solutions for Japan macroeconomics.
  • State regulation of the economy in foreign countries: main models of regulation.
  • The effect of currency devaluation on small and medium firms
  • A comparison of the United States unemployment to the rest of the world
  • The relationship between common stock prices and inflation in your country.
  • Macroeconomics and self-correction of the economy.
  • Analysis of Africa’s macroeconomics and its performance.
  • The implications of Internet banking on bank profitability.

Read more: Best Macroeconomics Research Topics and Ideas for Students

Microeconomics Research Topics

  • Explain how competition influences the price.
  • Opportunity costs explained from a microeconomics perspective
  • Inflation sources and consequences explained
  • The impact of demonetization on small and medium businesses
  • The connection between the minimum wage and market equilibrium.
  • Perfect competition in microeconomics
  • Theories in microeconomics
  • The effect of labor force participation on the economy and budget
  • Economic inequality as a result of globalization.
  • Explain the balance between supply and demand in microeconomics
  • Dynamics of the Gini index as a reflection of the problem of inequality in income
  • Privatization of Public Enterprises and its implications on economic policy and development
  • How does the stock market work?
  • The impact of game theory on economic development.
  • The changes in oil prices: causes and solutions.
  • Marketing uses in microeconomics.
  • The economic explanation of political dishonesty.
  • How company mergers and dissolutions impact the economy
  • The role of tax collection agencies in microeconomics
  • Different microeconomic models and how they face the effect of industry conditions

A Few More Microeconomics Research Ideas

  • How exactly does Uber fit into the economy of trust?
  • How does a person’s brain alter when they hit a big deal?
  • missing practical human insights from big data and how this affects the economy.
  • explaining how supply and demand are balanced in microeconomics
  • Changes in economic institutions with regard to climate change
  • Effects of greenhouses on economic growth
  • Effects of climate change on economic growth
  • Analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System in great detail
  • Is resource management for waste scarce? A microeconomics explanation of opportunity costs
  • Effects of wildlife protection on the economy

Interesting Economics Research Topics

  • What role does entrepreneurship play in economic development?
  • How do automation and artificial intelligence affect the labor market?
  • Discuss the Economics of healthcare systems and policies in developing countries.
  • Explain the effects of trade agreements on income distribution.
  • How does foreign aid affect economic development?
  • Explain the impact of monetary policy on financial markets and inflation.
  • Discuss the effects of income inequality on social mobility.
  • How does tax reform impact business investment?
  • Explain the role of microfinance in alleviating poverty.
  • How does behavioral economics impact personal savings habits?

From the list of economics research topics recommended in this blog, choose any topic of your choice and craft a top-quality research paper or essay. It is not necessary that you need to use the suggested topic as it is, you can also modify the research topic and write your academic paper. In case, you are unsure how to select the right topic and write a persuasive economics research paper, get in touch with us immediately.

best research topics for economics

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Home » 500+ Economics Research Topics

500+ Economics Research Topics

Economics Research Topics

Economics is a vast and fascinating field that explores how individuals, businesses, and governments make decisions about the allocation of resources. As such, it provides a wealth of research opportunities for those interested in understanding and analyzing the complexities of modern society. From macroeconomic issues such as globalization and monetary policy, to microeconomic topics such as consumer behavior and market competition, there are numerous research topics that economists can investigate. In this post, we will explore some of the most interesting and relevant economics research topics that are shaping our world today.

Economics Research Topics

Economics Research Topics are as follows:

  • The impact of technological change on income inequality.
  • An analysis of the relationship between exchange rates and foreign direct investment.
  • The effects of tax incentives on small business growth and development.
  • The determinants of economic growth in developing countries.
  • The impact of globalization on economic growth and development.
  • An analysis of the effects of the minimum wage on employment and poverty.
  • The role of central banks in managing inflation and economic stability.
  • An investigation into the factors influencing consumer behavior and spending.
  • An analysis of the impact of trade liberalization on economic growth.
  • The effects of income inequality on social welfare and economic stability.
  • The role of international trade in economic development.
  • An investigation into the relationship between education and economic growth.
  • An analysis of the effects of corruption on economic growth and development.
  • The impact of the gig economy on employment and wages.
  • An investigation into the causes and consequences of financial crises.
  • The role of innovation in economic growth and development.
  • An analysis of the impact of government spending on economic growth.
  • The effects of globalization on the environment.
  • The impact of climate change on economic growth and development.
  • An investigation into the determinants of poverty and inequality.
  • The role of entrepreneurship in economic growth and development.
  • An analysis of the effects of monetary policy on economic growth and stability.
  • The impact of immigration on labor markets and economic growth.
  • An investigation into the factors influencing international trade flows.
  • An analysis of the effects of foreign aid on economic development.
  • The role of financial intermediaries in economic development.
  • An investigation into the causes and consequences of income inequality.
  • The impact of trade agreements on economic growth and development.
  • An analysis of the effects of government regulation on business and economic growth.
  • The role of technology transfer in economic development.
  • An investigation into the effects of economic sanctions on trade and economic growth.
  • The impact of population growth on economic development.
  • An analysis of the effects of infrastructure investment on economic growth.
  • The role of natural resources in economic development.
  • An investigation into the effects of labor market policies on economic growth and employment.
  • The impact of financial innovation on economic growth and stability.
  • An analysis of the effects of income tax policy on economic growth and income distribution.
  • The role of social capital in economic development.
  • An investigation into the impact of economic policies on international trade.
  • The effects of financial liberalization on economic growth and stability.
  • The impact of urbanization on economic development.
  • An analysis of the effects of international migration on labor markets and economic growth.
  • The role of institutions in economic development.
  • An investigation into the effects of exchange rate volatility on international trade.
  • The impact of demographic change on economic growth and development.
  • An analysis of the effects of government debt on economic growth and stability.
  • The role of foreign investment in economic development.
  • An investigation into the effects of labor market flexibility on economic growth and employment.
  • The impact of intellectual property rights on innovation and economic growth.
  • An analysis of the effects of economic inequality on social mobility and economic growth.
  • The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy.
  • The role of financial markets in economic growth.
  • The effectiveness of monetary policy in stabilizing the economy.
  • The relationship between income inequality and economic growth.
  • The impact of government regulations on business activity.
  • The role of technology in shaping the future of the economy.
  • The effect of globalization on the labor market.
  • The impact of trade policy on economic growth.
  • The relationship between education and economic growth.
  • The effectiveness of fiscal policy in stimulating economic growth.
  • The impact of immigration on the labor market.
  • The effect of tax policy on economic growth.
  • The role of entrepreneurship in economic development.
  • The impact of environmental regulations on economic growth.
  • The effect of international capital flows on the economy.
  • The relationship between innovation and economic growth.
  • The impact of demographic changes on the economy.
  • The role of infrastructure investment in economic growth.
  • The effect of monetary policy on income inequality.
  • The impact of government debt on economic growth.
  • The relationship between corruption and economic growth.
  • The effect of globalization on income inequality.
  • The impact of education on income inequality.
  • The role of social welfare programs in reducing poverty.
  • The effect of minimum wage laws on the labor market.
  • The impact of health care policy on economic growth.
  • The relationship between energy prices and economic growth.
  • The effect of government subsidies on business activity.
  • The impact of exchange rate fluctuations on trade.
  • The role of financial innovation in economic development.
  • The effect of social media on consumer behavior.
  • The impact of consumer confidence on economic growth.
  • The relationship between economic growth and political stability.
  • The effect of demographic changes on income inequality.
  • The impact of government spending on economic growth.
  • The role of labor unions in the labor market.
  • The effect of natural disasters on the economy.
  • The relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability.
  • The effect of corporate social responsibility on business activity.
  • The impact of intellectual property rights on innovation.
  • The effect of cultural differences on business activity.
  • The impact of financial crises on the economy.
  • The relationship between economic growth and health outcomes.
  • The effect of government corruption on economic growth.
  • The impact of demographic changes on the labor market.
  • The effect of foreign aid on economic growth.
  • The impact of technological change on the labor market.
  • The effect of monetary policy on income distribution.
  • The impact of trade agreements on economic growth
  • The effect of corruption on economic development
  • The relationship between financial development and economic growth
  • The impact of foreign aid on economic growth in developing countries
  • The role of innovation in promoting economic growth
  • The impact of globalization on income inequality
  • The relationship between inflation and economic growth
  • The role of natural resources in economic development
  • The impact of government expenditure on economic growth
  • The relationship between income distribution and economic growth
  • The impact of monetary policy on economic growth
  • The role of education in promoting economic growth
  • The impact of entrepreneurship on economic development
  • The relationship between taxation and economic growth
  • The impact of infrastructure on economic growth
  • The role of international trade in economic development
  • The impact of fiscal policy on economic growth
  • The relationship between financial liberalization and economic growth
  • The impact of economic integration on economic growth
  • The role of institutions in promoting economic development
  • The impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth
  • The relationship between inequality and economic growth
  • The impact of social welfare programs on economic growth
  • The role of technology in promoting economic growth
  • The impact of political instability on economic growth
  • The relationship between corruption and economic growth
  • The impact of labor market policies on economic growth
  • The role of human capital in promoting economic development
  • The impact of health care on economic growth
  • The relationship between exchange rates and economic growth
  • The impact of foreign trade on income distribution
  • The role of entrepreneurship in economic development
  • The impact of environmental policies on economic growth
  • The relationship between foreign aid and poverty reduction
  • The impact of financial sector reforms on economic growth
  • The role of social capital in promoting economic development
  • The impact of regional integration on economic growth
  • The relationship between public investment and economic growth
  • The impact of monetary policy on income distribution
  • The role of international migration in economic development
  • The impact of labor market flexibility on economic growth
  • The relationship between trade and technology transfer
  • The impact of institutional quality on economic growth
  • The role of financial sector development in promoting economic growth
  • The impact of regional inequality on economic growth
  • The relationship between education and poverty reduction
  • The impact of foreign debt on economic growth
  • The role of social protection in promoting economic development
  • The impact of energy policies on economic growth
  • The relationship between foreign trade and environmental sustainability
  • The impact of international trade on income inequality.
  • The relationship between public debt and economic growth.
  • The effect of tax policy on international capital flows.
  • The impact of government subsidies on technological innovation.
  • The role of financial development in reducing poverty.
  • The effect of regulation on market structure.
  • The impact of globalization on financial stability.
  • The relationship between financial development and income inequality.
  • The effect of fiscal policy on long-term economic growth.
  • The impact of financial frictions on business cycles.
  • The role of international capital flows in financial crises.
  • The effect of natural resource abundance on economic growth.
  • The impact of fiscal decentralization on economic growth.
  • The relationship between institutions and economic growth.
  • The effect of financial innovation on market efficiency.
  • The impact of international migration on the labor market.
  • The role of corporate governance in firm performance.
  • The effect of monetary policy on the housing market.
  • The impact of environmental policy on the energy sector.
  • The effect of competition policy on market outcomes.
  • The impact of technology adoption on productivity.
  • The effect of regulation on consumer welfare.
  • The impact of trade policy on export performance.
  • The relationship between social capital and economic growth.
  • The effect of labor market institutions on the gender wage gap.
  • The impact of financial liberalization on economic growth.
  • The role of human capital in technological innovation.
  • The effect of trade openness on innovation.
  • The impact of natural disasters on economic growth.
  • The relationship between inequality and economic growth.
  • The effect of exchange rate volatility on international trade.
  • The impact of banking regulation on financial stability.
  • The role of venture capital in financing innovation.
  • The effect of regional trade agreements on economic growth.
  • The impact of financial development on economic growth in emerging markets.
  • The relationship between government spending and economic growth.
  • The effect of monetary policy on credit markets.
  • The impact of innovation on firm performance.
  • The role of social networks in job search and labor market outcomes.
  • The effect of international capital flows on income inequality.
  • The impact of natural resource dependence on political instability.
  • The relationship between financial development and income mobility.
  • The effect of tax competition on fiscal policy.
  • The impact of labor market institutions on unemployment.
  • The role of infrastructure investment in economic development.
  • The effect of monetary policy on financial market volatility.
  • The impact of fiscal policy on income redistribution.
  • The role of digital currencies in the future of finance.
  • The effects of the gig economy on labor markets.
  • The impact of artificial intelligence on economic growth.
  • The relationship between climate change and economic growth.
  • The role of blockchain technology in supply chain management.
  • The effects of automation on the labor market.
  • The impact of E-commerce on traditional retail industries.
  • The relationship between social media and consumer behavior.
  • The role of data analytics in business decision-making.
  • The effects of globalization on income inequality.
  • The impact of digital platforms on the sharing economy.
  • The relationship between education and economic growth in the digital age.
  • The role of fintech in financial inclusion.
  • The effects of trade policies on global supply chains.
  • The impact of corporate social responsibility on business performance.
  • The relationship between immigration and economic growth.
  • The role of venture capital in stimulating innovation and economic growth.
  • The effects of the circular economy on sustainable development.
  • The impact of cybersecurity threats on the global economy.
  • The relationship between gender inequality and economic growth.
  • The role of green finance in promoting sustainable development.
  • The effects of automation on income inequality.
  • The impact of the sharing economy on traditional business models.
  • The relationship between human capital and economic growth.
  • The role of technology transfer in international trade.
  • The effects of regulatory frameworks on innovation.
  • The impact of government policies on the growth of start-up companies.
  • The role of venture philanthropy in social entrepreneurship.
  • The effects of digital disruption on the financial services industry.
  • The impact of the circular economy on job creation.
  • The relationship between health outcomes and economic growth.
  • The role of impact investing in social and environmental sustainability.
  • The effects of trade agreements on the global economy.
  • The impact of entrepreneurship on economic growth.
  • The relationship between innovation and income inequality.
  • The role of corporate governance in sustainable business practices.
  • The effects of immigration policies on labor market outcomes.
  • The impact of international capital flows on economic development.
  • The relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance.
  • The role of innovation clusters in regional economic development.
  • The effects of digitalization on productivity.
  • The impact of the sharing economy on urban development.
  • The relationship between social entrepreneurship and economic growth.
  • The role of government policies in promoting sustainable development.
  • The effects of demographic changes on the economy.
  • The impact of digitalization on economic development in developing countries.
  • The relationship between consumer behavior and sustainability.
  • The role of private equity in stimulating economic growth.
  • The impact of government spending on economic growth
  • The effects of minimum wage laws on employment and poverty rates
  • The role of government subsidies in promoting renewable energy adoption
  • The impact of trade liberalization on economic growth and income inequality
  • The effectiveness of monetary policy in managing inflation and unemployment
  • The determinants of foreign direct investment flows in emerging markets
  • The role of financial markets in economic development
  • The impact of globalization on the labor market
  • The effects of tax policies on economic growth and income distribution
  • The role of human capital in economic growth and development
  • The economics of climate change and the environment
  • The effects of population aging on economic growth and social welfare
  • The impact of social safety net programs on poverty reduction
  • The effects of corruption on economic development and political stability
  • The impact of technological innovation on labor market outcomes
  • The economics of healthcare policy and healthcare markets
  • The determinants of entrepreneurship and small business success
  • The effects of income inequality on economic growth and social welfare
  • The economics of urbanization and regional development
  • The role of foreign aid in promoting economic development
  • The impact of fiscal policy on economic growth and government debt
  • The effects of financial regulation on economic stability and growth
  • The economics of education policy and school choice
  • The determinants of consumer behavior and market outcomes
  • The role of multinational corporations in the global economy
  • The effects of immigration on labor markets and economic growth
  • The impact of monetary policy on financial markets and stability
  • The economics of natural resource management and conservation
  • The determinants of industrial competitiveness and productivity
  • The effects of trade policies on economic growth and regional integration
  • The role of institutional quality in economic development
  • The impact of technological change on income inequality
  • The economics of innovation and intellectual property rights
  • The effects of financial globalization on emerging markets
  • The role of infrastructure investment in promoting economic development
  • The impact of exchange rate policies on international trade and investment
  • The determinants of consumer credit and debt behavior
  • The effects of social media and online platforms on market competition
  • The role of international organizations in global economic governance
  • The impact of natural disasters on economic development and poverty
  • The economics of gender inequality and discrimination
  • The effects of government regulation on business behavior and market outcomes
  • The role of behavioral economics in understanding market behavior
  • The impact of public investment on economic growth and social welfare
  • The determinants of household saving and investment behavior
  • The economics of renewable energy and clean technology adoption
  • The effects of economic sanctions on international trade and investment
  • The role of information and communication technologies in economic development
  • The impact of globalization on income distribution and poverty
  • The economics of international migration and remittances.
  • The effects of income inequality on economic development
  • An analysis of the efficiency of market structures in different industries
  • The role of technology in economic growth and development
  • The impact of international trade on economic development
  • An investigation into the determinants of inflation
  • The effects of labor market regulations on employment and productivity
  • An analysis of the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability
  • The role of institutions in economic development
  • The impact of foreign aid on economic development
  • The effects of taxation on economic growth
  • An investigation into the factors that contribute to economic fluctuations
  • The effects of globalization on income distribution
  • The impact of education on economic growth and development
  • The role of infrastructure in economic development
  • The effects of trade liberalization on economic growth
  • An analysis of the impact of exchange rates on trade and investment
  • The relationship between innovation and economic growth
  • The impact of government policies on the agricultural sector
  • The effects of corruption on economic development
  • An investigation into the effects of demographic changes on economic growth
  • The impact of financial crisis on economic growth
  • The effects of foreign direct investment on economic growth
  • An analysis of the effects of natural resources on economic development
  • The impact of healthcare on economic growth
  • The effects of international migration on the economy
  • The relationship between poverty and economic development
  • The role of infrastructure in promoting economic growth
  • An investigation into the effects of regional economic integration
  • The impact of foreign trade on economic development
  • The effects of government regulation on economic growth
  • An analysis of the role of technology in improving economic efficiency
  • The impact of population growth on economic development
  • The effects of government spending on income inequality
  • The role of the financial system in economic growth
  • The impact of energy policies on economic development
  • An investigation into the effects of intellectual property rights on economic growth
  • The effects of trade on labor markets
  • The role of social capital in economic development
  • The effects of regional inequality on economic development
  • An analysis of the impact of financial market development on economic growth
  • The impact of international trade on technological progress
  • The effects of financial regulation on economic growth
  • The role of institutions in promoting entrepreneurship
  • The impact of healthcare policies on economic growth
  • An investigation into the effects of income redistribution on economic growth.

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best research topics for economics

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‘Not a Bunch of Weirdos’: Why Mainstream Investors Buy Crypto

Bitcoin might seem like the preferred tender of conspiracy theorists and criminals, but everyday investors are increasingly embracing crypto. A study of 59 million consumers by Marco Di Maggio and colleagues paints a shockingly ordinary picture of today's cryptocurrency buyer. What do they stand to gain?

best research topics for economics

  • 15 Aug 2023

Why Giving to Others Makes Us Happy

Giving to others is also good for the giver. A research paper by Ashley Whillans and colleagues identifies three circumstances in which spending money on other people can boost happiness.

best research topics for economics

  • 13 Mar 2023

What Would It Take to Unlock Microfinance's Full Potential?

Microfinance has been seen as a vehicle for economic mobility in developing countries, but the results have been mixed. Research by Natalia Rigol and Ben Roth probes how different lending approaches might serve entrepreneurs better.

best research topics for economics

  • 23 Jan 2023

After High-Profile Failures, Can Investors Still Trust Credit Ratings?

Rating agencies, such as Standard & Poor’s and Moody's, have been criticized for not warning investors of risks that led to major financial catastrophes. But an analysis of thousands of ratings by Anywhere Sikochi and colleagues suggests that agencies have learned from past mistakes.

best research topics for economics

  • 29 Nov 2022

How Much More Would Holiday Shoppers Pay to Wear Something Rare?

Economic worries will make pricing strategy even more critical this holiday season. Research by Chiara Farronato reveals the value that hip consumers see in hard-to-find products. Are companies simply making too many goods?

best research topics for economics

  • 21 Nov 2022

Buy Now, Pay Later: How Retail's Hot Feature Hurts Low-Income Shoppers

More consumers may opt to "buy now, pay later" this holiday season, but what happens if they can't make that last payment? Research by Marco Di Maggio and Emily Williams highlights the risks of these financing services, especially for lower-income shoppers.

best research topics for economics

  • 01 Sep 2022
  • What Do You Think?

Is It Time to Consider Lifting Tariffs on Chinese Imports?

Many of the tariffs levied by the Trump administration on Chinese goods remain in place. James Heskett weighs whether the US should prioritize renegotiating trade agreements with China, and what it would take to move on from the trade war. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

best research topics for economics

  • 05 Jul 2022

Have We Seen the Peak of Just-in-Time Inventory Management?

Toyota and other companies have harnessed just-in-time inventory management to cut logistics costs and boost service. That is, until COVID-19 roiled global supply chains. Will we ever get back to the days of tighter inventory control? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

best research topics for economics

  • 09 Mar 2022

War in Ukraine: Soaring Gas Prices and the Return of Stagflation?

With nothing left to lose, Russia's invasion of Ukraine will likely intensify, roiling energy markets further and raising questions about the future of globalization, says Rawi Abdelal. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

best research topics for economics

  • 10 Feb 2022

Why Are Prices So High Right Now—and Will They Ever Return to Normal?

And when will sold-out products return to store shelves? The answers aren't so straightforward. Research by Alberto Cavallo probes the complex interplay of product shortages, prices, and inflation. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

best research topics for economics

  • 11 Jan 2022
  • Cold Call Podcast

Can Entrepreneurs and Governments Team Up to Solve Big Problems?

In 2017, Shield AI’s quadcopter, with no pilot and no flight plan, could clear a building and outpace human warfighters by almost five minutes. It was evidence that autonomous robots could help protect civilian and service member lives. But was it also evidence that Shield AI—a startup barely two years past founding—could ask their newest potential customer, the US government, for a large contract for a system of coordinated, exploring robots? Or would it scare them away? Harvard Business School professor Mitch Weiss and Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s CGO and co-founder, discuss these and other challenges entrepreneurs face when working with the public sector, and how investing in new ideas can enable entrepreneurs and governments to join forces and solve big problems in the case, “Shield AI.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

best research topics for economics

  • 06 May 2021

How Four Women Made Miami More Equitable for Startups

A case study by Rosabeth Moss Kanter examines what it takes to break gender barriers and build thriving businesses in an emerging startup hub. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

best research topics for economics

  • 20 Apr 2021
  • Working Paper Summaries

The Emergence of Mafia-like Business Systems in China

This study sheds light on the political pathology of fraudulent, illegal, and corrupt business practices. Features of the Chinese system—including regulatory gaps, a lack of formal means of property protection, and pervasive uncertainty—seem to facilitate the rise of mafia systems.

  • 02 Feb 2021

Nonprofits in Good Times and Bad Times

Tax returns from millions of US nonprofits reveal that charities do not expand during bad times, when need is the greatest. Although they are able to smooth the swings of their activities more than for-profit organizations, nonprofits exhibit substantial sensitivity to economic cycles.

best research topics for economics

  • 01 Feb 2021

Has the New Economy Finally Arrived?

Economists have long tied low unemployment to inflation. James Heskett considers whether the US economic policy of the past four years has shaken those assumptions. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

  • 06 Jan 2021

Aggregate Advertising Expenditure in the US Economy: What's Up? Is It Real?

We analyze total United States advertising spending from 1960 to 2018. In nominal terms, the elasticity of annual advertising outlays with respect to gross domestic product appears to have increased substantially beginning in the late 1990s, roughly coinciding with the dramatic growth of internet-based advertising.

134 Economics Thesis Topics: Ideas for Outstanding Writing

best research topics for economics

Writing a thesis is not an easy task. For most of the students, it can be even intimidating, especially when you do not know where to start your research.

Here, we have provided an economics thesis topics list. After all, everyone knows that choosing the right idea is crucial when writing an academic paper. In economics, it can combine history, math, social studies, politics, and numerous other subjects. You should also have solid foundations and a sound factual basis for a thesis. Without these elements, you won’t be able to master your research paper.

The issue is:

It is not always clear what could be seen as an excellent economics thesis topic. Our experts can assist you with this challenge. This list contains some outstanding examples to get you started.

  • ⭐ Thesis in Economics
  • 🔥 Supreme Thesis Topics
  • 👍 Bachelor’s Thesis
  • 😲 Master’s Thesis

📊 Microeconomics

📈 macroeconomics.

  • 🤔 Developmental
  • 👨‍💼 Behavioral
  • 💼 Financial
  • 🌱 Agricultural
  • 🤝‍ Sociology
  • 📚 Ph.D. Topics
  • 📝 How to Pick a Topic

⭐ What Does a Thesis in Economics Look Like?

A good thesis in economics is a blend between an empirical paper and a theoretical one. One of the essential steps in choosing a topic in economics is to decide which one you will write.

You may write, research, analyze statistical data and other information. Or build and study a specific economic model.

Or why not both!

Here are some questions you can ask when deciding what topic to choose:

  • What has already been written on this topic?
  • What economic variables will my paper study?
  • Where should I look for the data?
  • What econometrics techniques should I use?
  • What type of model will I study?

The best way to understand what type of research you have to do is to write a thesis proposal. You will most probably be required to submit it anyway. Your thesis supervisor will examine your ideas, methods, list of secondary and primary sources. At some universities, the proposal will be graded.

Master’s thesis and Bachelor’s thesis have three main differences.

After you get the initial feedback, you will have a clear idea of what to adjust before writing your thesis. Only then, you’ll be able to start.

🔥 Supreme Economics Thesis Topics List

  • Fast fashion in India.
  • The UK housing prices.
  • Brexit and European trade.
  • Behavioral economics.
  • Healthcare macroeconomics.
  • COVID-19’s economic impact.
  • Global gender wage gap.
  • Commodity dependence in Africa.
  • International trade – developing countries.
  • Climate change and business development.

👍 Economics Bachelor’s Thesis Topics

At the U.S. Universities, an undergraduate thesis is very uncommon. However, it depends on the Department Policy.

The biggest challenge with the Bachelor’s Thesis in economics concerns its originality. Even though you are not required to conduct entirely unique research, you have to lack redundant ideas.

You can easily avoid making this mistake by simply choosing one of these topics. Also, consider visiting IvyPanda essays database. It’s a perfect palce to conduct a brainstorming session and come up with fresh ideas for a paper, as well as get tons of inspiration.

  • The impact of the oil industry on the economic development of Nigeria. The oil industry is vital for the economic development of Nigeria. In this thesis, students can discuss the notion of the resource curse. Analyze the reasons why general people are not benefiting from the oil industry. Why did it produce very little change in the social and economic growth of the country?
  • Sports Marketing and Advertising: the impact it has on the consumers.
  • Economic opportunities and challenges of investing in Kenya .
  • Economic Development in the Tourism Industry in Africa. Since the early 1990s, tourism significantly contributed to the economic growth of African countries. In this thesis, students can talk about the characteristics of the tourist sector in Africa. Or elaborate on specific countries and how their national development plans look like.
  • Globalization and its significance to business worldwide .
  • Economic risks connected to investing in Turkey .
  • The decline in employment rates as the biggest American economy challenge .
  • The economics of alcohol abuse problems. In this thesis, students can develop several essential issues. First, they can examine how poverty is connected to alcohol abuse. Second, they can see the link between alcohol consumption and productivity. To sum up, students can elaborate on the economic costs of alcohol abuse.
  • Causes and solutions for unemployment in Great Britain.
  • Parallel perspective on Global Economic Order: China and America. This thesis can bring a comparative analysis of the economies to a new level. China and The US are the world’s two largest economies. These two countries have a significant impact on the global economic order. So, looking at the set of institutions, policies, rules can be constructive.
  • The new international economic order after COVID-19
  • Financial stability of the banking sector in China.
  • New Electronic Payment Services in Russia.
  • The influence of culture on different entrepreneurial behaviors.
  • The impact of natural cultural practices on entrepreneurial activity.
  • The relationships between national culture and individual behavior.
  • The main reasons for salary inequalities in different parts of the U.S.

😲 Economics Master’s Thesis Topics

Student life can be fascinating, but it comes with its challenges. One of which is selecting your Master’s thesis topic.

Here is a list of topics for a Master’s thesis in economics. Are you pursuing MPhil in Economics and writing a thesis? Use the following ideas as an inspiration for that. They can also be helpful if you are working on a Master’s thesis in financial economics.

  • The impact of visual aid in teaching home economics.
  • The effect of income changes in consumer behaviors in America.
  • Forces behind socio-economic inequalities in the United States. This thesis can explore three critical factors for socio-economic differences in the United States. In the past 30 years, social disparities increased in the United States. Some of the main reasons are technology, trade, and institutions.
  • The relationships between economic growth and international development.
  • Technological innovations and their influence on green and environmental products.
  • The economics of non-solar renewable energy .

Renewable energy is beneficial for various economic reasons.

  • The economic consequences of terrorism . Terrorism not only takes away lives and destroys property but also widely affects the economy. It creates uncertainty in the market, increases insurance claims, slows down investment projects, and tourism. This thesis can address all of the ways in which terrorism can affect economies.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) implementation in the Oil and Gas Industry in Africa.
  • Use of incentives in behavioral economics.
  • Economic opportunities and challenges of sustainable communities .
  • Economics of nuclear power plants.
  • Aid and financial help for emerging markets. This topic is very versatile. Students can look at both the positive and the adverse effects that funding has on the development. There are plenty of excellent examples. Besides, some theories call international help a form of neocolonialism.
  • Multinational firms impact on economic growth in America .
  • The effect of natural disasters on economic development in Asia.
  • The influence of globalization on emerging markets and economic development.

📑 More Economics Thesis Topics: Theme

For some students, it makes more sense to center their search around a certain subject. Sometimes you have an econ area that interests you. You may have an idea about what you want to write, but you did not decide what it will be.

If that’s the case with you, then these economics thesis topics ideas are for you.

  • An analysis of the energy market in Russia.
  • The impact of game theory on economic development.
  • The connection between minimum wage and market equilibrium.
  • Gender differences in the labor market in the United States. This topic can shed light on gender differences in the labor market in the United States. In the past years, the overall inequality in labor in the markets decreased. However, there is still a lot of work that can be done.
  • Economic reasons that influence the prices of oil .
  • Relationship between the Lorenz curve and the Gini coefficient.
  • Challenges of small businesses in the market economy.
  • The changes in oil prices: causes and solutions . Universal economic principles do not always apply to the sale and purchase of the oil. The same happens with its cost. In the thesis, talk about what affects the prices. What are the solutions that can be implemented?
  • The economic analysis of the impact of immigration on the American economy.

Immigration has a little long-run effect on Americans’ wages.

  • Economic inequality as a result of globalization . Economic inequality becomes even more apparent on the global level. There is a common belief that globalization is the cause of that. Discuss what can be the solutions to these problems. This topic is vital to minimize the gap between the rich and the poor.
  • The economic explanation of political dishonesty .
  • Effect of Increasing Interest rates costs in Africa .
  • The connection between game theory and microeconomics.
  • Marketing uses in microeconomics.
  • Financial liability in human-made environmental disasters.
  • Banks and their role in the economy. Banks are crucial elements of any economy, and this topic covers why. You can explain how banks allow the goods and services to be exchanged. Talk about why banks are so essential for economic growth and stability.
  • Inflation in the US and ways to reduce its impact.
  • The connection between politics and economics.
  • Income Dynamics and demographic economics.
  • US Market Liquidity and macroeconomics.
  • Macroeconomics and self-correction of the economy .
  • The American economy, monetary policy, and monopolies .
  • The importance of control in macroeconomics. One of the central topics in macroeconomics is grouped around the issue of control. It is quite reasonable that control over money and resources should become a topic of discussion.
  • Analysis of Africa’s macroeconomics and its performance.
  • Economics of education in developing markets.
  • Problems and possible solutions for Japan macroeconomics .
  • Comparative analysis of British macroeconomics concerning the US .
  • Public policies and socio-economic disparities.
  • The world problems through macroeconomic analysis. Indeed, macroeconomics is very complicated. There are many influences, details, and intricacies in it. However, it allows economists to use this complex set of tools to examine the world’s leading problems today.

There are four main problems in macroeconomics.

  • The connection between employment interest and money.

🤔 Development Economics

  • Economics of development . This topic is very rich in content. First, explain what it is. Then pay particular attention to domestic and international policies that affect development, income distribution, and economic growth.
  • The relation between development and incentive for migration.
  • The impact of natural disasters on the economy and political stability of emerging markets.
  • The economic consequences of population growth in developing countries.
  • The role of industrialization in developing countries . The industrialization has been connected with the development. It promotes capital formation and catalyzes economic growth in emerging markets. In this thesis, you can talk about this correlation.
  • Latin American economic development.
  • Gender inequality and socio-economic development .
  • Problems of tax and taxation in connection with economic growth.
  • The economic impact of terrorism on developing markets.
  • Religious decline as a key to economic development. Not everyone knows, but a lot of research has been done in the past years on the topic. It argues that decreased religious activity is connected with increased economic growth. This topic is quite controversial. Students who decide to write about it should be extra careful and polite.

👨‍💼 Behavioral Economics

  • Risk Preferences in Rural South Africa.
  • Behavioral Economics and Finance .
  • Applied behavioral economics in marketing strategies. If you want to focus your attention on marketing, this topic is for you. Behavioral economics provides a peculiar lens to look at marketing strategies. It allows marketers to identify common behaviors and adapt their marketing strategies.
  • The impact of behavioral finance on investment decisions.
  • Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs in North Texas.
  • Guidelines for Behavioral Economics in Healthcare Sector.
  • Cognitive and behavioral theories in economics .
  • Cross-cultural consumer behavior and marketing communication. Consumers are not only affected by personal characteristics, but also by the culture they are living in. This topic focuses on the extent it should determine marketing strategy and communication.
  • Behavior implications of wealth and inequality.

The richest population holds a huge portion of the national income.

  • Optimism and pessimism for future behavior.

💼 Financial Economics

  • Financial Economics for Infrastructure and Fiscal Policy .
  • The use of the economic concept of human capital. Students can focus on the dichotomy between human and nonhuman capital. Many economists believe that human capital is the most crucial of all. Some approach this issue differently. Therefore, students should do their research and find where they stand on this issue.
  • The analysis of the global financial crisis of 2020s. Share your thoughts, predictions, ideas. Analyze the economic situation that affects almost everyone in the world. This thesis topic will be fresh and original. It can help to start a good and fruitful conversation.
  • The big data economic challenges for Volvo car.
  • The connection between finance, economics, and accounting.
  • Financial economics: Banks competition in the UK .
  • Risk-Taking by mutual funds as a response to incentives.
  • Managerial economics and financial accounting as a basis for business decisions.
  • Stock market overreaction.

🌱 Agricultural Economics

  • Agricultural economics and agribusiness.
  • The vulnerability of agricultural business in African countries.
  • Agricultural economics and environmental considerations of biofuels .
  • Farmer’s contribution to agricultural social capital.
  • Agricultural and resource economics. Agricultural and resource economics plays a huge role in development. They are subdivided into four main characteristics which in this topic, students can talk about: – mineral and energy resources; – soil resources, water resources; – biological resources. One or even all of them can be a focus of the thesis.
  • Water as an economic good in irrigated agriculture.
  • Agriculture in the economic development of Iran.
  • The US Agricultural Food Policy and Production .
  • Pesticides usage on agricultural products in California.

The region of greatest pesticide use was San Joaquin Valley.

  • An analysis of economic efficiency in agriculture. A lot of research has been done on the question of economic efficiency in agriculture. However, it does not mean there is no place for your study. You have to read a lot of secondary sources to see where your arguments can fit.

🤝‍Economic Sociology

  • Theory, approach, and method in economics sociology.
  • Economic sociology of capitalism. While economists believe in the positive effect capitalism has on the economy, the social effect is quite different. The “economic” part of the issue has been studied a lot. However, the sociology of it has been not. This thesis can be very intriguing to read.
  • Political Economy and Economic Sociology.
  • Gender and economic sociology .
  • Progress, sociology, and economics.
  • Data analysis in economics, sociology, environment .
  • Economic sociology as a way to understand the human mind.
  • Economic sociology of money.
  • Economics, sociology, and psychology of security.
  • Major principles of economic sociology. In the past decade, economic sociology became an increasingly popular field. Mainly due to it giving a new view on economics, human mind, and behavior. Besides, it explores relationships between politics, law, culture, and gender.

📚 The List of Ph.D. Topics in Economics

If you decide to go to grad school to do your Masters, you will likely end up getting a Ph.D. as well. So, with this plan in mind, think about a field that interests you enough during your Masters. Working with the same topic for both graduate degrees is easier and more effective.

This list of Ph.D. Topics in Economics can help you identify the areas you can work on.

  • Occupational injuries in Pakistan and its effect on the economy. Injuries are the leading cause of the global burden of disability. Globally, Pakistan was ranked 9th populated country with a large number of unskilled workers. In this dissertation, consider the link between occupational injuries and their effects on the economy.
  • The study of the Philippines’ economic development.

The Philippine economy is projected to continue on its expansionary path.

  • Financial derivatives and climate change .
  • Econometric Analysis of Financial Markets.
  • Islamic Banking and Financial Markets .
  • Health economics and policy in the UK.
  • Health insurance: rationale and economic justification. In this dissertation, students can find different ways to explain and justify health insurance. Starting to philosophical to purely economic grounds. In the past years, there was a lot of discussion regarding the healthcare system for all. What are some of the economic benefits of that?
  • Colombian economy, economic growth, and inequality.
  • Benefits of mergers and acquisitions in agribusiness.
  • Methods to measure financial risks when investing in Africa.
  • The significance of financial economics in understanding the relationship between a country’s GDP and NDP.
  • Network effects in cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies are not new anymore. However, it is still an original subject for a dissertation. Students can decide to choose several crypto coins and evaluate the importance of the network effect. This effect is particularly significant for Bitcoin. Explain why.
  • The comparison of the Chinese growth model with the American growth model.
  • An economic justification versus political expediency.
  • Pollution Externalities Role in Management Economics .

📝 How to Select an Economics Thesis Topic

As your academic journey is coming to an end, it’s time to pick the right topic for your thesis. The whole academic life you were preparing to undertake this challenge.

Here is the list of six points that will help you to select an economics thesis topic:

  • Make sure it is something you are genuinely interested in. It is incredibly challenging to write something engaging if you are not interested in the topic. So, choose wisely and chose what excites you.
  • Draw inspiration from the previous student’s projects. A great place to start is by looking at what the previous students wrote. You can find some fresh ideas and a general direction.
  • Ask your thesis advisor for his feedback. Most probably, your thesis advisor supervised many students before. They can be a great help too because they know how to assess papers. Before meeting with your professor, do some basic research, and understand what topic is about.
  • Be original, but not too much. You do not want to spend your time writing about a project that many people wrote about. Your readers will not be interested in reading it, but your professors as well. However, make sure you do not pick anything too obscure. It will leave you with no secondary sources.
  • Choose a narrow and specific topic. Not only will it allow you to be more original, but also to master a topic. When the issue is too broad, there is just too much information to cover in one thesis.
  • Go interdisciplinary. If you find yourself interested in history, philosophy, or any other related topic, it can help you write an exceptional thesis in economics. Most of your peers may work on pure economics. Then, the interdisciplinary approach can help you to stand out among them.

Some universities ask their students to focus on topics from one discipline.

Thank you for reading the article to the end! We hope this list of economics thesis topics ideas could help you to gather your thoughts and get inspired. Share it with those who may find it useful. Let us know what you think about it in the comment section below.

🔗 References

  • Economics Thesis Topics List: Seminars Only
  • How To Pick A Topic For Your Economics Research Project Or Master’s Thesis: INOMICS, The Site for Economists
  • What Do Theses and Dissertations Look Like: KU Writing Center, the University of Kansas
  • Writing Economics: Robert Neugeboren with Mireille Jacobson, University of Harvard
  • Economics Ph.D. Theses: Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School, IDEAS_RePEc
  • World Economic Situation and Prospects 2018: United Nations
  • Undergraduate Honors Theses: Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley
  • Economics Department Dissertations Collection: Economics Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Topics for Master Theses: Department of Economics, NHH, Norwegian School of Economics
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The dilemma I faced in getting Thesis proposal for my M Phil programme is taken away. Your article would be a useful guide to many more students.Thank you for your guidance.

Thanks for the feedback, John! Your opinion is very important for us!

I wants it for msc thesis

These are very helpful and concise research topics which I have spent days surfing the internet to get all this while. Thanks for making research life experience easier for me. Keep this good work up.

Thank you, Idris!

Glad to hear that! Thank you for your feedback, Idris!

Excellent research

For research

A very well written, clear and easy-to-read article. It was highly helpful. Thank you!

Thanks for your kind words! We look forward to seeing you again!

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Economics Research Topics

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Welcome to our latest blog post on economics research topics! Whether you are an academic seeking inspiration or a student looking for a starting point for your next assignment, you've come to the right place. 

With so many areas to explore in economics, it can be difficult to know where to begin. But don't worry, we've got your back. In this post, our online paper writers have shared some of the most interesting and hot economics research paper topics. So, grab a cup of coffee and let's dive in!

What Are Economics Research Topics?

Economics is a social science that studies how people, businesses, and governments make decisions about how to use resources. It deals with issues like production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. 

As a student, you might be given to write a research paper on research topics in economics. These types of social science topics can cover a wide range of subjects, including:

  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics
  • International economics
  • Behavioral economics, and more.

Whether you are interested in exploring current trends, global markets or history, or taxes, we collected a bunch of economics topics for a research paper to choose from. Stay with our service to spot the best idea for your upcoming project.

Characteristics of Good Economics Research Paper Topics

When it comes to selecting a research topic related to economics, it is important to decide on a subject that is not only interesting but also appropriate for your academic level. Consider these fundamental characteristics of good economics paper topics to make a wise choice:

  • Select a title that is both relevant and is intended to solve a current issue.
  • Choose a unique topic that has not been explored too much by other researchers.
  • Make sure you can easily access the data or sources needed to create your paper.
  • Consider if the topic has the potential to be of practical or social importance.
  • Pick an area that genuinely interests you and will keep you motivated throughout your project.

How to Choose an Economics Research Paper Topic?

Choosing between this selection of economics project ideas can be really difficult especially if you are first to this. However, with a little bit of guidance, you will see that there is nothing challenging about picking a proper topic for a research paper in economics. Take a look at these step-by-step instructions to make the right decision:

  • Brainstorm potential economics research topics that sound interesting to you in the first place. After all, you don’t want to work with boring aspects.
  • Narrow your list down and consider whether there are enough resources to back up your research.
  • Carry out preliminary investigation to see what you can write about. Use academic journals, newspapers, and other reputable sources to gather information.
  • Check if the topic complies with your instructor’s guidelines.
  • Based on your research and requirements alter a title to create a focused research question.

Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about and that aligns with your academic and professional goals.

Economics Research Topics List

Economics is a vast field that encompasses a wide range of topics and issues. If you're looking for inspiration for your next research paper, consider exploring one of these top research paper topics in economics:

  • What is the impact of trade policies on international trade patterns?
  • How does income inequality affect economic growth?
  • What role does entrepreneurship play in economic development?
  • How do government regulations affect market efficiency?
  • What are the economic implications of climate change and environmental policy?
  • How do automation and artificial intelligence affect the labor market?
  • What are the effects of healthcare policies on the economy and society?
  • How does education influence economic outcomes?
  • What are some economic aspects of taxation and fiscal policy?
  • How does globalization impact domestic economies and societies?

Interesting Research Topics in Economics

Are you searching for interesting topics in economics? Look no further than these cptivting economic paper topics ideas.

  • How do government policies impact income mobility?
  • What role do financial institutions play in economic growth?
  • Economics of housing and homelessness.
  • How do immigration policies shape the labor market?
  • Impact of gender inequality on economic growth.
  • Sustainable development and renewable energy.
  • What are some effects of globalization on income distribution?
  • How do minimum wage policies impact employment and poverty?
  • Economics of crime and punishment.
  • How does corruption relate to economic growth?
  • Effects of social welfare policies on income inequality.
  • Healthcare markets and insurance systems.
  • How does technology influence income distribution and employment?
  • Education financing and student loan debt.
  • How do economic sanctions affect international trade and diplomacy?

Good Topics for Economic Research Papers

Economics research topics are diverse and can be approached from various angles. Below are some great economic topics to write about:

  • What are some effects of social media on consumer behavior and advertising?
  • What is the relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability?
  • Sharing economy and its impact on traditional industries.
  • How does climate change affect the tourism industry economically?
  • Economics of healthcare systems and policies in developing countries.
  • How does population aging influence labor markets and retirement policies?
  • How does artificial intelligence impact business and employment?
  • What factors are involved in energy transition and the shift to renewable energy?
  • Income inequality and political polarization.
  • How do digital streaming services and the music industry intersect economically?
  • How does cultural diversity contribute to growth and innovation?
  • Effects of trade agreements on income distribution.
  • Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
  • How does globalization impact labor standards and working conditions?
  • Natural disasters and economic growth.

Best Economics Research Topics

Want to take your project to the next level? Don’t skip these hot economic research questions. They suit any academic level and can be supported by credible evidence.

  • Big data and its role in economic forecasting.
  • How does public debt impact economic growth?
  • The economics of international migration.
  • What is the impact of technological innovation on income inequality?
  • The role of infrastructure investment in fostering economic growth.
  • The economics of the gig economy and freelance work.
  • How does foreign aid affect economic development?
  • The economics of natural resource management and sustainability.
  • What is the impact of urbanization on economic growth and development?
  • The economics of the entertainment industry and streaming services.
  • How do exchange rate fluctuations influence trade and investment?
  • The economics of food production and distribution systems.
  • How do government regulations affect small businesses economically?
  • The study of behavioral finance and decision-making in economics.
  • What is the impact of monetary policy on financial markets and inflation?

Unique Economics Research Topics

Economics is a constantly evolving field that offers endless possibilities for research and analysis. That’s why choosing unique economic research ideas shouldn’t be a big deal. Below we added a list of authentic topics you most likely won’t be able to find anywhere else.

  • How does mobile banking contribute to financial inclusion in emerging economies?
  • How do natural disasters affect supply chains?
  • What are some effects of gender bias in venture capital funding decisions?
  • How does population density influence the demand for public transportation in urban areas?
  • Virtual currencies and their potential as an alternative to traditional currencies.
  • How do government subsidies influence the adoption of renewable energy?
  • How do industrial policies shape innovation and contribute to economic growth?
  • Alternative meat and its potential impact on the food industry.
  • What is the relationship between public transit availability and property values in urban areas?
  • How does corruption impact economic growth and development?
  • Renewable energy storage systems and their impact on grid stability.
  • What are some effects of automation on job displacement and income inequality?
  • Blockchain technology in the banking industry and financial transactions.
  • International trade in cultural goods and services.
  • How does income inequality relate to health outcomes from an economic standpoint?

Popular Economics Topics for Research Paper

Do you want to focus on current and pressing issues? Consider these trending topics for economic research papers.

  • The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy.
  • What are economic implications of healthcare reform?
  • How does globalization affect labor markets economically?
  • Climate change and the role of carbon pricing.
  • Effects of income inequality on social mobility.
  • How does automation impact employment and wages in the workforce?
  • The economics of education and the burden of student loan debt.
  • How do government regulations influence business and innovation economically?
  • Income taxation and progressive taxation.
  • Impact of immigration on labor markets.
  • Behavioral economics and the use of nudges in decision-making.
  • How do trade policies influence international relations and diplomacy?
  • Mergers and acquisitions in the business world.
  • How do minimum wage policies affect low-wage workers economically?
  • Urbanization and transportation planning.

Economics Research Paper Topics for Students

As a student, picking decent economic topics for research papers can be a challenging task. It's important to focus on relevant and interesting aspects. Below you will find some economic research paper topics specifically geared toward students of all levels.

Economics Research Topics for College Students

College students majoring in economics have a range of choices when it comes to research topics. Below are some inspiring economic paper topics you can use as inspiration for your project in college:

  • Effects of gig economy on labor markets.
  • Economic growth and environmental sustainability.
  • Impact of sharing economy on traditional industries.
  • Housing affordability and homelessness.
  • How does trade liberalization affect domestic industries and consumers?
  • How does public policy influence small business growth?
  • Food waste and its impact on sustainability.
  • Income inequality and access to education.
  • Impact of automation on the future of work.
  • Online advertising and consumer behavior.
  • How does fiscal policy influence income distribution and poverty reduction?
  • How does tax reform impact business investment?
  • Economics of international tourism and its impact on local economies.
  • Effects of financial regulation on consumer behavior and investor confidence.
  • Demographic shifts and labor force participation.

Economics Research Topics for Undergraduates

Are you an undergraduate student looking for topics related to economics? Here are some amazing ideas you can pick from:

  • Financial implications of space exploration and commercial space travel.
  • Role of urban farming in city development for sustainability.
  • Impact of genetic engineering and biotechnology on the agricultural sector.
  • Financial consequences of digital privacy.
  • Implications of mass surveillance on consumer spending patterns.
  • How do remittances influence growth in developing countries?
  • Fiscal consequences of cybercrime and cybersecurity breaches.
  • Role of microfinance in alleviating poverty.
  • Potential financial implications of quantum computing.
  • Water scarcity and its worldwide financial implications.
  • Monetary consequences of epidemics, pandemics, and public health crises.
  • Transformation of markets by virtual and augmented reality.
  • Effect of corporate governance on shareholder value.
  • Financial aspects of aging societies and pension reform.
  • Role of intellectual property rights in promoting innovation and growth.

Economics Research Topics for Grad Students

Graduate students in economics are expected to delve deeper into economic theories, models, and concepts. They are also required to contribute new insights to the field. We suggest that you choose these economics topics for research to earn a high grade:

  • How does drug legalization influence national economies?
  • Impact of universal basic income on poverty levels and unemployment rates.
  • Financial implications of political instability and conflict.
  • Impact of cultural heritage sites on local and national finances.
  • Financial repercussions of biodiversity loss and species extinction.
  • Role of venture capital in fostering startups and growth.
  • Disaster risk management and its relevance to financial resilience.
  • Potential fiscal impacts of deep-sea mining.
  • Financial consequences of single-use plastics and transition to a circular economy.
  • Business aspects of the digital gaming industry and eSports.
  • Impact of the maker movement and DIY culture on traditional manufacturing.
  • How can nanotechnology shape future market economies?
  • Impact of drone technology on supply chain operations.
  • Financial aspects of mental health in the workplace.
  • Role of public-private partnerships in fostering growth and infrastructure development.

Research Topics in Economics by Subject

Economics paper topics ideas will also depend on your area of expertise. This block will offer topics by subject, so that you can choose a theme that fits your special needs. Whether you are interested in exploring the economics of renewable energy or the effects of globalization on income distribution,you will surely spot an idea or two right below.

World Economics Research Paper Topics

The global economy is a complex and interconnected system, and there are many world economics research paper topics that can shed light on global aspects. Between them are these ideas:

  • Evolving landscape of international trade in the post-COVID era.
  • Role of Special Economic Zones in boosting global competitiveness.
  • Impact of machine learning and artificial intelligence on global financial markets.
  • How do social impact bonds contribute to global development goals?
  • Cybersecurity risks in global financial institutions: Are we prepared?
  • Influence of social entrepreneurship on worldwide poverty reduction.
  • Green bonds and their role in global sustainable finance.
  • Economic prospects of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
  • Role of global remittance flows in socioeconomic development.
  • Impact of climate change on global supply chains: What can we do?
  • Global consequences of a cashless society: Are we ready?
  • How does geopolitics affect global energy markets?
  • Repercussions of cryptocurrency adoption on global financial stability.
  • Economies of scale in global manufacturing: A new era?
  • Role of international development assistance in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

>> More ideas: Politics Research Topics

Microeconomics Research Paper Topics

Microeconomics studies the behavior of individuals and firms in making decisions regarding the allocation of resources. If you need microeconomics topics for research paper, we collected great ideas below:

  • How do consumer ethics shape purchasing decisions?
  • What influences price elasticity of demand in luxury goods markets?
  • How does the gig economy affect individual financial stability?
  • What are the key economic factors determining college major choices?
  • How do credit scores influence personal finance management?
  • What impacts have peer-to-peer lending platforms had on traditional banking?
  • What drives consumer decisions between online and brick-and-mortar shopping?
  • How do economic considerations play into personal retirement planning?
  • What market dynamics and pricing strategies dominate the smartphone industry?
  • How does behavioral economics impact personal savings habits?
  • How significantly does brand loyalty influence consumer spending?
  • What strategies help businesses survive during economic downturns?
  • How does corporate social responsibility influence consumer choice?
  • What role does digital marketing play in shaping consumer behavior?
  • What are some economic impacts of identity theft on individuals and businesses?

Macroeconomics Research Paper Topics

Unlike microeconomics, macroeconomics explores the behavior and performance of entire economies. Below are some awesome macroeconomics research paper topics:

  • Exploring connections between inflation and unemployment.
  • Impact of quantitative easing on long-term economic growth.
  • How does fiscal deficit affect a country's economic stability?
  • The role of central banks in managing economic downturns.
  • Effects of government debt on interest rates and investment.
  • What factors contribute to business cycles and economic fluctuations?
  • Examination of macroeconomic factors influencing foreign direct investment.
  • How do monetary policies impact inflation and unemployment rates?
  • Role of technology advancements in macroeconomic productivity.
  • Impact of demographic changes on long-term economic growth.
  • Can green investment stimulate economic recovery?
  • What role do exchange rates play in a country's trade balance?
  • Comparative analysis of economic growth models.
  • Macroeconomic challenges of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
  • How does income inequality affect economic growth at a macro level?

Economics Research Paper Topics on International Trade

International trade is a vital part of the global economy and has a significant impact on development, and international relations. Here are unique topics for an economic research paper focusing on international trade:

  • Impact of Brexit on international trade relations.
  • How do currency fluctuations affect international trade?
  • Economic consequences of trade wars: A case study of U.S.-China relations.
  • Role of World Trade Organization in shaping international trade norms.
  • How does international trade contribute to economic growth?
  • Evaluation of free trade agreements and their economic implications.
  • Role of emerging markets in shaping the future of international trade.
  • How do trade barriers influence domestic industries?
  • Fair trade vs. free trade: An economic analysis.
  • Global supply chain disruptions: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Effects of international trade on income distribution within countries.
  • Economic impact of sanctions on international trade.
  • How do intellectual property rights issues affect international trade?
  • Role of e-commerce in transforming international trade.
  • What are the economic consequences of offshore outsourcing on international trade?

Financial Economics Research Topics

Financial economics is a subfield of economics that focuses on financial markets, institutions, and instruments. Here are outstanding financial economic topics for a paper:

  • Role of FinTech in shaping the future of banking.
  • Analysis of risk management strategies in investment banking.
  • How do hedge funds contribute to financial market stability?
  • Impact of regulatory changes on financial market competitiveness.
  • How does financial literacy influence individual investment decisions?
  • Examination of financial derivatives and their role in financial risk management.
  • Role of central banks in maintaining financial stability.
  • Analysis of market efficiency in cryptocurrency markets.
  • How do financial crises affect economies in the long term?
  • Financial inclusion and the role of mobile banking.
  • Impact of corporate governance on financial performance.
  • Examination of the link between financial markets and economic growth.
  • High-frequency trading: Impact on financial market stability.
  • Effect of algorithmic trading on financial market efficiency.
  • How do interest rate changes impact financial markets.

Development Economics Research Topics

Development economics studies the economic and social development of low-income countries. With this branch in mind, we prepared a list of development economic research paper topics ideas:

  •  Role of microfinance in economic empowerment in developing countries.
  • How do infrastructure projects affect economic development?
  • How do cultural factors shape economic progress in developing countries?
  • Impact of corruption on resource allocation in developing nations.
  • Impact of foreign aid on economic growth in recipient countries.
  • Evaluation of agricultural policies on rural development.
  • How do commodity price fluctuations affect developing economies?
  • Implications of population growth on resource management in emerging economies.
  • How does political stability influence economic growth in developing countries?
  • Impact of public health initiatives on economic development.
  • Analysis of sustainable development strategies in emerging economies.
  • How do migration patterns affect economic development?
  • How does technological adoption improve productivity in developing economies?
  • Role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable economic development.
  • How does tourism influence the economic development of low-income countries?

Behavioral Economics Research Paper Topics

Behavioral economics combines insights from psychology and economics to understand how people make financial decisions. Below you can find behavioral economics research topics:

  • Impact of cognitive biases on economic decision making.
  • Role of emotions in consumer purchasing behavior.
  • How does social influence shape spending habits?
  • What are the economic implications of procrastination?
  • Nudging for good: Can behavioral economics promote healthier lifestyles?
  • How does framing influence consumers' perception of price and value?
  • Role of incentives in shaping individual and collective behavior.
  • Examination of loss aversion in investment decisions.
  • Analysis of irrational behaviors in financial markets.
  • Behavioral economics in policy design: What works and why?
  • How does choice overload affect consumer decision making?
  • The effect of anchoring bias in pricing strategies.
  • Role of behavioral economics in promoting sustainable consumption.
  • How does scarcity mindset affect economic decisions?
  • Behavioral economics and personal finance: How to avoid common pitfalls?

>> Read more: Psychology Topics to Research

Environmental Economics Research Topics

Environmental economics investigates the interaction between economic systems and the natural environment. This subfield also offers multiple perspectives for exploration. Here are some examples of project topics on economics with emphasis on environment:

  • Examining the economic impacts of biodiversity loss.
  • Impact of environmental policies on manufacturing industries.
  • Role of renewable energy investments in economic growth.
  • Does a carbon tax impact economic competitiveness?
  • Economic analysis of water resource management.
  • How do natural disasters affect economic performance?
  • The economic value of ecosystem services.
  • Cost-effectiveness of different strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Role of environmental economics in climate change mitigation.
  • How does waste management contribute to sustainable economic growth?
  • The effects of air pollution on economic productivity.
  • What is the economic impact of deforestation?
  • Evaluation of economic tools for managing plastic waste.
  • Economics of transitioning to a circular economy.
  • How does sustainable agriculture contribute to economic development?

>> View more: Environmental Research Topics

Health Economics Research Topics

Health economics examines how health care practices affect the health outcomes of individuals and whole populations.  Take a glance at these health economics research paper topics:

  • Economic impact of pandemics on healthcare systems.
  • Role of telemedicine in healthcare cost reduction.
  • How do health insurance policies influence medical spending?
  • Economic analysis of mental health issues and treatment access.
  • The cost-effectiveness of preventative healthcare measures.
  • Evaluating the economic burden of chronic diseases.
  • Economic implications of antibiotic resistance.
  • How does socioeconomic status influence health outcomes?
  • Impact of aging populations on healthcare costs.
  • Evaluation of the economic benefits of vaccination programs.
  • The effect of medical technology advancements on healthcare costs.
  • Role of behavioral economics in health promotion and disease prevention.
  • How does health literacy influence healthcare utilization and costs?
  • Economic analysis of substance abuse treatment.
  • Evaluating the economic impacts of health policy reforms.

>> Read more: Public Health Topics for Research

Extra Research Topics for Economics

Sometimes, finding the right idea can be a challenging task. However, there are numerous resources available to help you find unique angles. Also, don't be afraid to ask your professors or research paper writer team for suggestions on the selection process. But if you don’t have enough time, we gathered some supplementary economics research topics.

Economics Essay Topics

An economics essay can cover a broad range of topics, from macroeconomic issues such as international trade and monetary policy to microeconomic aspects such as consumer behavior and market structure.

  • Can an increase in minimum wage curb poverty?
  • What are the potential economic effects of Brexit?
  • Impact of income inequality on societal cohesion.
  • How does the rise of remote work influence economic structures?
  • Examination of the economic benefits of public libraries.
  • Role of the informal economy in urban development.
  • Economic implications of increasing life expectancy.
  • How does piracy impact the music and film industry economically?
  • Impact of subsidies on agricultural economies.
  • Exploration of the economic factors influencing the housing market.
  • Analysis of the economic costs of obesity.
  • Role of child labor in global supply chains.
  • Examination of the economic implications of internet censorship.
  • Impact of single-use plastics on local and global economies.
  • Economic effects of urban green spaces.

Economics Topics for a Short Project

If you need to complete a short assignment, you may want to consider project topics in economics that can be analyzed within a limited timeframe. Don’t worry. We’ve added some simple ideas as well:

  • Examining the economic impacts of online privacy breaches.
  • Role of advertising in shaping consumer behavior.
  • Analysis of the economic effects of natural disasters.
  • Economic implications of self-driving cars.
  • Role of cooperatives in the economy.
  • Impact of e-waste on developing economies.
  • The role of micro-credit in alleviating poverty.
  • Examining the economic impacts of space exploration.
  • How do online reviews influence consumer purchasing decisions?
  • Economics of disaster recovery: Case studies.
  • Examination of the economic implications of cybercrime.
  • Impact of nutritional labeling on consumer behavior and market outcomes.
  • Economic analysis of the craft beer industry.
  • Examining the economic effects of animal agriculture.
  • How do tax incentives influence corporate behavior and economic outcomes?

Economics Research Questions

Formulating a research question is a crucial step in conducting an economics research project. A good research question should be specific, measurable, and relevant to the topic under study. Here are some economics research questions to consider:

  • How does widespread adoption of digital currencies impact traditional banking?
  • To what extent do economic factors contribute to obesity rates?
  • What are the consequences of large-scale solar power adoption?
  • How do parental leave policies shape labor markets?
  • What impacts do large-scale data breaches have on corporations?
  • Does green urban planning significantly contribute to city development?
  • How much does mental health contribute to workplace productivity?
  • What effects do fair trade agreements have on farmers in low-income countries?
  • How valuable are clean oceans for global trade?
  • How does political stability of a country influence foreign investments?
  • What are the consequences of patent wars in the tech industry?
  • How does the rise of freelancing shape labor laws?
  • What economic implications does the rise of eSports have?
  • How does nutrition education impact economic health?
  • What are some benefits and drawbacks of commercial space tourism?

Economics Research Topics for Exams

If you're preparing for an exam, it's important to have a good understanding of the concepts and theories that you'll be tested on. To help you prepare, we offer these economics research topics for exams to study:

  • Implications of autonomous vehicles on transportation.
  • Role of trade unions in contemporary job markets.
  • Analysis of gender disparities in retirement savings.
  • Influence of corporate social responsibility on brand reputation.
  • How do plant-based diets influence the global meat industry.
  • Evaluating efficiency of ride-sharing platforms.
  • Role of drones in shaping future commercial landscapes.
  • How public health initiatives influence workplace productivity.
  • Exploring the potential economic impact of asteroid mining.
  • How does fashion industry affect global economy and environmental sustainability?
  • Impact of video-on-demand services on traditional film industries.
  • Role of social entrepreneurship in poverty alleviation.
  • Role of energy-efficient appliances in electricity markets.
  • Influence of shifting demographics on global trends.
  • How does celebrity endorsement influence consumer buying behavior?

Economics Research Paper Topics for Experts

For those who are already experts in the field of economics, finding 100% original economics research topics can be an uphill struggle. But not with ideas attached below:

  • How does quantum computing pose an economic challenge to cybersecurity firms?
  • How do gene editing technologies affect agricultural markets?
  • In what ways does space commercialization affect global economies?
  • How does increased lifespan influence retirement and pension systems?
  • Financial viability of carbon capture and storage.
  • Influence of ethical consumerism on global supply chains.
  • How have nanotechnologies impacted manufacturing sectors?
  • Impact of rising sea levels on coastal economies.
  • Role of predictive analytics in preventing financial fraud.
  • Examining the economic consequences of major oil spills.
  • How does deep face technology pose an economic challenge to film industries?
  • Economic impacts of large-scale reforestation.
  • Implications of extensive antibiotic resistance.
  • Impacts of geopolitical tensions on global oil prices.
  • Universal basic income as a solution for automation-induced job loss.

Bottom Line on Economics Papers Topics

Hopefully, by now you have found a perfect economics research paper topic. Make sure you can find enough evidence to back up your points. But if you have any difficulties with the research or writing process, consider to buy coursework or any other project from academic experts.

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The Study Blog : Research topics

50+ Economics research Topics and Topic Ideas for dissertation

The ultimate goal of economic science is to improve the living conditions of people in everyday lives. Economists study how to utilize the available scarce resources to maximize value and thus profits. The concerns of economics today are largely focused on issues such as opportunity cost, consumption and production, borrowing, saving, investments, occupations and employment, trades markets, pricing and human behavior concerning making economic decisions.

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Given that economics covers a lot of issues in society today coupled with the multitude of research studies within the existing literature, many economics students find it difficult to find the most suitable economic research topic for their undergraduate project, master’s thesis, and dissertations. Technological advancement has also increased the pace of transformation and globalization creating new areas in economics that are worth research. Our economics experts have curated a list of research paper topics in economics that you can use to get the perfect research paper topic.

best research topics for economics

Micro-Economics Research Topics

Microeconomics deals with the economic behavior of individual isolated units of the economy like an individual, a household, a company, and industry. Micro-economists study factors that influence economic choices, markets and their key elements such as demand and supply and analyze markets and determine the prices for goods and services that best allocate the available limited resources. Some of the best research topics in microeconomics that you can use for your thesis or dissertation include:

1. The effect of income changes on consumer choices

2. The effect of labor force participation on the economy and budget – A comparison

3. The impact of marital status on the labor force composition: A case of [your country] economy

4. The difference in the consumption attitude in [your country] over the last decade – Critical analysis of consumer behavior trends

5. The relationship between salary levels and ‘economic convergence’ in [your country]?

6. Analyzing salary inequalities in [your country] and the forces behind such inequalities.

7. The evolution of consumption in [your country] over the last 10 years: Trends and consumer behavior.

8. Dynamics of the Gini index as a reflection of the problem of inequality in income 

9. Cashless economy: The impact of demonetization on small and medium businesses

10 Privatization of Public Enterprises and its implications on economic policy and development

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best research topics for economics

Macroeconomics Research Topics

1. The relationship between economic growth and unemployment in [your country]

2. Global recession and factors that contribute to it.

3. Impact of government expenditure on economic growth in [country]

4. The impact of company income tax revenue on the developing economies- A comparative analysis of Kenya, India, and Nigeria

5. The relationship between common stock prices and inflation in [your country]

6. The relationship between inflation and government spending in [your country] economy.

7. The effect of currency devaluation on small and medium firms- A case study of selected multinationals in [your country]

8. The relationship between internet connectivity and productivity in the workplace 

9. The evolution of the stock market in [your country]: Causes and consequences

10 Unemployment and regional mobility of labor in [your country]

11 A comparison of the United States unemployment to the rest of the world

Research Topics on International Trade

1. The relationship between economic growth and international trade

2. To what extent does a currency union affect trade: A case of the United States

3. What are the gains and losses of international trade for developing countries?

4. Foreign direct investment in the United States: Determinants and impact

5. The effects of the banana crisis on the Jamaican and British economies

6. The impact of Brexit on small and middle businesses in the UK

7. The relationship between foreign direct investment and wages- A comparative analysis of USA and China

8. The roles of exchange rate and exchange rate regime in the US export

9. The importance of international trade in developing countries

10 To what extent are the gains of less developed countries from tradeliberalization exaggerated?

Environmental economics research paper topics

Economic activities such as production have a significant impact on the environment such as pollution and depletion of natural resources. Environmental economics studies these impacts and other environmental issues. Below are some of the best research paper topics in environmental economics.

1. An economic examination of waste disposal programs in the United States

2. Man-made environmental disasters: who bears the economic liability?

3. The economics of land- a comparative analysis of land sharing and land sparing in the United States

4. The impact of waste disposal programs to America’s Environmental Policy: An economic evaluation

5. Water management and conservation policies in the United States and the UK- a comparative analysis

6. The economic implications of climate policy changes because of different climate change assessment mechanisms

7. Investigating the cost of organizational environmental analysis in the United States

8. What are the determinants of climate policy formulation in the United States? An economic scrutiny

9. The economic perspectives of distribution of natural resources across boundaries

10 The impact of technological innovation for clean and green products on the environment

11 The impact of work-life balance on social eco-systems: perspectives from the United States

12 The relationship between financial subsidies and generation of eco-friendly products

Research Paper Topics on Behavioral Economics

Behavioral economics examines the psychology behind economic activities and economic decision making. It examines the limitation of the assumption that individuals are perfectly normal. Good behavioral economics topics cover subjects such as bounded rationality, irrational exuberance, and choice architecture. 

1. Inducing choice paralysis: how retailers bury customers in an avalanche of options

2. The behavioral economics of discounting- A case study of amazon

3. Pricing and the decoy effect; how corporations ‘nudge’ consumers to spend more

4. Big data and implications for behavioral economics

5. A study of how the United States market benefitted from behavioral economics theory

6. How has behavioral economics influenced the real-world context? A case of online purchase behavior

7. Weight management through behavioral economics: use of incentives

8. What motivates consumers? A behavioral economics perspective

9. Using behavioral economics to help in reducing substance abuse

10 Addressing lifestyle management for diabetes through behavioral analysis- insights from the US healthcare sector

You may also like: The little secret why your friends are earning better grades

Development Economics research paper topics

1. The impact of multinational commodity trading through the development economic perspective

2. The impact of globalization on income distribution in emerging economies

3. Investigating the relationship between migration and development economics

4. Budgeting and decision making by low-income earners in emerging economics

5. Investigating the relationship between family planning, labor force, and income fluctuations

6. The impact of natural disasters on development in emerging economies

7. The impact of population growth on development economics- review of India

8. The determinants of high performing institutions in emerging economies

9. Comparative economic patterns of villages across Virginia

10 Aid and economic growth of developing economies- a review

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — 100 Economic Research Topics

100 Economic Research Topics

economic research topics

Studying economics can be quite challenging and even confusing at first, yet once you brainstorm various helpful research topics , you instantly understand the range of ideas that can be explored. You may not be majoring in economics per se and studying Sociology or Education since economics is always involved in every discipline. It makes it extremely difficult to find good economic research topics for your Master's thesis, dissertation writing, or a simple essay that you plan to use for debates. Keeping all of these challenges in mind, we have collected 100 competitive economic research topic ideas to assist you in making your scientific work perfect! 

Defining Economics Research Areas 

Economics studies can be defined as a branch of science that deals with the production, analysis, distribution, and behavioral consumption of goods and services. You can study economics that relates to individuals, corporations, businesses, governmental aspects, and the countries as the resources are being shared. Science can take different shapes and talk about social factors, technology, banking, finances, and international relations. 

There are two main research areas which are micro- and macroeconomics. Microeconomics deal with small-scale issues, while macroeconomics is mostly dealing with global challenges. You can also deal with calculations, accounting, social development, and analytical writing. You can also deal with econometrics, which is a complex economic theory that implements statistical interference to explain and quantify the economic state. 

Choosing Interesting Economic Topics For Your Economics Paper 

Although we are not dealing with creative writing and disciplines like Philosophy and English Literature, it's still necessary to choose something interesting and inspiring. The subject should motivate you to research and make a statement. First of all, you have to determine whether your problem is closer to microeconomics or takes a larger range of economic factors, thus requiring macroeconomics. This way, you should follow these 7 tips on how to choose an interesting subject: 

  • Choose something that you know well based on what makes you feel inspired. 
  • Research the subject that you would like to explore and see what gaps are present. 
  • All economic research paper topics must be connected to the main thesis statement. 
  • If your paper is explanatory or descriptive, you can make a statement in your title. 
  • When you write an argumentative paper, you can ask a question in your title. 
  • Always narrow things down when you are dealing with the general concepts. 
  • Your topic should be clear enough, yet should not give out the results of your work. 

What a Research Paper in Economics Should Look Like? 

Your econommics paper structure should contain introduction with a thesis, three to five body paragraphs, a statistical paragraph, and the conclusion. Getting into details, your paper should represent: 

- Introduction must start with a statistical fact, an assumption or an interesting idea that acts as a hook sentence. The final sentence should be your thesis. 

- Body Paragraphs must include at least three arguments with quotes and examples. Once you provide an example, it's vital to offer analysis. 

- Analytical Bits . Since you are dealing with economics, make sure that you add statistical information or an explanation of your methodology before you come to the final part. 

- Conclusion part should either make a call to action or sum things up in simpler terms. You can also make recommendations and explain what your research paper was able to achieve. 

The Main Economics Topics for Research Paper Studies 

Since there are so many topics that can be explored in economics, our experts decided to narrow things down and outline ten important subjects that are most popular among college and university students: 

  • Investments and the management of risks.  
  • Digital economics and social media marketing. 
  • Economic development across the world. 
  • Econometrics and explanation of the cases. 
  • Competition and market management. 
  • Ethical aspects of consumerism in economics. 
  • Digital vs human challenges in accounting. 
  • Cryptocurrencies and data mining. 
  • Sustainability and interdependence of corporations. 
  • Microeconomics and financial risk avoidance. 

These are only the basics that are constantly encountered among college tasks. If you want to explore more, follow 100 research topics for economics as you plan to write your assignment! 

100 Economic Research Topics Divided By Subject 

- Bachelor's Topics in Economics.  

When you are writing an economics paper for your Bachelor's degree, the most important is to conduct due research and include examples. It creates a challenge because you have to provide high originality as you balance your sources and analytical information. Regardless if you are dealing with the business managerial side of economics or researching global investments with the elements of accounting, these research topics will provide you with helpful information. 

  • The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to housing prices in the United States. 
  • The history of the foreign exchange market. 
  • The Indian heritage and allocation of the economic resources in India. 
  • Irrational behavior in the field of digital marketing. 
  • Free market economy versus free enterprise systems. 
  • Economic influence when dealing with poverty. 
  • The role of education in the field of economics. 
  • Criminal groups and the development of economic methods in Brazil. 
  • The Ukrainian conflict and the European economy. 
  • Productivity and bias in the employment selection. 

- Master's Topics in Economics. 

When you are asked to write an assignment that matches the Master's level in economics, you should start with a deeper type of research or consider subjects that are not so common. At the same time, you can choose a topic that is widely discussed, yet narrow things down a little bit. You can choose both local and international events or focus on a case study as you provide analytical information. Here are some research paper topics in economics that you may start with as you brainstorm these topics: 

  • The role of personal data management when making an online payment. 
  • Random events in the United States and planning short-term economic success. 
  • Economic freedom through the lens of paternalism: Amazon case study. 
  • Demographic factor after WWII: a forced economic growth? 
  • Experimental preferences and the digital economy: shaping social preferences. 
  • Cryptocurrency as the addictive practice: mining versus the classic stock market. 
  • The effect of bulk consumption through the lens of the famine in Africa. 
  • Economic perspectives in the regions that have been affected by the armed conflicts. 
  • The pros and cons of Green Energy technology as the financial sector expands. 
  • How does the inclusive workflow affect economic development in the workplace? 

- Microeconomics. 

If you require something more small-sized and related to a specific branch of economics, you should think about considering this list of topics that deal with microeconomics. When you are dealing with single methods, factors, and the effects of the individuals, you will be able to find relevant sources and examples. Here are some outstanding ideas to start with:

  • The most efficient methods to help small businesses avoid debt. 
  • The post-Brexit effect on the companies that are dealing with bankruptcy. 
  • A comparison of the EU taxes and the American system of taxation in the economy. 
  • The role of microeconomics when dealing with local economic crimes. 
  • How can digital marketing help to maximize profits via seminars ? 
  • How can supply and demand be made transparent for the audit? 
  • The methods to track consumer equilibrium. 
  • Allocation of funding in the local bakery: an economic plan. 
  • Spending a government surplus: what are the legal aspects to know in the USA? 
  • Starting a small business overseas: what is the Matthew inequality effect? 

- Macroeconomics . 

In simple terms, when you are asked to compose an assignment based on macroeconomic research studies, you will have to deal with the large-scale analysis of the global or basic economic ideas that take place. It can be the national interest or the economic output of an entire country. The subjects related to this field may include the gross domestic product or the employment rates in a particular country. You may check these essay topics for economics : 

  • History of the monetary policy in the United States. 
  • Sustainability of the economic growth in South Africa.
  • The pros and cons of equitable distribution. 
  • The most efficient method to address unemployment in the economy. 
  • How to address the challenges of total consumption? 
  • Economic system of Iceland versus Norway. 
  • The role of a single household in the general economic system. 
  • The controversies related to inflation studies in financial department . 
  • Geopolitical events and the challenges of the national economic systems. 
  • The reasons why outsourcing ruins the national economy. 

- Financial Economics. 

It deals with the resources that are related to markets and financial calculations. It means that you are dealing with various economic theories as you address the risks, costs, opportunities, and temporal challenges. The most challenging is that you have to deal with a correct distribution of available resources . Since it is a very complex branch of economics, you should consider brainstorming various ideas: 

  • The dangers of AI-based calculation and strategic planning for large corporations. 
  • Investment risks related to individual stock systems. 
  • Creation of a financial portfolio in the digital realm: the changes in 2022. 
  • Public finances law versus private investment stocks. 
  • Present value through the lens of Pharmacology and epidemics. 
  • Risk management diversification when econometrics is used. 
  • Monetary issues and the current Swiss system: what are the pros and cons? 
  • Online banking and the accessibility factor: how far can safety go? 
  • Digital accounting and the job on-site training challenges. 
  • Approaching large markets through micro private foundations. 

- Economic Discussions. 

The majority of college and university students majoring in Economics have to go through various debates where they must provide arguments or argue regarding the best methods to approach a particular problem. This can easily get challenging, which is why you should either come up with a general idea or make a statement that will be hard enough to challenge as there will be several opinions. See these economic essay topics for your ECON degree to get a better idea: 

  • The controversy of the federal fiscal policy in the United States.  
  • The economic damage that is caused by data mining and cryptocurrencies. 
  • Green Economics is the only future approach to addressing poor countries. 
  • Immigration helps to achieve better equality in our economic equilibrium.
  • The reasons that cause an imbalance between demand and supply. 
  • How can a small business protect production costs through competition? 
  • The pros and cons of the consumer demand strategy in practice. 
  • Apple and Amazon corporations: are these monopolies? 
  • Digital media is helpful for economics: branding and influence. 
  • Marginal analysis of college budgeting when using several plans. 

- Development Economics . 

Development economics is one of how branches where you study the ways how emerging nations achieve certain financial stability via strategic management and cooperation. Economists study this field of science when dealing with poor countries, yet it's also encountered when one has to create both domestic and international policies. As you develop economic policies for your research, you should define whether you are dealing with the micro or macro environment. Here are some ideas to consider: 

  • The methods how outsourcing methods can help improve economic productivity. 
  • The bond between higher literacy rates in rural areas and economic growth .
  • Traditional economies versus command economies strategies. 
  • The use of natural resources in Iceland as a major factor in economic development. 
  • The most efficient ways to achieve better physical capital outcomes. 
  • Mixed markets distribution n Asia: why do some brands become more famous? 
  • The role of entrepreneurship for economic growth. 
  • The real estate investments and the strategy of bulk economy purchases. 
  • Short-term and long-term goals when dealing with economic development. 
  • The importance of industry diversification during times of globalization. 

- Social Economics. 

In simple terms, when you are dealing with social economics, you are researching the social aspect of economics where the main focus is a set of social methods, behavior strategies, and calculations. The practical examples are stability in employment, strong business networks among small to medium companies, social security, good schools, and the aspects like medical care and the daily sides of life. As you research the social aspect of economics, consider these economics topics for essays : 

  • Occupational factors for economic growth between the United States and the UK. 
  • Environmental care campaigns and the funds allocated for delivering the message. 
  • Green energy and the climate change challenges required to make the industrial transition efficient. 
  • Social inequality and the educational requirements. 
  • The benefits of an equitable distribution of global wealth and education. 
  • The minimum standards between Germany and Sweden (you can choose any other country). 
  • Establishing socialist economy in the model country: an economic outline. 
  • Analysis of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam through the socio-economic lens. 
  • The core principles of the moral side of economics. 
  • Corporative protection of private information and personal data when making investments. 

- Technology and Economics Ideas. 

Technology is a part of modern economics that always comes along and becomes an integral factor for the successful integration of digital strategies, online banking, and, most importantly, cryptocurrencies and data mining. If you are dealing with the Data Sciences discipline or require assistance with the SMM or digital economics in the modern era, you must take your time to explore the topic ideas below as you seek an innovation : 

  • An ethical side of data mining practices for private economic growth.  
  • Technological differences between microeconomics analysis and global statistics. 
  • Economic analysis of the vaccination campaigns (Covid-19 analysis case). 
  • The pros and cons of online banking for the elderly population. 
  • AI-based tools as a method of the safer management of funds. 
  • Simplification of accounting with the help of digital solutions. 
  • Advertising as a way to achieve rapid economic growth. 
  • The controversy of digital bankruptcy. 
  • Transnational corporations and the ethical standards of intellectual property sharing. 
  • Cryptocurrency markets and the closed-circle environments. 

Ph.D. Economic Topics to Write About

When you are planning to compose a dissertation and need excellent Ph.D. topics in economics, it is possible to approach the subjects that are widely discussed in the media or narrow your studies down to something specific. Generally, it's not recommended to use a single case study to research the Ph.D.-level topics. You may include a challenging problem and provide a synthesis with several solutions based on literature reviews. You can check these ideas and identify the scientific areas that you can work on as you become enrolled in a Master’s program. Use them as the starting points as you explore these ideas for a presentation or research writing: 

  • Development economics in Congo: why is the wealth not becoming an efficient solution? 
  • The challenges of the foreign direct investment strategy during the post-Brexit period in the UK. 
  • Trade policies in the Asian markets: analysis of the free markets and the public reports. 
  • Why is China remaining one of the most powerful economies while following a socialistic model? 
  • Analysis of the perfect competition in the online markets: the role of influencers. 
  • Social media as the new method of demand and supply: learning the restrictions. 
  • The role of education in economic growth: why education is not always helpful? 
  • Unemployment in the European Union: the pros and cons of forced immigration. 
  • Marine trade barriers and finding advantages as the exchange rates are involved. 
  • Linguistic factors and the words lost in translation when dealing with economic global reports. 

When You Require Assistance

When you are feeling lost and need assistance with a subject that relates to economics in this way or another, you should not seek elsewhere as we have good subject ideas for college and university students. Even when you need competitive ideas for your undergraduates debate class or would like to focus on the social side of economics, you can easily find an essay on the topic on our website . Brainstorm the topics, play with the wording, and never hesitate to ask for help if something is unclear. Remember that your main thesis statement should be connected to your title, so make your choice wisely and take your time!

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best research topics for economics

10 Popular Posts on Economic Topics in 2021

What did people most want to know about the economy in 2021?

Inflation and COVID-19’s effects on the economy were top of mind, judging by the popularity of posts on those topics in our On the Economy blog, which offers frequent commentary, analysis and data from our economists and other St. Louis Fed experts. But examinations of longer-run trends, such as employment growth over 20 years, also attracted attention.

For readers of our Open Vault blog, which explains everyday economics and the Fed, the nuts and bolts of topical subjects like central bank digital currency and Fed “tapering” struck a chord, as did a post about the economic concept of externalities, explained with canine and pandemic examples. 

Here’s a look at a few of the posts that were among the favorites published from January through Nov. 30.

Inflation Trends

How covid-19 may be affecting inflation.

The changing of U.S. consumer spending patterns during the pandemic may have affected the measurement of inflation, according to an On the Economy post published in February. The Bureau of Labor Statistics gathers information about prices in the U.S., weights the prices and aggregates them for the consumer price index, or CPI. Inflation is measured as the CPI’s rate of growth over a certain period.

But what happens if a certain category of goods or services becomes a bigger, or smaller, part of consumer spending? Based on spending habits in prior years, the official weights might not be the “true” weights in 2020, when social distancing led to more eating at home and less spending in restaurants.

What Are Risks for Future Inflation?

As U.S. inflation surged in 2021, an October On the Economy post identified some upside and downside risks for future inflation. A follow-up post examined whether higher inflation could “be attributed to a small group of goods and services or whether it is a more generalized event.” Looking at the overall price change over the period of the pandemic, “the role of outliers is greatly diminished, revealing that higher inflation is perhaps a broader phenomenon,” the post said.

Economic and Monetary Policy Explainers

Externalities: it’s what pandemics, pollution and puppies have in common.

Externalities are costs and benefits that impact or spill over to someone other than the producer or the consumer of a good or a service. As a June Open Vault post explained, that applies to everything from pandemics to puppies. In a pandemic, a lack of social distancing by one person creates an externality that is negative: a higher risk of infection for everyone. Puppies that only bark at strangers, meanwhile, could provide a positive externality for neighbors as a warning system.

A June Open Vault blog post highlighted the Economic Lowdown series video “Externalities.” What makes pollution a negative externality is explained in this clip.

Here’s What the Fed Means by Tapering

As anticipation built this fall for a Federal Open Market Committee decision to “taper,” so did curiosity about what tapering is. An Open Vault post answered that question: The Fed can turn to large-scale asset purchases when economic conditions warrant, and tapering means reducing the pace of those purchases. The post, published a week after the Nov. 3 announcement of the FOMC’s decision to start tapering, also explained how tapering works.

What Is the Federal Open Market Committee?

Readers curious about what tapering is could have learned earlier in the year about the committee that makes that and other monetary policy decisions. As a February Open Vault post explained, the FOMC is the main monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve and is comprised of leaders from around the Federal Reserve System.

People and Places

Older workers accounted for all net employment growth in past 20 years.

Before there was the “Great Resignation,” there was an employment increase: A February On the Economy post said that a rise in employment of people age 60 and older was responsible for U.S. employment growth of 11.8 million from December 2000 to December 2020. (See chart.) Among those workers, the increase in employment is attributed to the group’s population growth and increased employment-to-population ratio.

Cumulative Net Change in the Number of Employed People since December 2000

Line chart from December 2000 to December 2020 shows employment rising more for people age 60 and older than for those under 60.

House Prices Surpass Housing-Bubble Peak on One Key Measure of Value

The steady increase of a house price-to-rent ratio “would imply increasing overvaluation” of houses, a May On the Economy post said. That was the case in early 2021 (using data available through March), when an index measuring the ratio of house prices to rent in the U.S. had risen rapidly over the course of a year and reached its highest level since at least 1975.

Women in Economics Symposium Logo

Sign up now for the free symposium, which has the theme, “Leading the Way in Challenging Times.” The event will run 6 to 8 p.m. CT on Feb. 23-24. Participants will hear insights from leading economists.

Inspiring Young Women to Pursue Economics

A January Open Vault post previewed a February 2021 event that is “designed to inspire young women and underrepresented minorities who may be interested in econ—and to encourage those pursuing a degree to persist.” The next Women in Economics Symposium is set for Feb. 23-24, 2022.

Money and Finance

Wealth gaps between white, black and hispanic families in 2019.

Across education, family structure and generations, gaps persist between the wealth of white families and that of Black and Hispanic families, the authors of a January On the Economy post found.

For instance, they wrote: “More education was associated with more wealth for all the racial and ethnic groups considered. However, wide gaps remain at every education level, with Black and Hispanic families having less median family wealth than white families with the same education.”

And Black and Hispanic families are less likely than white families to have financial and other assets like homes and businesses, and when they do, those assets were more likely to have lower values.

Navigating the ABCs of CBDCs—Central Bank Digital Currencies

“You’ve likely heard of Bitcoin, Ethereum, or even Dogecoin, but you may not have heard of ‘Fedcoin,’ an informal name some have used for the idea of a digital currency tied to a central bank, namely the Federal Reserve,” a June Open Vault post said. The post highlighted short videos in which a St. Louis Fed economist answered questions on central bank digital currencies, including about possible effects on privacy and bank lending.

Heather Hennerich

Heather Hennerich is a senior editor with the St. Louis Fed External Engagement and Corporate Communications Division.

Related Topics

This blog explains everyday economics, consumer topics and the Fed. It also spotlights the people and programs that make the St. Louis Fed central to America’s economy. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the St. Louis Fed or Federal Reserve System.

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The Best Ways to Find Economics Research Topics

economics-research-topics

Economics may not always seem easy to all, especially when it is time to choose right economics research topics for a project or writing a master’s thesis. Many diverse aspects have to be taken into consideration while choosing the topic. And yes, sometimes it does get confusing. That is the reason why we are here to help you.

This blog is authored with a view to assist students get through the tough process of choosing the right topic for their economics research.

What is the concept of economics research topics?

Table of Contents

Economics can be defined as a social branch of knowledge. Its study mainly examines the use of scarce natural resources. These resources are used in the process of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services, which are produced in an economy during a particular period of time. This process is continuous.

Before assigning the research papers, students are taught of many elements that affect the economy. This qualifies them to learn real-life economies, day-to-day expenditures as well as expenses. Such basics include elements like medicine, politics, trade, unemployment, poverty, religion, and war with others. Based on these learning’s, they tend to choose economics research topics depending on their area of study.  

Tips on how to choose economics research topics

One of the biggest and challenging tasks is to come up with that first lengthy economics research paper. However, in order to name that task, an economics research topic is a must. Picking the best economics research topics is an issue most learners pursuing economics studies come across. Sometimes, learners face difficulties understanding different characteristics of economics research. This is what makes choosing the right and best fitting economics research topics difficult.

Thus, to help the students, this section of the blog contains tips on how to choose the right economics research topics.

Generate interest

Yes! This tip is very important. The topic you choose for the project should absolutely interest you and generate the hunger of curiosity inside you. If the research paper requires you to be working on it for months or even longer. Then it has to be something by which you are thoroughly attracted to. The best way to keep you engaged is to position a question for your paper to which you have always wanted to know the answer. Consider what intriguing economic issues you enjoy discussing or even for a fact, thinking about.

Take inspiration

If one is uncertain where to start from, or have no idea as to what sort of project would be matching up to your course, then it is a wonderful idea to have a look at previous students’ projects. You can grasp inspiration, as a student. Most universities/schools allow its students to access the previous year’s student’s research materials and papers. However, while doing the same, one must make sure to never copy someone else’s idea. You may only look up to them for taking references from their work.

Ask for advice

Once you have collected ideas on the topic for your project, you will perhaps want to ask people who have a certain amount of experience for advice. This tip should be considered before you start your work on the paper. The experienced person or the supervisor should advise you whether the topic chosen by you is the right one. Some basic preparation before the meeting should be done.

Make sure you understand the basic facts of the research area properly. Also, the sub questions and what methods you will be using should be clear for the supervisor to understand. This advice should cover for the rest of the research paper as well. He/she must be able to guide you and correct you wherever necessary.

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Specific topic

This amazingly useful tip while drafting your research paper advises us to think smaller. If the person is not much acquainted with the economic topic, then it is obvious for that person to not include all the subtleties and complexities it comprises. Be more specific while writing. This will help your project to not only be more manageable, but also that you will actually get to the root of researching for something.

Interdisciplinary topic

If you are in the field of economics but find yourself more absorbed in another academic subject, this may be a golden opportunity to study about that particular field in detail as a part of your research paper. For instance, you could pick a topic which traces itself in a subject like history, sociology, finance, politics, or even psychology. The advantage here is that you can try out acknowledging other information and approaches from another field of study.

It will help you to curate a different project in comparison to most of your fellow classmates as well. This is because they will tend to study a topic which is based purely in the field of economics. It may seem a little harder to acquire information about a different field all together, but we are certain that it will all be worth it at the end of your economics research paper.

Conclusion on how to choose economics research topics

From the above discussion, we are clear about the concept and how to choose economics research topics. With the help of the above mentioned tips, one can now easily pick the right and an equally appropriate topic for their economics research paper.  

Economics is the study of how humans utilize scarce resources in the production of goods. Students analyze how these goods and services are eventually distributed globally after production. Because of the vast field, they sometimes find it difficult to find suitable economics research topics. and also get the best economics assignments from our economics assignment helper .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What is the concept of economics.

Economics is a social branch of knowledge. It determines how rare natural resources are allotted for the purpose of production, distribution and consumption of goods that are produced in a country within a stipulated period of time.

Why is it difficult for students to choose suitable economics research topics for their papers?

Owing to the vast as well as complex sea of knowledge in the field of economics, it sometimes becomes difficult for students pursuing economics studies to choose the right economic research topic for their papers.

What are the tips mentioned in order to choose the right economic research topics?

Tips mentioned in the blog above are all very useful. Generating interest and curiosity among the writer, taking inspiration from students, taking advice from supervisors are some of the tips mentioned above.

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128 Interesting Economics Topics to Write About

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Let’s face it; there comes a time in a student’s life when he or she needs to write a lengthy essay about a topic in the economy. This is probably why you are searching desperately for economics research topics. While you may be able to find several economics research paper topics online, most of them are simple and don’t come up with anything new. Your professor won’t be impressed by this kind of research paper topic in economics. He wants something unique – something original!

The Importance of Good Economics Research Topics

You may be wondering why economics research topics for students are so important. The truth is that doing economics research on a trivial topic won’t get you a top grade. To get an A+ or even an A, you need to write a unique economics research paper on a topic that nobody in your class thought of. The topics for an economics research paper you choose must show your professor that you did your homework and that you really struggle to write an exceptional academic paper.

The 128 Economics Research Paper Topics We Promised

We asked our writers to come up with a list of new economics research topics list. These economics topics for the research paper are brand new and can be used in 2022. The list will be updated periodically as well. Our research topics for economics are split into 10 main categories, so you have plenty of different topics to choose from.

Economics Research Topics for Undergraduates for 2022

Finding some good economics research topics for undergraduates is not easy. We’ve put together a list of the 7 most interesting topics. Keep in mind that you can use any of our topics for free:

  • What is fiscal policy?
  • How is the exchange rate set by banks?
  • Describe 3 opportunity costs.
  • Why are certain resources rare?
  • Conduct a cost-benefit analysis on an action of your choice.
  • How do we achieve profit maximization?
  • What are the ethical rules in the economy?
  • A historical report on economics and its origins.
  • A detailed analysis of Product Markets.
  • Can a future economic crisis be predicted and prevented?
  • Israel’s economic redemption.

Excellent Behavioral Economics Research Topics

Yes, there is such a thing as behavioral economics. To prove it, we’ve compiled a list of 6 behavioral economics research topics that we thing will awe your professors. The topics below are not simple, be warned:

  • What makes most people happy and why?
  • Our brains really are irrational, but predictably irrational.
  • What is the economy of trust?
  • Analyzing Uber as part of the economy of trust.
  • Big data is missing some important human insights.
  • The changes in your brain when you are making a great deal.
  • A long-term analysis of business processes including rising in revenue and competition effectiveness.
  • The issues regarding externalities in microeconomics.
  • Understanding consumer equilibrium.

Quick and Simple Research Topics in Economics

Not all students have ample time to research a topic for days. If you are in a hurry or need to submit the paper in the next 2 days, pick one of these simple research topics in economics:

  • What is economic forecasting?
  • Explaining the methodology of microeconomics.
  • Analyzing the economics of the workforce in the US.
  • What are the matching markets in the United Kingdom?
  • Is privatization a good thing or a bad thing?
  • Explain the structure of a market in the United States.
  • How do wars affect the economy of both sides of the conflict?
  • What the Chilean government do to help save its economy.
  • What is the Laffer Curve?
  • What are the main models of economic regulation?

Microeconomics Topics

Looking at the individual level, microeconomics explores how trade between individuals takes place. It covers the basics of supply and demand. Some of the most interesting research topics in economics are:

  • Explaining the market and competition concepts.
  • What is inflation (sources and consequences)?
  • Explaining the competition’s influence on price.
  • What is the balance between demand and supply in microeconomics?
  • Explain production expenses and profit.
  • What are the opportunity costs?
  • What does “perfect competition” mean in microeconomics?
  • Describe how the stock market works.
  • What does the future hold for the U.S. stock market?
  • How do choose stocks that will be profitable?
  • How does the banking system operate in the U.S?

Microeconomics Term Paper Topics

Macroeconomics may not be the easiest subject to write a term paper on. But picking the right topic is half the battle. Here are some topics on microeconomics that you can use for your next term paper.

  • What is the concept of supply and demand’s balance?
  • An evaluation of a business’s production expenses, income, and pricing.
  • The concept of markets and financial competitors in the economy.
  • A detailed analysis of inflation and its many aspects.
  • How exactly does the stock market operate?
  • The allocation of scarce resources amongst businesses.
  • “Perfect Competition” what does this term mean in microeconomics?
  • The role supply and demand play in a country’s economy.
  • Is there a possibility for private health care businesses to merge with state health care systems?
  • The most effective methods to promote sales both online and in retail.
  • An analytical report on the inflation methods contained in the U.S and Europe.
  • The significance the 2008 – 2009 financial crisis had on small businesses throughout the world.
  • The significance of banks and the part they play in our economy.
  • The regulation of foreign country’s economies.
  • Reasons for the global financial crisis occurring between 2008 – 2009.

Macroeconomics Topics

Macroeconomics is the field of economics that deals with the larger picture. It shows how trade between countries works and how the international economic system functions. Here are the best such economics topics for research enthusiasts:

  • The implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 on the United States economy.
  • What are the measures that stimulate GDP growth in the UK?
  • Predicting the future GBP rate in the UK (or the United States).
  • The 3 steps a government can take to diminish the risk of default.
  • What did it take for the Singapore economic miracle to appear?
  • The role of banks in the United States economy.
  • The 3 best ways to reduce the budget deficit in the United Kingdom.
  • Biggest factors contributing to the U.S. state budget in 2019.
  • Lee Kuan Yew and his improvement to Singapore’s economy.
  • How can we increase GDP growth in the country?
  • Does the idea of the U.S. GDP rate rising seem promising?
  • What can the government do to limit potential economic issues from occurring?
  • The U.S has had its lowest unemployment rate since 1969. Can it continue?
  • The effect of tax-cutting signed into law by President Donald Trump.
  • The purpose of the International Monetary Fund and how it helped various countries in Asia and Europe.
  • “Opportunity Costs” What does it mean and what are the differences between and implicit and explicit costs?
  • Can market failures be predicted and what causes them to happen?
  • What is game theory and how can it be implemented in daily life?
  • What are the different components that make up an economic crisis?
  • The pros and cons of going to American and European economic schools.
  • The best possible ways to lower the state budget deficit.
  • What are the factors for cryptocurrency failing in 2022?
  • How does the stock market have indirect control of inflation?

Best Health Economics Research Topics

Even though it may not be clear at first, economies are greatly influenced by peoples’ health. As such, papers on health economics research topics are very interesting to read and offer excellent insight into the causes and effects of some economic problems:

  • Does economics influence world hunger?
  • Perfect competition in the world of pharmaceuticals.
  • 3 ways to optimize revenue collection in a public hospital.
  • How do we justify free health care in the US?
  • Does banning smoking influence the economy?
  • The effect of chronic diseases on the workforce.
  • Health insurance is important, but why?
  • An unhealthy country is equal to a poor country.
  • How can we find the ideal balance between finance and nature today?
  • Inflation in first-world countries and possible solutions to lower the impact.
  • The negative results come from limited commodity availability. Is there a way to prevent a lack of resources?

Challenging Economics Research Paper Topics

It may not be to your liking, but we have to include some challenging economics research topics for students. Some students love a good challenge, so the following topics will keep them busy for some time:

  • Analyzing the economic significance of labor organizations in the UK.
  • An in-depth analysis of the History of Economic Thought.
  • The deficiencies of the economic systems of the former Soviet Union satellite states.
  • Explaining the way a neoliberal reform is implemented.
  • The correlation between food policy, economics, and world hunger issues.
  • How do we create demand in a highly competitive market?
  • Analyzing the complex economics of the military industry.
  • What is Game Theory and how does it affect today’s economic processes?
  • A detailed report on how to conduct neoliberal reforms.
  • What is the purpose and significance of American labor organizations?
  • What does the future hold for economic systems in former Soviet Republics?

Term Paper Economics Topics

When it comes to term papers, you need to pick some research topics in economics that are interesting and that can be researched thoroughly. We find that the following topics have the most potential:

  • The difference between private and public choice.
  • Analyzing consumer behavior.
  • Exploring the concept of demand elasticity.
  • How is wage determined?
  • Does a minimum wage have negative effects on the economy?
  • Do genders influence the economy in the UK?
  • Analyzing the costs of production (the long run and the short run).
  • The 3 most heated debates in macroeconomic policies.
  • Does immigration affect the economy of the United States?

Top Environmental Economics Research Topics

The environment affects the economy more than you think. Changes like global warming and ocean pollution are having a serious effect. Here are some excellent environmental economics research topics:

  • Conduct a benefit to cost analysis on environmental regulation.
  • The importance of analyzing drinking water contaminants.
  • The evolution of institutions considering climate change.
  • Analyzing risk management in natural disaster scenarios.
  • The effect of greenhouse gases on economic growth.
  • The effect of global warming on economic growth in the US.
  • An in-depth analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System.
  • Can waste management be viewed as a rare resource?

Social Security Economic Topics

We are all affected by social security changes, so what better way to prove to your teacher that you’ve really taken the time to find a good topic than picking such a topic? Some excellent economics research topics are:

  • What is the real interest rate and how is it calculated?
  • Personal finance versus corporate finance.
  • How is social security calculated from an economist’s point of view?
  • Analyzing the 4 basic financial calculations.
  • Are pensions affected by an economic decline?
  • What are the futures? (stock market)
  • What are the options? (stock market)

Great Economics Research Topics Are Here!

These economics research topics are exactly what you need if you need to find a good topic quickly. Don’t forget that you can modify the topics as you see fit. But more importantly, don’t forget that even the best topics can’t replace economics research writing skills. You need to learn how to write an amazing essay in the proper academic format if you are to take an A or an A+. Otherwise, seek help from a professional economics writer ASAP!

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Top 50 Economic Topics For Your Research Paper Or Thesis

economic topics

Choosing the best economics research topics is a major challenge for most learners pursuing economics studies. Economics entails the study of how humans use scarce resources in the production of valuables. Learners pursuing economics programs analyze how valuables are eventually distributed among society members after production.

Before learners are given economics research paper assignments, they are taught many elements that affect the economy. This enables them to understand real-life economies, as well as, daily expenditures and expenses. Such elements include medicine, politics, race, trade, unemployment, poverty, religion, and war among others.

As such, economics research topics for undergraduates should show their understanding of these issues and how they affect the economy. But, many learners have difficulties understanding different aspects of economics research. This makes choosing topics for their papers and essays difficult.

Tricks for Choosing the Best Economics Research Topics

Choosing research paper topics in economics is undoubtedly not easy for most students. That’s because a learner should choose a narrow topic so that they can delve deeper in analyzing and discussing it in their paper. But, if the topic is too narrow, it can be limiting. And, if it is too broad, the learner might not cover it exhaustively.

However, learners can still select the best economics research paper topics by following these guidelines:

Understand the subject matter and figure out whether the topic’s context is within your study field and writing ability. Select a topic that you find interesting and suitable for your understanding. Evaluate the scope of the topic to ensure that you can find the necessary information to write a comprehensive paper or essay about it. Consider the instructions provided by the instructor or professor in terms of topic selection

Before you start the actual writing of a paper or essay, brainstorm for ideas around several topics. That means you can have an economics research topics list from which to choose what to write about. Topics in this study field can be classified into different categories as follows.

Undergraduates Economics Topics for Research

Many students panic when asked to write undergraduate papers and essays. That’s because they don’t know how to choose the best economics topics for research paper. If you’re among students that are troubled by the thought of choosing a topic, here are examples presetned by our academic writers that you can choose from.

  • What you should know about fiscal policy
  • Describe the three opportunity costs
  • How do banks set the exchange rate?
  • How can profit maximization be achieved?
  • Explain the major ethical rules in an economy
  • How to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on your preferred action
  • Explain why some resources are rare
  • What does economic forecasting entail?
  • Discuss the pros and cons of privatization
  • How are the economies of both sides of a conflict affected by war?

These are great topics for economics research paper for undergraduate students. However, they still require in-depth research to come up with a coherent and comprehensive document.

Health Economics Research Topics

The health of citizens influences the economy of a country, though this might be unclear to some learners at first. Health research topics for economics lead to the production of papers and essays that are quite interesting to read. Here are sample topics in this category. You can also check our nursing research topics .

  • How is the economy affected by a smoking ban?
  • Is the world hunger affected by economics?
  • How does perfect competition work in the pharmaceuticals world?
  • How is free healthcare justified in the U.S?
  • How do chronic diseases affect the workforce and the economy?
  • Is health insurance important?
  • How an unhealthy country translates into a poor country
  • How can public hospitals optimize their revenue collection?
  • How does an infectious disease outbreak affect the economy?
  • The economics of the pharmaceutical industry

Interesting Behavioral Economics Research Topics

Some learners might not know about it but behavioral economics exists. And, some topics in this category are quite interesting to write about. Here are examples of topics that students in different study levels can write about in this category.

  • Does money make most people happy?
  • Why financial wellbeing makes most people happy
  • What does the economy of trust mean?
  • How can Uber be described as an aspect of the economy of trust?
  • How does the brain change when a person is striking a great deal?
  • Useful human insights that are missing in big data and how this affects the economy
  • Per household economic analysis explained
  • The buying capacity and gender
  • How race relates to economic power
  • Impact of economic stability on the social life of a person

Microeconomics Topics

Microeconomics studies revolve around trade between people. It’s trading at an individual level. This covers the basics of demand and supply. This is the category where some learners find simple research topics in economics. Here are examples of topics in this category.

  • Understanding the competition and market concepts
  • Inflation sources and consequences explained
  • Explaining how competition influences the price
  • Explaining the balance between supply and demand in microeconomics
  • Opportunity costs explained from a microeconomics perspective
  • Explaining production costs and profit
  • How a stock market operates
  • Perfect competition in microeconomics
  • How unemployment affects microeconomics
  • Aggregate demand and supply in microeconomics

Cool Environmental Economics Research Topics

The environment has more effects on an economy more than most people think. Ocean pollution can global warming are some of the environmental changes that affect the economy seriously. Here are some of the economics research topics for students to explore in this category.

  • Cost-benefit analysis of the regulation of the environment
  • Why it’s important to analyze the economics of clean drinking water
  • Evolution of economics institution concerning climate change
  • How greenhouses affect economic growth
  • How global warming affects economic growth
  • Detailed analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System
  • Is waste management a rare resource?
  • How technological advancement leads to economic growth
  • Explain the energy markets’ economic potential
  • How wildlife protection affects the economy

Students at different study levels have many research topics in economics to choose from. However, the research topic in economics that a learner chooses should be suitable for them based on their interests and academic goals. That’s because some topics are cumbersome to write about. They also require extensive knowledge and familiarity with different economic concepts to come up with a comprehensive document. Thus, they are ideal for students that are pursuing advanced studies. Nevertheless, every topic highlighted here requires in-depth economics research to come up with a concrete paper or essay.

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Areas of research

Budget, taxes and public investment.

EPI’s work on federal fiscal policy analyzes revenues, spending and deficits, but always within the context of the overall economy. EPI believes that the federal budget is the embodiment of our nation’s priorities, but recognizes that the state of budget balance is simply a tool to meet larger economic goals, not an end-goal in itself.

Child Labor

The Economic Policy Institute’s child labor research examines the role of strong labor standards in ensuring equal economic and educational opportunity for all children. Our work, including ground-breaking research, thought leadership, and advocacy, is focused on assessing the strengths or weaknesses of existing state and federal child labor policies, documenting ongoing coordinated attacks on protections for young workers, and proposing reforms to advance children’s rights to safe, age-appropriate work and fair compensation. As part of this agenda, EPI works in close coordination with partners in the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) and in national child labor coalitions, provides expert analysis to the media and other stakeholders, and seeks to raise awareness through public events.

Economic Growth

EPI’s research on economic growth assesses how policymaking and economic institutions either help or hinder efforts to insure that the U.S. economy is operating at full employment and to generate sustainable growth in average living standards as rapidly as possible.

EPI documents impacts of social and economic inequality on student achievement, and suggests policies, within school and out, to narrow outcome gaps between middle class and disadvantaged students. EPI research refutes false assumptions behind politically inspired attacks on public education, teachers, and their unions.

Green Economics

EPI’s research in this arena focuses on the role that public investment, regulation, and tax policy play in making the economy more sustainable and equitable.

EPI analyzes the U.S. health care system through the lens of low- and moderate-income families’ living standards, with special attention to employer-sponsored health insurance, the burden of health costs, and disparities in access and outcomes.

Immigration

EPI proposes reforms that would allow the immigration system to respond and adjust to the shifting needs of the U.S. labor market while improving wages and safeguarding labor standards for American and immigrant workers.

Inequality and Poverty

As the United States recovers from the Great Recession, EPI’s research in this area examines the increasing levels of economic inequality in connection with decreasing levels of economic mobility and rising levels of poverty.

Jobs and Unemployment

EPI’s thorough research in this area is as critical as ever and focuses on understanding the intricacies and impact of the slow recovery in the U.S. labor market, including our persistent high unemployment, near-record long-term unemployment, mass underemployment, and weak labor force participation.

Minimum Wage

The minimum wage is a critical labor standard meant to ensure a fair wage for this country’s lowest paid workers. EPI researchers have examined how the minimum wage affects workers and the economy, who benefits from the minimum wage, and how the declining value of the federal minimum wage over time has contributed to the growth in U.S. income inequality.

Race and Ethnicity

EPI’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy works to advance policies that ensure racial and ethnic minorities participate fully and benefit equitably as workers in the American economy.

Raising America’s Pay

EPI’s efforts to raise the profile of wage issues and generate ideas for stimulating wage growth are overseen by an advisory board of eminent policymakers, academics, policy experts, and civic engagement leaders. See the list of board members .

The debate over the effect of regulatory changes on employment has intensified in the wake of the Great Recession and the still-high levels of unemployment that are its legacy. But assertions that government regulations are holding back the economy ignore the roots of our economy’s problems, namely the collapse of the housing and financial sectors and inadequate demand. EPI research debunks claims that regulations impede job creation, finding that they can create jobs and confer other critical benefits that outweigh costs. This work is critical to fighting attempts to roll back laws that protect the environment and guarantee worker protections.

EPI’s retirement program examines the inequities in the current system and promotes initiatives that protect Social Security and lead to universal, secure, and adequate retirement policies.

Trade and Globalization

Trade and globalization policies have major effects on the wages and incomes of American workers and on the vitality of American industries such as manufacturing. EPI research identifies the economic benefits accruing to the nation, states, and congressional districts from negotiating better trade agreements and curbing currency manipulation and other unfair trade practices.

Unions and Labor Standards

Strong unions and employee organizing rights foster a vibrant middle class because the protections, rights, and wages that unions secure affect union and nonunion workers alike. Unfortunately, eroded labor standards, weakening unions, changing norms, guestworker policies that undercut wages, and monetary policies that prioritize controlling inflation over lowering unemployment have helped depress wages and erode living standards for all workers. EPI monitors factors that affect American work lives, including unpaid overtime, wage theft, the minimum wage, immigration laws, and collective bargaining rights.

Wages, Incomes, and Wealth

Ensuring that economic growth benefits hard-working Americans in the form of higher wages and rising living standards is the central economic challenge of our time. Unfortunately, wages for most workers grew exceptionally slowly between 1979 and 2012, despite productivity—which essentially measures the economy’s potential for providing rising living standards for all—rising 64%. In other words, most Americans, even those with college degrees, are treading water—despite working more productively (and being better educated) than ever. EPI research demonstrates that wage stagnation, weak income growth, and wealth disparities can be traced to policy decisions that have eroded the bargaining power of low- and middle-wage workers.

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Writing a College Paper – The List of Economics Topics to Consider

27 October, 2021

12 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

If you are studying Economics, at some point in your student life you will get an essay or a research paper to complete. Most likely, you will have to write many of such papers in different subjects during four years of undergraduate studies and then during your Master’s. Besides this, you will have to write a degree paper to get your qualification. If such a perspective already makes you nervous, don’t worry: we will help you to get through these tasks. In this guide, we will make the definition of an Economics research paper clear to you, and also explain how to choose the best topic for writing. We will also share the latest Economics topics so that you can use them to complete your assignments.

Economics Topics

What Is an Economics Research Paper?

First of all, let’s find out what an Economics research paper is. An Economics research paper is an academic work written by students, graduates, or researchers of either of the Economics subfields. It aims to contribute to the current state of economics and help resolve potential economic issues.

There are a few types of Economics research papers you need to know. Below, you can find them and understand what kind of assignment you were given and how to approach it:

  • Theoretical paper. The first type of Economics research paper is a theoretical one. While writing it, one needs to construct mathematical models to understand economic behavior. Graphical models are also possible to use in theoretical papers. But you don’t need to worry about writing them: due to their complexity, they are rarely required from undergraduate students;
  • A literature survey. This is a paper that aims to review many sources on certain Economics topics that are interesting to an essay writer , compare them, and find links between them. Writing an Economics literature survey requires selecting the relevant sources on your own and reading a lot to produce a thoughtful paper.
  • An empirical paper. When writing an empirical paper, a researcher needs to provide statistical data to prove or disprove their hypothesis. Also, such a paper often makes up a literature survey as its first part. Empirical papers are a popular type of assignment in colleges and universities;
  • An issue paper. This paper deals with a certain position stated on a policy question. To resolve the issue, a student needs to use economic analysis and provide data to prove their point of view. You can base your analysis on the information received in classes, in additional reading, etc. Feel free to use graphs and tables in your paper as well. The more scholarly sources you find, the better;
  • A case note. The last type of economic paper is a case note. This assignment deals with a certain legal case that needs to be assessed from an economic and legal point of view. In this paper, a student needs to describe the peculiarities of the case, the incident that led to a certain legal action, the procedure of investigation, and the court decision on the matter. The economic analysis is used to evaluate the relevant aspects of a court decision from an economics perspective.

A Quick Guide in Choosing the Right Topic

economics research paper topics

Now that you know the types of economic research papers, you need to understand how to choose the right economics papers topics. This is one of the most important stages of writing preparation, so pay close attention to the tips below:

  • Find out what interests you the most in Economics subjects. For some reason, you have chosen Economics among dozens of other majors, so try to remember why you did it. Then, remember those economic problems you were about to resolve once you become an economist. These issues can be used as your potential Economics research paper topics;
  • Create a list of the Economic topics to write about. Write down all the issues you’d like to explore while pursuing your degree in Economics. At the moment, don’t try to develop them in detail. You will do it a bit later;
  • Pick a few topics that fall into the scope of a particular subject. Once you have the list of potentially interesting Economic topics, think about their relevance for the particular course you are studying. Do any of them sound reasonable for your current assignment? Mark them on your list if they do;
  • Read background information on each of the topics. This step is required to understand how well these topics were researched before and how many sources you can find to base your reasoning on. Don’t omit this stage since it’s essential for writing a good paper on engaging and interesting topics in Economics;
  • Discuss the chosen Economic research topics with your instructor. Now it’s time to ask your instructor to take a look at the topics of your interest and evaluate which ones fit your academic requirements best. Then, narrow down your topic to a certain issue to make your paper concrete. At this point, consider asking any questions you have regarding your research, scholarly sources, and formatting guidelines.
  • Approve your topic and start working on it. Now, pick any of the economic research paper topics from our lists for instructor’s approval and start gathering references for them.

20 Undergraduates Economics Topics for Research

  • The history of economic thought: from Ancient Times to the Medieval period.
  • The breakthroughs in economic thought in the 20th century.
  • The history of American economic thought.
  • How can governments benefit from the law of self-interest?
  • The law of competition: is it a major driver of the state economy?
  • Role of agriculture in building a stable economy.
  • The cultural heritage from an economic perspective: how can states benefit from it?
  • Factors of unemployment in South America.
  • Overcoming poverty in Venezuela: what can its government do in 2023?
  • How does literacy influence a country’s economic success?
  • Corporate social responsibility and economics: how do they correlate?
  • The role of economic forecasting in building a steadfast economy?
  • The structure of the USA market.
  • The analysis of the workforce economics in Canada.
  • Predicting the GDP of Mexico in the next five years.
  • How does a stable economy help to reduce hunger?
  • The importance of health insurance for wageworkers.
  • The effect of chronic diseases on the middle-aged workforce in the USA.
  • Is free health care beneficial for governments?
  • The international trade in the 21st century: challenges and priorities.

20 Economic Debate Topics

  • Pros and cons of taxes: is it still reasonable to pay them in the 21st century?
  • The process of production: demand vs. supply.
  • Should the government take control over the state economy?
  • How can the government influence the labor market within the state?
  • Capitalism vs socialism: a comparative analysis.
  • Being an employer or an employee: the challenges and advantages.
  • Remote work vs office work from the state economics perspective: pros and cons.
  • The pros and cons of privatization of property.
  • Why do governments implement neoliberal economic reforms in developing countries?
  • Should Americans buy only made in USA products or imported ones?
  • Should governments implement taxes for the rich?
  • Should the USA compete with China?
  • Credit cards should not be issued to those with low income.
  • How are democracy and capitalism interconnected?
  • How does war impact economic growth?
  • Governments should cancel income tax: pros and cons.
  • A perfect market cannot be reached anywhere in the world.
  • Advantages of equal taxes for all American citizens.
  • Greece’s exit from the EU did not impact other EU members.
  • Homeschooling is more beneficial economically than studying in the classroom.

20 Interesting Behavioral Economics Research Topics

  • Macy’s case study: the behavioral economics of discounting.
  • The decoy effect and pricing: how corporations make people buy more.
  • The benefits for American society from behavioral economics theory.
  • The buying motivation of consumers from a behavioral economics point of view.
  • The concept of the economy of trust.
  • Uber case study as an example of the economy of trust.
  • How consumption makes people happy and why.
  • The phenomenon of shopaholism and its impact on modern world economics.
  • How behavioral economists assess marketing: a detailed review.
  • How to apply the theory of behavioral economics to real-life problem-solving?
  • Behavioral economics as a discipline: the methods and peculiarities of teaching. 
  • Applying behavioral economics to environment protection: approaches and challenges.
  • How can entrepreneurs benefit from behavioral economics theory in the UK?
  • Why is conscious consumption good for the environment?
  • Can behavioral economics principles be used to manage substance abuse in the USA?
  • The impact of inflation on the consumer’s buying motivation.
  • Cooperative behavior on criminals and police: a comparative analysis.
  • Strategic reasoning.
  • Studying morality and social preferences: how do they correlate?
  • The concept of prospect theory and reference dependence.

20 Microeconomics Topics

  • The methodology of Microeconomics.
  • How marital status impacts the workforce composition in France.
  • Analyzing consumer behavior trends: how the consumption attitude changed over the last 20 years.
  • The market and competition concepts: how do they correlate?
  • The sources and outcomes of inflation.
  • How does competition impact pricing?
  • Finding the demand and supply balance through a microeconomics perspective.
  • Product expenses and profit explanation: how to spend less and get more out of goods production?
  • The concept of perfect competition in microeconomics (with examples).
  • Peculiarities of stock market work.
  • Finding links between income changes and consumer choice.
  • The correlation between salary level and economic convergence in Germany.
  • The impact of demonetization on small and medium businesses.
  • Salary inequalities in Virginia, USA: why do they exist and what forces are behind them?
  • The concept of economics of uncertainty.
  • What is the imperfect competition?
  • Explaining the theory of production and its application to real-life cases.
  • Studying microeconomics: the methodology of research.
  • The economic nature of a firm: what purpose do we try to achieve by starting a small business?
  • What is a natural monopoly and how is it regulated in the USA and Latin America?

20 Current Economic Topics

  • Starting a business in pandemic times: challenges and outcomes.
  • How hiring remote workers can save the state economy during COVID times?
  • How to measure the state’s economic growth during a pandemic?
  • How does gender influence buying capacity?
  • The ways to lower consumption in the 21st century.
  • Social media marketing in the USA: the potentials and challenges for new businesses.
  • The role of digital marketing in consumer demand in 2023.
  • The consumer buying capacity during COVID: did people start buying fewer goods?
  • The future of the world economy after the pandemic ends.
  • The ways to recover the state economies from the COVID recession.
  • Do governments need to rethink their current economic policies in Africa?
  • How to maintain the economic growth in Third World countries?
  • Does overtime work contribute to the production: the case study of Nairobi leather factory.
  • Green economics: the benefits for developing countries.
  • The problem of unemployment in the EU and the methods of resolving it.
  • The new ways to overcome poverty in North Africa.
  • How to provide equal access to education in rural Asia?
  • The effects of gambling on the modern US economy.
  • Immigration trends and changes during COVID restrictions.
  • The effects of fiscal policy on the modern EU economy.

Now that you have all the knowledge to write a proper Economics research paper, you can pick the best topic from dozens of themes in various economics subfields. The topics presented and analyzed above fit undergraduate as well as graduate students. So don’t hesitate to make your choice now, approve it with your professor, and start outlining your draft. Doing your best at every stage of writing will guarantee a high grade for your paper.

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Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

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130 Best Economic Research Topics For Students

The choice of economic research topics depends on the topic that students want to study. You can write about microeconomic or macroeconomic factors, or describe the current problems of countries and individual enterprises. There are also many interesting sections on agriculture, industry and foreign economic relations.

In any case, economics topics are a chance to consider the main nuances of international countries' success or the peculiarities of a particular region's economy. Such studies require not only the search for reliable sources of information but also the authoritative research of economists. This will help you use the valuable economics papers topics in the context of your research activities.

After you have considered all economics research paper topics, you can proceed to the stage of preparation. It is worth taking real research, facts, and statistics as a basis. However, you need to be original and make your emphases in your research paper.

In some cases, you need the advice of experienced educators or watch interviews with the world's leading economists. Sometimes you can change the subject if you think you can't cope with the task at hand. There is nothing shameful about that.

After you do your research and empirical calculations, you can collect a scientific database and prepare a draft version. Once it's finished, you can clean up your materials and create a tentative bibliography. It is important in the context of the study of the chosen topic.

There is also a need to create strong theses and a definite purpose for your research work. You should answer the basic questions in your research paper that address a specific problem and its solution. Also, do not forget about the formatting that is relevant to your school. Economics research topics list lets you choose what works best for you.

Microeconomics Research Topics

Such research paper topics in economics are especially relevant because they allow us to consider the global processes of the financial well-being of many countries and the world trade. Students can prepare expert papers based on many studies and get high marks for considering microeconomic effects.

  • The consumer choice model in the context of improving economic performance.
  • Labor force and its impact on the country's budget.
  • The family economy in the context of the progress of an entire state.
  • Consumer relations and analysis from economic trends.
  • Inequality of wages as the main stimulus of the economy.
  • Consumption economics and progress in purchasing power.
  • Evolution of consumption in the USA.
  • The index of income inequality and purchasing power.
  • Dynamics of growth of a cashless economy in the context of modern society.
  • State enterprise and privatization system.
  • The main factors of behavioral microeconomics
  • The structural analysis of microeconomics on real examples.
  • The format for the microeconomic effects.

Macroeconomics Research Topics

Choosing the economics thesis topic, you must be ready to consider the main issues of macroeconomics in the context of a particular state, company, or individual organization. This is a good example of how you can choose a narrow direction to study certain economic environment factors and relationships.

  • Economic growth and a decrease in unemployment.
  • The main factors of the economic recession.
  • Cutting costs as a guarantee of the prosperity of the state.
  • The importance of tax revenue in the context of each US state.
  • Inflation and the dynamics of the pricing of the company's shares.
  • Correlation of government spending during inflation.
  • Devaluation as the main factor of problems in the economy.
  • Economic prerequisites for the growth of the digital economy.
  • The stock market as a cause of economic growth.
  • The connection between unemployment and modern digitalization.
  • Factors influencing the self-employment of the population.
  • Features of modern macroeconomic trends.
  • The nuances of managing macroeconomic indicators.
  • Preconditions for the formation of a stable macroeconomic.
  • The effect of macroeconomic equilibrium.

Economic History Topics

The choice of economics research topics for undergraduates may be related to the student's desire to study certain historical spheres of influence of countries and the moments of their formation on the world stage. It is also a good opportunity to study world trade and foreign economic research. A historical topic allows you to consider the structure of galloping inflation in developing countries and to study in detail the specifics of economic stagnation.

  • Economic revolution in Argentina.
  • Creation of the foreign exchange reserve.
  • The history of the formation of banking organizations.
  • Modern British economy.
  • The growth of the Chinese economy amid global depression.
  • Eastern European economy and the basis of its well-being.
  • Causes of the economic depression of the Netherlands.
  • The European currency as a replacement for the dollar.
  • History of the French economy.
  • German National Bank.
  • The history of the European Union as an economic factor of development.
  • The world economy and historical heritage.
  • The impact of economic progress on African countries.
  • The nuances of economic prosperity in European countries.

Research Topics on International Trade

International trade is a good option to write a research paper. The fact is that this section includes many historical and current aspects of the interaction between countries and individual organizations. Such economic research paper topics are very popular among students because everyone can find reliable information and verified facts.

  • The impact of international trade on the growth of the economy
  • The monetary union and its role in the US control
  • International trade and developing countries.
  • Investments as elements of international trade.
  • Banking crisis and trade wars.
  • Brexit as a factor in changing economic investment.
  • Dependence of countries on international investment.
  • The import control.
  • Developing countries and methods of their economic growth.
  • Foreign trade as a subject of liberalization of international relations.
  • The main factors in the development of international trade.
  • The trade relations between China and the United States.
  • The nuances of the interaction of world superpowers.
  • Consequences of successful economic activity.

Environmental Economics Research Paper Topics

Environmental economics is full of interesting areas for your research papers. In particular, this applies to different countries and continents. Using economics term paper topics, you can create truly expert material that will get a high mark. A significant advantage is the relevance of the topic and many scientific studies that you can use as a basis.

  • The economic prerequisites for waste disposal.
  • The nuances of the economy and human-made disasters.
  • The world economy in the context of the United States.
  • The influence of North America on economic trends in the world.
  • Water resources management policy.
  • Climate policy and economic preconditions.
  • World environment in the context of the US economy.
  • The economic study of investment in the environment.
  • The distribution of natural resources and a key factor in the economy.
  • The main technological innovations and their role in the environment.
  • The balance of the social ecosystem.
  • Financial subsidies as an incentive to buy organic products.
  • The influence of the environment on the behavioral factors of the economy.
  • The stagnation of world enterprises in the context of the economic crisis.
  • The environment and risk factors.

Research Paper Topics on Behavioral Economics

Behavioral economics structures knowledge about many aspects of the interaction of countries and individual nations. You can use existing scientific research to trace people's behavioral patterns that affect the unemployment rate, fluctuations in the currency exchange, and other nuances. It is worth noting that economics research topics are very relevant in modern times since the information space contributes to the regular change in behavioral factors.

  • Major behavioral factors of the avalanche of buyers.
  • Discount in the context of trade on amazon digitalization as the main driver of the economy.
  • Behavioral factors of the economy in the context of digital commerce.
  • Methods of investing in the US in the context of behavioral economics.
  • The customer demand and its incentive.
  • The value of the product then and the formation of behavioral economics.
  • What is the main motivation for consumers?
  • The formation of a behavioral economy as a task of the state.
  • The lifestyle and economic factors of US citizens.
  • The digital economy and behavioral factors.
  • Main methods of forming a buying habit.

Law And Economics Paper Topics

Choosing such economics research topics for students, you can rely on many countries' legal framework and the relationship with economic sectors. This will be especially interesting in the context of the United States or any other large state that conducts foreign trade and affects certain moments in the world. Legislation has a ton of interesting facts that you can explore in your paperwork.

  • The main risks of an innovative economy.
  • Taxation as a method of political economy.
  • The nuances of creating an optimal tax policy.
  • Main benefits of lowering the tax rate.
  • The economic organization and legal aspects.
  • The control of the economy through taxation.
  • Do you need a progressive tax scale?
  • The consequences of flexible taxes in the US economy.
  • Basic legal aspects of foreign economic activity.
  • Structuring law and economic investment.
  • Legislative innovations in the field of economics.
  • All nuances of promoting tax legislation for economic growth.
  • The format of taxation for small businesses.

Labor Economics Research Topics

Such a topic allows you to explore the nuances of labor law, taxation, and the reasons for demonstration in disadvantaged countries. This format allows you to maximize economic research geography and consider the main nuances of economic crises or new rounds of development.

  • Minimum wage and its impact on economic aspects.
  • The taxation and labor market demand.
  • The nuances of the formation of the structure of wages.
  • The impact of migration on the labor market point to common technologies and their economic impact on the labor market.
  • Main nuances of obtaining higher education in the context of economics.
  • Strikes as a major factor in an economic recession.
  • The firm's profitability in the context of the minimum wage.
  • The economic consequences of regulation of working hours.
  • The nuances of gender policy in the labor market.
  • The feasibility of creating trade unions.
  • The relationship between demography and economic growth.

Basic Economics Topics

Sometimes basic topics for economic research papers can be much better than narrow learning segments. The fact is that choosing such a free topic does not limit you to certain aspects, and you can consider the nuances of the economy in a broad sense. For example, your custom research paper may be about foreign trade, the risks of economic stagnation, or other nuances that apply to many countries.

  • The relationship between income and purchasing.
  • The risks of economic stagnation.
  • The lack of economic factors for income growth.
  • The main problem of the economies of developing countries.
  • The nuances of Western European economic culture.
  • Asian countries and economic progress.
  • The influence of external economic factors on the unemployment rate.
  • System of gender inequality.
  • The format of economic relations between countries.
  • The main aspects of the economic independence of states.
  • The influence of the United States on the world economy.
  • Lending and stimulating the economy world economic recessions.
  • Risk factors in the global economy.

Other Economics Topics

Such a list cannot be attributed to a specific segment or division of the economy. You can choose this option if you have no idea at all about what your research paper should look like. In fact, it allows you to prepare and get a good grade without taking too long practical research. So, you can check these economic research paper topics ideas.

  • The target market analysis.
  • Managerial accounting for apple Inc.
  • The Nissan operations management.
  • All Starbucks success factors.
  • The methodology of employee turnover study.
  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
  • Poverty in South Africa.
  • Signs of economic stagnation.
  • Memorandum for a paperless office.
  • The impact of social media as a business promotion instrument.
  • Main effects of employee turnover on the organization.

How to Write a Good Economics Research Paper?

You should adhere to all the technical guidelines and requirements of your high school or college. Don't forget about the formatting and proper structure of your research papers. You should browse the Internet and head to your local library to find the information you need as a basis for future research. It is worth noting that not all economic topics for research papers can be found quickly in printed books.

Sometimes it is better to search for reputable scientific papers on the Internet, as this reduces the preparation time. Next, you need to make a plan, a strong introduction, and a clear message along with the main message you want to convey in your research paper. You should also rely on facts and figures to get a good estimate. Unfortunately, choosing a good economics essay topic is not always associated with a successful completion.

If you can't do it on your own, then it is easier and more profitable for students to delegate work to someone else. Our company can help any person who is in a difficult situation and cannot cope with the research paper on their own. Our team of specialists has enough experience to prepare a high-quality paper for you.

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102 Best Econometrics Research Topics

econometrics research topics

College and university professors require students to write about econometrics research topics to gauge their comprehension of the relationship between mathematical economics, statistics, and economics.

The purpose of this integration is to provide numerical values to economic relationships and parameters. Usually, econometrics involves economic theories and their presentation in mathematical forms and the empirical study of business. Perhaps, this integration explains why some students struggle to choose topics for research in econometrics.

What Is Econometrics?

As hinted, econometrics is an economics branch that focuses on the relationships between economics, statistics, and mathematical economics. Ideally, econometrics entails the quantitative application of mathematical and statistical models using data to test hypotheses and develop economic theories while forecasting future trends based on historical data. Econometricians subject real-world data to various statistical trials while comparing and contrasting the results against the idea under examination.

Writing an econometric research paper is a process that starts with the selection of an interesting topic. Once you’ve chosen a title and the supervisor approves it, embark on extensive research using the prompt from your teacher. Proceed by gathering and analyzing all relevant information from different sources. Engaging in in-depth study and comprehensive analysis will enable you to write an informative paper that will compel the educator to award you the best grade in your class. Below are the steps to follow to write a high-quality econometric thesis or essay.

Write the introduction: Introduce your econometrics topic and tell the audience why it’s crucial. Also, include a thesis statement summarizing the entire paper. Describe the theoretical model: Tell the readers about the theoretical models to structure the empirical work. Present the data: Describe the data, whether time series or cross-sectional. Use descriptive statistics data and graphics if possible. Present the empirical model: Explain the model you intend to estimate and the functional form you intend to use. Present your empirical results: This section presents empirical results using a table to summarize them. Conclude the paper: Describe lessons from the research and state whether it supports the theory. Also, suggest approaches for future research on the topic.

Your paper should also include a reference section comprising the information sources you used to gather data.

Interesting Econometrics Paper Topics

Maybe you know the process of writing a paper on an econometrics topic but don’t have an idea to explore. If so, consider these exciting econometrics paper ideas.

  • How privatizing public enterprises could affect economic development and policy
  • Cashless economy: How demonetization affects medium and small businesses
  • How Gini index dynamics reflect the income inequality problem
  • Consumption evolution over the last decade: Consumer behavior and trends
  • Investigating salary inequalities and the forces behind them
  • How income changes affect consumer choices
  • How does allowing the labor force to participate in public budgeting affect the economy
  • How the marital status affect the labor force composition
  • How consumption attitudes have changed over the last decade
  • How economic convergence relates to salary levels
  • How income affects life insurance
  • The consequences of leaving the rat race
  • Testing Okun’s Law in the U.S
  • Analysis of spending on disposable income and imports
  • Comparing the unemployment rate in the United States to the rest of the world
  • Regional labor mobility and unemployment
  • Stock market evolution: Analyzing the causes and effects
  • How internet productivity relate to connectivity in the workplace
  • How currency devaluation affects medium and small companies
  • How government spending and inflation relate in an economy
  • The relationship between stock prices and inflation in a country
  • How income tax revenue affects a developing economy
  • How government expenditure affects economic growth
  • Factors contributing to the global recession
  • How a country’s unemployment rate relates to economic growth

Any of these topics can be an excellent basis for an econometrics paper. However, you require extensive research about any of these topics to develop a winning thesis.

Undergraduate Econometrics Project Ideas

Maybe your school or faculty requires you to write an econometrics paper to graduate from university. In that case, consider these econometrics research topics for undergraduates.

  • Analyzing the impact of income inequality on the poverty level
  • Analyzing gender differences in education between developing and developed countries
  • How immigration affects unemployment in the European Union
  • How economic growth relates to trade
  • Are immigrants more in countries with a high income?
  • How high taxations affect GSP
  • Analyzing the relationship between local income level and house prices
  • How income, education, and life expectancy affect the human development index
  • How inflation affects national savings
  • How life expectancy relates to national income
  • How financial development affects the economic growth of a country
  • Crime index versus the average education years
  • Investigating the correlation between youth unemployment and minimum wage
  • How economic prosperity relate to government systems
  • Economic factors that affect housing prices in the United States
  • Economic factors contributing to homelessness in the U.S
  • Socioeconomic and economic determinants of infant mortality
  • Econometric analysis: Impact of trade barriers
  • Why matching methods are essential in econometrics
  • How a randomized experiment can aid econometrics
  • Why instrumental variables matter in econometrics
  • Can experts predict the future using econometrics?
  • Econometrics as a numerical estimates source for economic relationship variables
  • Ways of testing economic theories that econometricians present
  • Regression discontinuity: Describe its application

These are great ideas to consider for an econometrics project. Nevertheless, you require sufficient time to research any of these topics and write a winning essay or dissertation.

Easy Econometric Research Topics

Perhaps, you need an easy topic for an econometrics paper. Maybe you have a short time to complete your assignment. In that case, these econometrics topics are ideal for you.

  • Theory suggestion- The initial econometrics methodology step
  • Why estimating variables is important
  • The importance of Proof-reading once you have evaluated the variables
  • Why testing a hypothesis matters
  • The impact of poverty on education
  • How poverty relates to childhood obesity
  • Human development and income inequality
  • The link between religion and ideologies on a country’s economy
  • Income and importation- How do they connect?
  • Personal income and life expectancy- What is the connection?
  • The effects of minimum wage on unemployment
  • Investigating monetary policies and bank regulations
  • A study of the economies of scale
  • The impact and relevance of comparative institutional economics
  • Analyzing the effect of making a company international
  • Studying the macroeconomics of rare events
  • Investigating customer behavior towards green products
  • Trade patterns: Investigating different trade patterns and their applications
  • Different stochastic processes concepts
  • Accurate stochastic processes prediction

Any of these topics can be a sound basis of a simple paper. Nevertheless, you still require time to research the idea and analyze data to develop a quality paper.

Financial Econometrics Research Paper Topics

Perhaps, you want to write an academic paper about a financial econometrics topic. If so, consider these ideas.

  • How does bank regulation affect the economy?
  • A critical look into the loan markets
  • How a cashless policy affects the economy
  • Structure and implementation of the monetary policy
  • Lessons to learn from financial crises
  • Investigating regression models
  • Statistical tools in the financial econometrics

These are good topics to explore in financial econometrics. However, follow the prompt from your teacher to write an impressive paper.

Econometrics Empirical Project Ideas FExor Ph.D. Level

Maybe you’re pursuing your Ph.D. and want to write a dissertation about an econometrics topic. In that case, this category comprises excellent ideas for you.

  • Analytical statistics versus theoretical statistics
  • The effects of the low and high demand of labor on an economy
  • The arbitrage pricing theory
  • How goods production and productivity affect econometrics at a national level
  • Applied econometrics- Its essence in turning qualitative economic ideas into quantitative ones
  • Definition, relevance, and application of the general line model
  • Theoretical econometrics’ study and application
  • The macro behavioral theory
  • Panel data methods applications- A microeconomics subsection
  • The impacts of the spillover effect on econometrics
  • The impact of labor supply on a local economy
  • Why labor markets are essential to econometrics
  • What is micro-econometrics modeling?
  • Micro-econometrics methods and applications
  • Statistical tools and their use in financial econometrics

This list also has fantastic economics paper topic ideas. But like the topics in the other sections, each of these notions requires extensive research to write a quality paper.

Exciting Econometrics Questions

Maybe you need a question to serve as the basis of your econometrics research. In that case, here are exciting queries to inspire you.

  • What is the current state of your country’s economy?
  • What’s the difference between the current state of the local and international trades?
  • What are the latest forecasts for the global economy?
  • How do the foreign exchange market and the local businesses relate?
  • What’s the impact of exportation and importation on the local economy?
  • How do businesses monopolies affect a country’s economy?
  • What are the effects of international banks on the local banking sector?
  • How does population growth affect economic development?
  • How can a natural disaster affect an emerging economy?
  • What techniques do companies use to “nudge” consumers into spending more?

This comprehensive list has some of the best econometrics ideas for essays and research papers. Nevertheless, having a topic is not a guarantee that you’ll write a good essay. You might still need help with your assignment after choosing a topic.

Get Help With Thesis About Econometrics Topic

Our crew comprises the most skilled, talented, and experienced econometrics writers. These professionals have helped many students complete their econometrics papers on varied topics. If stuck with an econometric essay or an MBA thesis , for example, and require a cheap dissertation writing service , our native, educated experts can help you. We’re the most knowledgeable econometrics writers online. Contact us now to get a custom, high-quality research paper on any econometrics topic!

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MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and Department of Economics have announced an expansion of their jointly administered Master of Applied Science in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) program . This expansion adds a new public policy track to complement the existing international development track, opening up new avenues for student learning and research. 

Designed to tackle poverty alleviation and other pressing policy challenges in the United States and other high-income countries, the curriculum of the new track spans a diverse set of issues, from domestic concerns like minimum wage and consumer welfare to global matters including trade, climate change, and immigration. Applications for the public policy track will open this fall, with the inaugural cohort set to arrive on MIT’s campus in spring 2026.

The DEDP program, led by MIT professors and Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, along with professors Sara Fisher Ellison and Benjamin Olken, was established with the mission of equipping diverse cohorts of talented professionals with the knowledge and skills to tackle poverty using evidence-based approaches. The new master’s degree track will support this mission while also underscoring the program’s commitment to addressing a broad array of critical challenges in the fight against poverty worldwide.

"The DEDP program has proven successful on many dimensions, and we are enthusiastic about leveraging its successes to address a broader set of social challenges,” says Ellison, a faculty lead for the program. “The public policy track will enable us to apply evidence-based methodology to poverty alleviation and other related issues in the context of high-income countries, as well. Given increasing levels of wealth and income inequality in these countries, we feel that the timing is opportune and the need is great."

The DEDP program distinguishes itself with an innovative admissions model that prioritizes demonstrated ability and motivation over traditional credentials, such as standardized tests and recommendation letters. To be eligible to apply to the master’s program, candidates must have earned a DEDP MicroMasters credential by passing five of the DEDP online courses. The courses are completely free to audit. Those who wish to earn a course certificate can pay a fee, which varies by the learner’s ability to pay, to take the proctored exam. While applications are reviewed holistically, performance in these classes is the primary factor in admissions decisions.

This approach democratizes access to higher education, enabling students from typically underrepresented backgrounds to demonstrate their potential for success. Notably, the program has welcomed many students from nontraditional backgrounds, such as a student who enrolled directly from high school (and who is now a second-year PhD student in economics at MIT), reflecting the ambition of its faculty directors to make higher education more accessible.

Sofia Martinez, a graduate of the class of 2023 and now co-founder of Learning Alliance , says, "Without the MicroMasters paving the way, applying to MIT or any similar institution would have been unthinkable for us. Initially, my aim in taking the online courses wasn't to pursue the residential program; it was only after witnessing my own progress that I realized the possibility wasn't so distant after all. This sentiment resonates with many in our cohort, which is truly humbling.”

Since its launch in 2020, the DEDP master’s program has conferred degrees to 87 students from 44 countries, showcasing its global reach and the success of its admissions model. Upon arriving on campus, students embark on an accelerated master's program. They complete a full course load in the spring, followed by a capstone project in the summer, applying the theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained through the program at research and policy organizations.

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50 Best Finance Dissertation Topics For Research Students

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50 Best Finance Dissertation Topics For Research Students

Finance Dissertation Made Easier!

Embarking on your dissertation adventure? Look no further! Choosing the right finance dissertation topics is like laying the foundation for your research journey in Finance, and we're here to light up your path. In this blog, we're diving deep into why dissertation topics in finance matter so much. We've got some golden writing tips to share with you! We're also unveiling the secret recipe for structuring a stellar finance dissertation and exploring intriguing topics across various finance sub-fields. Whether you're captivated by cryptocurrency, risk management strategies, or exploring the wonders of Internet banking, microfinance, retail and commercial banking - our buffet of Finance dissertation topics will surely set your research spirit on fire!

What is a Finance Dissertation?

Finance dissertations are academic papers that delve into specific finance topics chosen by students, covering areas such as stock markets, banking, risk management, and healthcare finance. These dissertations require extensive research to create a compelling report and contribute to the student's confidence and satisfaction in the field of Finance. Now, let's understand why these dissertations are so important and why choosing the right Finance dissertation topics is crucial!

Why Are Finance Dissertation Topics Important?

Choosing the dissertation topics for Finance students is essential as it will influence the course of your research. It determines the direction and scope of your study. You must make sure that the Finance dissertation topics you choose are relevant to your field of interest, or you may end up finding it more challenging to write. Here are a few reasons why finance thesis topics are important:

1. Relevance

Opting for relevant finance thesis topics ensures that your research contributes to the existing body of knowledge and addresses contemporary issues in the field of Finance. Choosing a dissertation topic in Finance that is relevant to the industry can make a meaningful impact and advance understanding in your chosen area.

2. Personal Interest

Selecting Finance dissertation topics that align with your interests and career goals is vital. When genuinely passionate about your research area, you are more likely to stay motivated during the dissertation process. Your interest will drive you to explore the subject thoroughly and produce high-quality work.

3. Future Opportunities

Well-chosen Finance dissertation topics can open doors to various future opportunities. It can enhance your employability by showcasing your expertise in a specific finance area. It may lead to potential research collaborations and invitations to conferences in your field of interest.

4. Academic Supervision

Your choice of topics for dissertation in Finance also influences the availability of academic supervisors with expertise in your chosen area. Selecting a well-defined research area increases the likelihood of finding a supervisor to guide you effectively throughout the dissertation. Their knowledge and guidance will greatly contribute to the success of your research.

Writing Tips for Finance Dissertation

A lot of planning, formatting, and structuring goes into writing a dissertation. It starts with deciding on topics for a dissertation in Finance and conducting tons of research, deciding on methods, and so on. However, you can navigate the process more effectively with proper planning and organisation. Below are some tips to assist you along the way, and here is a blog on the 10 tips on writing a dissertation that can give you more information, should you need it!

1. Select a Manageable Topic

Choosing Finance research topics within the given timeframe and resources is important. Select a research area that interests you and aligns with your career goals. It will help you stay inspired throughout the dissertation process.

2. Conduct a Thorough Literature Review

A comprehensive literature review forms the backbone of your research. After choosing the Finance dissertation topics, dive deep into academic papers, books, and industry reports, gaining a solid understanding of your chosen area to identify research gaps and establish the significance of your study.

3. Define Clear Research Objectives

Clearly define your dissertation's research questions and objectives. It will provide a clear direction for your research and guide your data collection, analysis, and overall structure. Ensure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

4. Collect and Analyse Data

Depending on your research methodology and your Finance dissertation topics, collect and analyze relevant data to support your findings. It may involve conducting surveys, interviews, experiments, and analyzing existing datasets. Choose appropriate statistical techniques and qualitative methods to derive meaningful insights from your data.

5. Structure and Organization

Pay attention to the structure and organization of your dissertation. Follow a logical progression of chapters and sections, ensuring that each chapter contributes to the overall coherence of your study. Use headings, subheadings, and clear signposts to guide the reader through your work.

6. Proofread and Edit

Once you have completed the writing process, take the time to proofread and edit your dissertation carefully. Check for clarity, coherence, and proper grammar. Ensure that your arguments are well-supported, and eliminate any inconsistencies or repetitions. Pay attention to formatting, citation styles, and consistency in referencing throughout your dissertation.

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Finance Dissertation Topics

Now that you know what a finance dissertation is and why they are important, it's time to have a look at some of the best Finance dissertation topics. For your convenience, we have segregated these topics into categories, including cryptocurrency, risk management, internet banking, and so many more. So, let's dive right in and explore the best Finance dissertation topics:

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Cryptocurrency

1. The Impact of Regulatory Frameworks on the Volatility and Liquidity of Cryptocurrencies.

2. Exploring the Factors Influencing Cryptocurrency Adoption: A Comparative Study.

3. Assessing the Efficiency and Market Integration of Cryptocurrency Exchanges.

4. An Analysis of the Relationship between Cryptocurrency Prices and Macroeconomic Factors.

5. The Role of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) in Financing Startups: Opportunities and Challenges.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Risk Management

1. The Effectiveness of Different Risk Management Strategies in Mitigating Financial Risks in Banking Institutions.

2. The Role of Derivatives in Hedging Financial Risks: A Comparative Study.

3. Analyzing the Impact of Risk Management Practices on Firm Performance: A Case Study of a Specific Industry.

4. The Use of Stress Testing in Evaluating Systemic Risk: Lessons from the Global Financial Crisis.

5. Assessing the Relationship between Corporate Governance and Risk Management in Financial Institutions.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Internet Banking

1. Customer Adoption of Internet Banking: An Empirical Study on Factors Influencing Usage.

Enhancing Security in Internet Banking: Exploring Biometric Authentication Technologies.

2. The Impact of Mobile Banking Applications on Customer Engagement and Satisfaction.

3. Evaluating the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Internet Banking Services in Emerging Markets.

4. The Role of Social Media in Shaping Customer Perception and Adoption of Internet Banking.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Microfinance

1. The Impact of Microfinance on Poverty Alleviation: A Comparative Study of Different Models.

2. Exploring the Role of Microfinance in Empowering Women Entrepreneurs.

3. Assessing the Financial Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions in Developing Countries.

4. The Effectiveness of Microfinance in Promoting Rural Development: Evidence from a Specific Region.

5. Analyzing the Relationship between Microfinance and Entrepreneurial Success: A Longitudinal Study.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Retail and Commercial Banking

1. The Impact of Digital Transformation on Retail and Commercial Banking: A Case Study of a Specific Bank.

2. Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Retail Banking: An Analysis of Service Quality Dimensions.

3. Analyzing the Relationship between Bank Branch Expansion and Financial Performance.

4. The Role of Fintech Startups in Disrupting Retail and Commercial Banking: Opportunities and Challenges.

5. Assessing the Impact of Mergers and Acquisitions on the Performance of Retail and Commercial Banks.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Alternative Investment

1. The Performance and Risk Characteristics of Hedge Funds: A Comparative Analysis.

2. Exploring the Role of Private Equity in Financing and Growing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

3. Analyzing the Relationship between Real Estate Investments and Portfolio Diversification.

4. The Potential of Impact Investing: Evaluating the Social and Financial Returns.

5. Assessing the Risk-Return Tradeoff in Cryptocurrency Investments: A Comparative Study.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to International Affairs

1. The Impact of Exchange Rate Volatility on International Trade: A Case Study of a Specific Industry.

2. Analyzing the Effectiveness of Capital Controls in Managing Financial Crises: Comparative Study of Different Countries.

3. The Role of International Financial Institutions in Promoting Economic Development in Developing Countries.

4. Evaluating the Implications of Trade Wars on Global Financial Markets.

5. Assessing the Role of Central Banks in Managing Financial Stability in a Globalized Economy.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Sustainable Finance

1. The impact of sustainable investing on financial performance.

2. The role of green bonds in financing climate change mitigation and adaptation.

3. The development of carbon markets.

4. The use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in investment decision-making.

5. The challenges and opportunities of sustainable Finance in emerging markets.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Investment Banking

1. The valuation of distressed assets.

2. The pricing of derivatives.

3. The risk management of financial institutions.

4. The regulation of investment banks.

5. The impact of technology on the investment banking industry.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Actuarial Science

1. The development of new actuarial models for pricing insurance products.

2. The use of big data in actuarial analysis.

3. The impact of climate change on insurance risk.

4. The design of pension plans that are sustainable in the long term.

5. The use of actuarial science to manage risk in other industries, such as healthcare and Finance.

Tips To Find Good Finance Dissertation Topics 

Embarking on a financial dissertation journey requires careful consideration of various factors. Your choice of topic in finance research topics is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the entire research process. Finding a good financial dissertation topic is essential to blend your interests with the current trends in the financial landscape. We suggest the following tips that can help you pick the perfect dissertation topic:

1. Identify your interests and strengths 

2. Check for current relevance

3. Feedback from your superiors

4. Finalise the research methods

5. Gather the data

6. Work on the outline of your dissertation

7. Make a draft and proofread it

In this blog, we have discussed the importance of finance thesis topics and provided valuable writing tips and tips for finding the right topic, too. We have also presented a list of topics within various subfields of Finance. With this, we hope you have great ideas for finance dissertations. Good luck with your finance research journey!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i research for my dissertation project topics in finance, what is the best topic for dissertation topics for mba finance, what is the hardest finance topic, how do i choose the right topic for my dissertation in finance, where can i find a dissertation topic in finance.

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McKinsey Global Private Markets Review 2024: Private markets in a slower era

At a glance, macroeconomic challenges continued.

best research topics for economics

McKinsey Global Private Markets Review 2024: Private markets: A slower era

If 2022 was a tale of two halves, with robust fundraising and deal activity in the first six months followed by a slowdown in the second half, then 2023 might be considered a tale of one whole. Macroeconomic headwinds persisted throughout the year, with rising financing costs, and an uncertain growth outlook taking a toll on private markets. Full-year fundraising continued to decline from 2021’s lofty peak, weighed down by the “denominator effect” that persisted in part due to a less active deal market. Managers largely held onto assets to avoid selling in a lower-multiple environment, fueling an activity-dampening cycle in which distribution-starved limited partners (LPs) reined in new commitments.

About the authors

This article is a summary of a larger report, available as a PDF, that is a collaborative effort by Fredrik Dahlqvist , Alastair Green , Paul Maia, Alexandra Nee , David Quigley , Aditya Sanghvi , Connor Mangan, John Spivey, Rahel Schneider, and Brian Vickery , representing views from McKinsey’s Private Equity & Principal Investors Practice.

Performance in most private asset classes remained below historical averages for a second consecutive year. Decade-long tailwinds from low and falling interest rates and consistently expanding multiples seem to be things of the past. As private market managers look to boost performance in this new era of investing, a deeper focus on revenue growth and margin expansion will be needed now more than ever.

A daytime view of grassy sand dunes

Perspectives on a slower era in private markets

Global fundraising contracted.

Fundraising fell 22 percent across private market asset classes globally to just over $1 trillion, as of year-end reported data—the lowest total since 2017. Fundraising in North America, a rare bright spot in 2022, declined in line with global totals, while in Europe, fundraising proved most resilient, falling just 3 percent. In Asia, fundraising fell precipitously and now sits 72 percent below the region’s 2018 peak.

Despite difficult fundraising conditions, headwinds did not affect all strategies or managers equally. Private equity (PE) buyout strategies posted their best fundraising year ever, and larger managers and vehicles also fared well, continuing the prior year’s trend toward greater fundraising concentration.

The numerator effect persisted

Despite a marked recovery in the denominator—the 1,000 largest US retirement funds grew 7 percent in the year ending September 2023, after falling 14 percent the prior year, for example 1 “U.S. retirement plans recover half of 2022 losses amid no-show recession,” Pensions and Investments , February 12, 2024. —many LPs remain overexposed to private markets relative to their target allocations. LPs started 2023 overweight: according to analysis from CEM Benchmarking, average allocations across PE, infrastructure, and real estate were at or above target allocations as of the beginning of the year. And the numerator grew throughout the year, as a lack of exits and rebounding valuations drove net asset values (NAVs) higher. While not all LPs strictly follow asset allocation targets, our analysis in partnership with global private markets firm StepStone Group suggests that an overallocation of just one percentage point can reduce planned commitments by as much as 10 to 12 percent per year for five years or more.

Despite these headwinds, recent surveys indicate that LPs remain broadly committed to private markets. In fact, the majority plan to maintain or increase allocations over the medium to long term.

Investors fled to known names and larger funds

Fundraising concentration reached its highest level in over a decade, as investors continued to shift new commitments in favor of the largest fund managers. The 25 most successful fundraisers collected 41 percent of aggregate commitments to closed-end funds (with the top five managers accounting for nearly half that total). Closed-end fundraising totals may understate the extent of concentration in the industry overall, as the largest managers also tend to be more successful in raising non-institutional capital.

While the largest funds grew even larger—the largest vehicles on record were raised in buyout, real estate, infrastructure, and private debt in 2023—smaller and newer funds struggled. Fewer than 1,700 funds of less than $1 billion were closed during the year, half as many as closed in 2022 and the fewest of any year since 2012. New manager formation also fell to the lowest level since 2012, with just 651 new firms launched in 2023.

Whether recent fundraising concentration and a spate of M&A activity signals the beginning of oft-rumored consolidation in the private markets remains uncertain, as a similar pattern developed in each of the last two fundraising downturns before giving way to renewed entrepreneurialism among general partners (GPs) and commitment diversification among LPs. Compared with how things played out in the last two downturns, perhaps this movie really is different, or perhaps we’re watching a trilogy reusing a familiar plotline.

Dry powder inventory spiked (again)

Private markets assets under management totaled $13.1 trillion as of June 30, 2023, and have grown nearly 20 percent per annum since 2018. Dry powder reserves—the amount of capital committed but not yet deployed—increased to $3.7 trillion, marking the ninth consecutive year of growth. Dry powder inventory—the amount of capital available to GPs expressed as a multiple of annual deployment—increased for the second consecutive year in PE, as new commitments continued to outpace deal activity. Inventory sat at 1.6 years in 2023, up markedly from the 0.9 years recorded at the end of 2021 but still within the historical range. NAV grew as well, largely driven by the reluctance of managers to exit positions and crystallize returns in a depressed multiple environment.

Private equity strategies diverged

Buyout and venture capital, the two largest PE sub-asset classes, charted wildly different courses over the past 18 months. Buyout notched its highest fundraising year ever in 2023, and its performance improved, with funds posting a (still paltry) 5 percent net internal rate of return through September 30. And although buyout deal volumes declined by 19 percent, 2023 was still the third-most-active year on record. In contrast, venture capital (VC) fundraising declined by nearly 60 percent, equaling its lowest total since 2015, and deal volume fell by 36 percent to the lowest level since 2019. VC funds returned –3 percent through September, posting negative returns for seven consecutive quarters. VC was the fastest-growing—as well as the highest-performing—PE strategy by a significant margin from 2010 to 2022, but investors appear to be reevaluating their approach in the current environment.

Private equity entry multiples contracted

PE buyout entry multiples declined by roughly one turn from 11.9 to 11.0 times EBITDA, slightly outpacing the decline in public market multiples (down from 12.1 to 11.3 times EBITDA), through the first nine months of 2023. For nearly a decade leading up to 2022, managers consistently sold assets into a higher-multiple environment than that in which they had bought those assets, providing a substantial performance tailwind for the industry. Nowhere has this been truer than in technology. After experiencing more than eight turns of multiple expansion from 2009 to 2021 (the most of any sector), technology multiples have declined by nearly three turns in the past two years, 50 percent more than in any other sector. Overall, roughly two-thirds of the total return for buyout deals that were entered in 2010 or later and exited in 2021 or before can be attributed to market multiple expansion and leverage. Now, with falling multiples and higher financing costs, revenue growth and margin expansion are taking center stage for GPs.

Real estate receded

Demand uncertainty, slowing rent growth, and elevated financing costs drove cap rates higher and made price discovery challenging, all of which weighed on deal volume, fundraising, and investment performance. Global closed-end fundraising declined 34 percent year over year, and funds returned −4 percent in the first nine months of the year, losing money for the first time since the 2007–08 global financial crisis. Capital shifted away from core and core-plus strategies as investors sought liquidity via redemptions in open-end vehicles, from which net outflows reached their highest level in at least two decades. Opportunistic strategies benefited from this shift, with investors focusing on capital appreciation over income generation in a market where alternative sources of yield have grown more attractive. Rising interest rates widened bid–ask spreads and impaired deal volume across food groups, including in what were formerly hot sectors: multifamily and industrial.

Private debt pays dividends

Debt again proved to be the most resilient private asset class against a turbulent market backdrop. Fundraising declined just 13 percent, largely driven by lower commitments to direct lending strategies, for which a slower PE deal environment has made capital deployment challenging. The asset class also posted the highest returns among all private asset classes through September 30. Many private debt securities are tied to floating rates, which enhance returns in a rising-rate environment. Thus far, managers appear to have successfully navigated the rising incidence of default and distress exhibited across the broader leveraged-lending market. Although direct lending deal volume declined from 2022, private lenders financed an all-time high 59 percent of leveraged buyout transactions last year and are now expanding into additional strategies to drive the next era of growth.

Infrastructure took a detour

After several years of robust growth and strong performance, infrastructure and natural resources fundraising declined by 53 percent to the lowest total since 2013. Supply-side timing is partially to blame: five of the seven largest infrastructure managers closed a flagship vehicle in 2021 or 2022, and none of those five held a final close last year. As in real estate, investors shied away from core and core-plus investments in a higher-yield environment. Yet there are reasons to believe infrastructure’s growth will bounce back. Limited partners (LPs) surveyed by McKinsey remain bullish on their deployment to the asset class, and at least a dozen vehicles targeting more than $10 billion were actively fundraising as of the end of 2023. Multiple recent acquisitions of large infrastructure GPs by global multi-asset-class managers also indicate marketwide conviction in the asset class’s potential.

Private markets still have work to do on diversity

Private markets firms are slowly improving their representation of females (up two percentage points over the prior year) and ethnic and racial minorities (up one percentage point). On some diversity metrics, including entry-level representation of women, private markets now compare favorably with corporate America. Yet broad-based parity remains elusive and too slow in the making. Ethnic, racial, and gender imbalances are particularly stark across more influential investing roles and senior positions. In fact, McKinsey’s research  reveals that at the current pace, it would take several decades for private markets firms to reach gender parity at senior levels. Increasing representation across all levels will require managers to take fresh approaches to hiring, retention, and promotion.

Artificial intelligence generating excitement

The transformative potential of generative AI was perhaps 2023’s hottest topic (beyond Taylor Swift). Private markets players are excited about the potential for the technology to optimize their approach to thesis generation, deal sourcing, investment due diligence, and portfolio performance, among other areas. While the technology is still nascent and few GPs can boast scaled implementations, pilot programs are already in flight across the industry, particularly within portfolio companies. Adoption seems nearly certain to accelerate throughout 2024.

Private markets in a slower era

If private markets investors entered 2023 hoping for a return to the heady days of 2021, they likely left the year disappointed. Many of the headwinds that emerged in the latter half of 2022 persisted throughout the year, pressuring fundraising, dealmaking, and performance. Inflation moderated somewhat over the course of the year but remained stubbornly elevated by recent historical standards. Interest rates started high and rose higher, increasing the cost of financing. A reinvigorated public equity market recovered most of 2022’s losses but did little to resolve the valuation uncertainty private market investors have faced for the past 18 months.

Within private markets, the denominator effect remained in play, despite the public market recovery, as the numerator continued to expand. An activity-dampening cycle emerged: higher cost of capital and lower multiples limited the ability or willingness of general partners (GPs) to exit positions; fewer exits, coupled with continuing capital calls, pushed LP allocations higher, thereby limiting their ability or willingness to make new commitments. These conditions weighed on managers’ ability to fundraise. Based on data reported as of year-end 2023, private markets fundraising fell 22 percent from the prior year to just over $1 trillion, the largest such drop since 2009 (Exhibit 1).

The impact of the fundraising environment was not felt equally among GPs. Continuing a trend that emerged in 2022, and consistent with prior downturns in fundraising, LPs favored larger vehicles and the scaled GPs that typically manage them. Smaller and newer managers struggled, and the number of sub–$1 billion vehicles and new firm launches each declined to its lowest level in more than a decade.

Despite the decline in fundraising, private markets assets under management (AUM) continued to grow, increasing 12 percent to $13.1 trillion as of June 30, 2023. 2023 fundraising was still the sixth-highest annual haul on record, pushing dry powder higher, while the slowdown in deal making limited distributions.

Investment performance across private market asset classes fell short of historical averages. Private equity (PE) got back in the black but generated the lowest annual performance in the past 15 years, excluding 2022. Closed-end real estate produced negative returns for the first time since 2009, as capitalization (cap) rates expanded across sectors and rent growth dissipated in formerly hot sectors, including multifamily and industrial. The performance of infrastructure funds was less than half of its long-term average and even further below the double-digit returns generated in 2021 and 2022. Private debt was the standout performer (if there was one), outperforming all other private asset classes and illustrating the asset class’s countercyclical appeal.

Private equity down but not out

Higher financing costs, lower multiples, and an uncertain macroeconomic environment created a challenging backdrop for private equity managers in 2023. Fundraising declined for the second year in a row, falling 15 percent to $649 billion, as LPs grappled with the denominator effect and a slowdown in distributions. Managers were on the fundraising trail longer to raise this capital: funds that closed in 2023 were open for a record-high average of 20.1 months, notably longer than 18.7 months in 2022 and 14.1 months in 2018. VC and growth equity strategies led the decline, dropping to their lowest level of cumulative capital raised since 2015. Fundraising in Asia fell for the fourth year of the last five, with the greatest decline in China.

Despite the difficult fundraising context, a subset of strategies and managers prevailed. Buyout managers collectively had their best fundraising year on record, raising more than $400 billion. Fundraising in Europe surged by more than 50 percent, resulting in the region’s biggest haul ever. The largest managers raised an outsized share of the total for a second consecutive year, making 2023 the most concentrated fundraising year of the last decade (Exhibit 2).

Despite the drop in aggregate fundraising, PE assets under management increased 8 percent to $8.2 trillion. Only a small part of this growth was performance driven: PE funds produced a net IRR of just 2.5 percent through September 30, 2023. Buyouts and growth equity generated positive returns, while VC lost money. PE performance, dating back to the beginning of 2022, remains negative, highlighting the difficulty of generating attractive investment returns in a higher interest rate and lower multiple environment. As PE managers devise value creation strategies to improve performance, their focus includes ensuring operating efficiency and profitability of their portfolio companies.

Deal activity volume and count fell sharply, by 21 percent and 24 percent, respectively, which continued the slower pace set in the second half of 2022. Sponsors largely opted to hold assets longer rather than lock in underwhelming returns. While higher financing costs and valuation mismatches weighed on overall deal activity, certain types of M&A gained share. Add-on deals, for example, accounted for a record 46 percent of total buyout deal volume last year.

Real estate recedes

For real estate, 2023 was a year of transition, characterized by a litany of new and familiar challenges. Pandemic-driven demand issues continued, while elevated financing costs, expanding cap rates, and valuation uncertainty weighed on commercial real estate deal volumes, fundraising, and investment performance.

Managers faced one of the toughest fundraising environments in many years. Global closed-end fundraising declined 34 percent to $125 billion. While fundraising challenges were widespread, they were not ubiquitous across strategies. Dollars continued to shift to large, multi-asset class platforms, with the top five managers accounting for 37 percent of aggregate closed-end real estate fundraising. In April, the largest real estate fund ever raised closed on a record $30 billion.

Capital shifted away from core and core-plus strategies as investors sought liquidity through redemptions in open-end vehicles and reduced gross contributions to the lowest level since 2009. Opportunistic strategies benefited from this shift, as investors turned their attention toward capital appreciation over income generation in a market where alternative sources of yield have grown more attractive.

In the United States, for instance, open-end funds, as represented by the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries Fund Index—Open-End Equity (NFI-OE), recorded $13 billion in net outflows in 2023, reversing the trend of positive net inflows throughout the 2010s. The negative flows mainly reflected $9 billion in core outflows, with core-plus funds accounting for the remaining outflows, which reversed a 20-year run of net inflows.

As a result, the NAV in US open-end funds fell roughly 16 percent year over year. Meanwhile, global assets under management in closed-end funds reached a new peak of $1.7 trillion as of June 2023, growing 14 percent between June 2022 and June 2023.

Real estate underperformed historical averages in 2023, as previously high-performing multifamily and industrial sectors joined office in producing negative returns caused by slowing demand growth and cap rate expansion. Closed-end funds generated a pooled net IRR of −3.5 percent in the first nine months of 2023, losing money for the first time since the global financial crisis. The lone bright spot among major sectors was hospitality, which—thanks to a rush of postpandemic travel—returned 10.3 percent in 2023. 2 Based on NCREIFs NPI index. Hotels represent 1 percent of total properties in the index. As a whole, the average pooled lifetime net IRRs for closed-end real estate funds from 2011–20 vintages remained around historical levels (9.8 percent).

Global deal volume declined 47 percent in 2023 to reach a ten-year low of $650 billion, driven by widening bid–ask spreads amid valuation uncertainty and higher costs of financing (Exhibit 3). 3 CBRE, Real Capital Analytics Deal flow in the office sector remained depressed, partly as a result of continued uncertainty in the demand for space in a hybrid working world.

During a turbulent year for private markets, private debt was a relative bright spot, topping private markets asset classes in terms of fundraising growth, AUM growth, and performance.

Fundraising for private debt declined just 13 percent year over year, nearly ten percentage points less than the private markets overall. Despite the decline in fundraising, AUM surged 27 percent to $1.7 trillion. And private debt posted the highest investment returns of any private asset class through the first three quarters of 2023.

Private debt’s risk/return characteristics are well suited to the current environment. With interest rates at their highest in more than a decade, current yields in the asset class have grown more attractive on both an absolute and relative basis, particularly if higher rates sustain and put downward pressure on equity returns (Exhibit 4). The built-in security derived from debt’s privileged position in the capital structure, moreover, appeals to investors that are wary of market volatility and valuation uncertainty.

Direct lending continued to be the largest strategy in 2023, with fundraising for the mostly-senior-debt strategy accounting for almost half of the asset class’s total haul (despite declining from the previous year). Separately, mezzanine debt fundraising hit a new high, thanks to the closings of three of the largest funds ever raised in the strategy.

Over the longer term, growth in private debt has largely been driven by institutional investors rotating out of traditional fixed income in favor of private alternatives. Despite this growth in commitments, LPs remain underweight in this asset class relative to their targets. In fact, the allocation gap has only grown wider in recent years, a sharp contrast to other private asset classes, for which LPs’ current allocations exceed their targets on average. According to data from CEM Benchmarking, the private debt allocation gap now stands at 1.4 percent, which means that, in aggregate, investors must commit hundreds of billions in net new capital to the asset class just to reach current targets.

Private debt was not completely immune to the macroeconomic conditions last year, however. Fundraising declined for the second consecutive year and now sits 23 percent below 2021’s peak. Furthermore, though private lenders took share in 2023 from other capital sources, overall deal volumes also declined for the second year in a row. The drop was largely driven by a less active PE deal environment: private debt is predominantly used to finance PE-backed companies, though managers are increasingly diversifying their origination capabilities to include a broad new range of companies and asset types.

Infrastructure and natural resources take a detour

For infrastructure and natural resources fundraising, 2023 was an exceptionally challenging year. Aggregate capital raised declined 53 percent year over year to $82 billion, the lowest annual total since 2013. The size of the drop is particularly surprising in light of infrastructure’s recent momentum. The asset class had set fundraising records in four of the previous five years, and infrastructure is often considered an attractive investment in uncertain markets.

While there is little doubt that the broader fundraising headwinds discussed elsewhere in this report affected infrastructure and natural resources fundraising last year, dynamics specific to the asset class were at play as well. One issue was supply-side timing: nine of the ten largest infrastructure GPs did not close a flagship fund in 2023. Second was the migration of investor dollars away from core and core-plus investments, which have historically accounted for the bulk of infrastructure fundraising, in a higher rate environment.

The asset class had some notable bright spots last year. Fundraising for higher-returning opportunistic strategies more than doubled the prior year’s total (Exhibit 5). AUM grew 18 percent, reaching a new high of $1.5 trillion. Infrastructure funds returned a net IRR of 3.4 percent in 2023; this was below historical averages but still the second-best return among private asset classes. And as was the case in other asset classes, investors concentrated commitments in larger funds and managers in 2023, including in the largest infrastructure fund ever raised.

The outlook for the asset class, moreover, remains positive. Funds targeting a record amount of capital were in the market at year-end, providing a robust foundation for fundraising in 2024 and 2025. A recent spate of infrastructure GP acquisitions signal multi-asset managers’ long-term conviction in the asset class, despite short-term headwinds. Global megatrends like decarbonization and digitization, as well as revolutions in energy and mobility, have spurred new infrastructure investment opportunities around the world, particularly for value-oriented investors that are willing to take on more risk.

Private markets make measured progress in DEI

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become an important part of the fundraising, talent, and investing landscape for private market participants. Encouragingly, incremental progress has been made in recent years, including more diverse talent being brought to entry-level positions, investing roles, and investment committees. The scope of DEI metrics provided to institutional investors during fundraising has also increased in recent years: more than half of PE firms now provide data across investing teams, portfolio company boards, and portfolio company management (versus investment team data only). 4 “ The state of diversity in global private markets: 2023 ,” McKinsey, August 22, 2023.

In 2023, McKinsey surveyed 66 global private markets firms that collectively employ more than 60,000 people for the second annual State of diversity in global private markets report. 5 “ The state of diversity in global private markets: 2023 ,” McKinsey, August 22, 2023. The research offers insight into the representation of women and ethnic and racial minorities in private investing as of year-end 2022. In this chapter, we discuss where the numbers stand and how firms can bring a more diverse set of perspectives to the table.

The statistics indicate signs of modest advancement. Overall representation of women in private markets increased two percentage points to 35 percent, and ethnic and racial minorities increased one percentage point to 30 percent (Exhibit 6). Entry-level positions have nearly reached gender parity, with female representation at 48 percent. The share of women holding C-suite roles globally increased 3 percentage points, while the share of people from ethnic and racial minorities in investment committees increased 9 percentage points. There is growing evidence that external hiring is gradually helping close the diversity gap, especially at senior levels. For example, 33 percent of external hires at the managing director level were ethnic or racial minorities, higher than their existing representation level (19 percent).

Yet, the scope of the challenge remains substantial. Women and minorities continue to be underrepresented in senior positions and investing roles. They also experience uneven rates of progress due to lower promotion and higher attrition rates, particularly at smaller firms. Firms are also navigating an increasingly polarized workplace today, with additional scrutiny and a growing number of lawsuits against corporate diversity and inclusion programs, particularly in the US, which threatens to impact the industry’s pace of progress.

Fredrik Dahlqvist is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Stockholm office; Alastair Green  is a senior partner in the Washington, DC, office, where Paul Maia and Alexandra Nee  are partners; David Quigley  is a senior partner in the New York office, where Connor Mangan is an associate partner and Aditya Sanghvi  is a senior partner; Rahel Schneider is an associate partner in the Bay Area office; John Spivey is a partner in the Charlotte office; and Brian Vickery  is a partner in the Boston office.

The authors wish to thank Jonathan Christy, Louis Dufau, Vaibhav Gujral, Graham Healy-Day, Laura Johnson, Ryan Luby, Tripp Norton, Alastair Rami, Henri Torbey, and Alex Wolkomir for their contributions

The authors would also like to thank CEM Benchmarking and the StepStone Group for their partnership in this year's report.

This article was edited by Arshiya Khullar, an editor in the Gurugram office.

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