Economics journals that publish high school research | RISE Research

TL;DR: Finding economics journals that publish high school research is harder than it looks. Most top economics journals are written for graduate students and faculty. A small number of peer-reviewed journals actively welcome high school submissions, but each has different scope, review timelines, and prestige signals. This post identifies the most relevant journals, explains what separates a strong submission from a weak one, and outlines where a PhD mentor makes a measurable difference. If you need personalised guidance, book a free Research Assessment with RISE.

Introduction: Why Most Economics Students Target the Wrong Journals

Economics journals that publish high school research are not easy to find, and most students searching for them make the same mistake: they aim at journals that are either too broad to signal economics depth or too prestigious to realistically accept undergraduate-level work. The result is wasted months and missed application deadlines.

The economics publishing landscape for high school students is genuinely narrow. Most peer-reviewed economics journals are designed for PhD researchers and faculty. A smaller tier of student-facing journals exists, but quality varies significantly. Some are indexed and carry real academic weight. Others are pay-to-publish outlets that admissions officers recognise immediately.

Choosing the right journal is not just an administrative step. It shapes how your research is read, whether it survives peer review, and how much credibility it carries in a college application. This post covers the journals worth targeting, what each one looks for, and how to give your submission the best possible chance.

Which economics journals publish high school research?

Answer Capsule: Several peer-reviewed journals accept economics research from high school students, including the Journal of Economics and Finance Education, the Young Economists Journal, and the Concord Review for economics-adjacent history and policy work. Acceptance is competitive. Submissions require original methodology, clear argumentation, and proper citation. Review timelines range from six weeks to six months depending on the journal.

Here is what each major option looks like in practice.

The Journal of Economics and Finance Education (JEFE) is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Academy of Economics and Finance. It accepts papers focused on economics education and applied economics topics. High school students are not explicitly excluded, but the journal's primary audience is educators and advanced students. Papers must demonstrate familiarity with economic theory and empirical methods. There is no submission fee. Review timelines are typically two to four months.

The Young Economists Journal (YEJ) is one of the few journals designed specifically for pre-university and early undergraduate researchers. It publishes original economics research from students aged 14 to 18. The journal is peer-reviewed by a panel that includes economics faculty. Acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, but the editorial standard is rigorous. There is no publication fee. Review timelines average eight to twelve weeks.

The Concord Review is not an economics journal by name, but it publishes long-form historical and policy research from high school students worldwide. Papers on economic history, development economics, and fiscal policy regularly appear in its pages. It is the only peer-reviewed journal in the world dedicated exclusively to high school history and social science research. Acceptance rates are selective. There is a submission fee of $70. Review takes approximately three months.

For students working on quantitative economics, the Journal of Mathematics and similar interdisciplinary outlets sometimes accept econometrics-adjacent work, though economics is not their primary focus. Students with papers combining data science and economic modelling may find more traction in interdisciplinary journals than in pure economics outlets.

The most common mistake students make is submitting a paper written like a school essay. Journals expect a defined research question, a literature review, a methodology section, results, and a discussion of limitations. A well-structured paper that follows academic conventions has a significantly higher chance of acceptance than a sophisticated idea presented informally.

What Makes an Economics Paper Publishable at the High School Level

Journal editors reviewing high school submissions are not expecting PhD-level original theory. They are looking for intellectual honesty, methodological awareness, and a clearly defined contribution. Understanding what that means in practice is what separates submissions that move forward from those that are desk-rejected.

First, the research question must be specific. A paper asking "how does inflation affect developing economies" is too broad to be publishable. A paper asking "how did inflation volatility between 2018 and 2022 affect household consumption in three Sub-Saharan African economies" is specific enough to test empirically. Specificity signals methodological competence before the reviewer reads a single data table.

Second, the literature review must demonstrate genuine engagement with existing scholarship. This does not mean citing twenty papers. It means showing that the student understands the current state of the debate and can position their own contribution within it. Students who skip the literature review or treat it as a summary of background facts are signalling that they do not understand how academic knowledge is built.

Third, the methodology must be transparent and replicable. For economics papers, this usually means clearly describing the data source, the analytical method (regression analysis, case comparison, event study, or similar), and the limitations of the approach. Reviewers will not penalise a student for using a simpler method. They will penalise a student for not explaining why they chose it.

Fourth, the conclusion must acknowledge what the paper cannot prove. Overclaiming is one of the most common reasons high school economics papers are rejected. A paper that says "this study proves X" when the data supports "this study suggests X under these conditions" will lose credibility with any serious reviewer.

For a broader view of which journals are accepting student work right now, the Journals That Accept High School Research Papers 2026 guide covers the current landscape across subjects.

How do economics journals affect your college application?

Answer Capsule: A published economics paper in a peer-reviewed journal signals independent intellectual contribution, not just classroom performance. Admissions officers at selective universities look for evidence of genuine research capacity. A publication in a credible, indexed journal carries more weight than a competition certificate or a course grade. RISE scholars achieve a 90% publication rate across 40+ journals.

Publication goes on the Common App Activities section or in the Additional Information section, depending on how the student frames it. A paper published in a named peer-reviewed journal is a verifiable, specific credential. It is not self-reported in the same way that leadership roles or extracurricular activities are. Admissions officers can look it up.

The distinction between journal types matters here. A paper published in an indexed, peer-reviewed economics journal carries more weight than a paper published in a programme-run journal with no external review process. Admissions officers at selective universities are sophisticated readers. They know the difference between a journal that requires genuine peer review and one that publishes everything submitted with a fee attached.

RISE Research outcomes show a 3x higher acceptance rate to Top 10 universities compared to the general applicant pool. RISE scholars achieve an 18% Stanford acceptance rate against the standard 8.7%, and a 32% UPenn acceptance rate against the standard 3.8%. Publication in credible journals is a consistent feature of those scholars' profiles.

For students interested in economics specifically, pairing a publication with relevant competition results or conference presentations strengthens the overall picture. A single publication is meaningful. A publication combined with other research outputs tells a coherent story about intellectual focus and sustained effort.

The Most Prestigious Journals for High School Researchers 2026 guide breaks down how journal prestige is evaluated across subjects, including economics.

Where students working alone get stuck with economics journal submissions

Three points in the economics publication process consistently cause students without mentorship to stall or submit prematurely.

The first is journal selection itself. Students often choose the most recognisable journal name rather than the journal that best fits their paper's scope and methodology. Submitting a qualitative policy analysis to a journal that primarily publishes quantitative econometrics is a mismatch that leads to rejection, regardless of paper quality. Understanding journal scope requires reading several issues of each journal before submitting, something most students do not have time to do without guidance.

The second is the revision process. Most journals do not accept papers outright. They return papers with reviewer comments requesting revisions. Students who have never navigated peer review often do not know how to respond to reviewer feedback professionally, which revisions are essential versus optional, or how to write a response letter that demonstrates engagement with the critique. A poorly handled revision can result in rejection even after a strong initial submission.

The third is data sourcing and citation. Economics papers require specific datasets, and citing them correctly under academic conventions is not intuitive. Students working without guidance frequently misattribute data sources or use secondary summaries instead of primary datasets, which undermines the paper's credibility with reviewers.

A PhD mentor who has published in economics brings direct experience at all three of these points. They know which journals are realistic targets for a given paper, how to respond to reviewer comments in a way that increases acceptance probability, and how to source and cite economic data correctly. This is not general writing advice. It is domain-specific knowledge that takes years to develop.

This is the guidance RISE mentors provide at every stage of the publication process. You can explore the range of RISE Publications to see the journals and subjects where RISE scholars have successfully published.

If you want expert guidance on economics journal selection and the full publication process, book a free Research Assessment to find out whether RISE's Summer cohort is the right fit for your goals.

Frequently asked questions about economics journals that publish high school research

Which economics journal has the highest acceptance rate for high school students?

The Young Economists Journal is designed specifically for pre-university students and is more accessible than general economics journals. Acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, but the journal's explicit focus on student work means submissions are reviewed with the author's level in mind. Papers still require original research and academic structure to be considered.

Do I need to choose my economics journal before I write my paper?

Yes. Journal selection should happen before you finalise your research design, not after. Different journals have different scope, word limits, citation formats, and methodological expectations. Writing your paper first and then searching for a journal to accept it is one of the most common mistakes in student publishing. Aligning your paper to a target journal from the start significantly improves your chances of acceptance.

Can I submit my economics paper to more than one journal at once?

No. Simultaneous submission is against the editorial policy of virtually every peer-reviewed journal. Submitting the same paper to multiple journals at the same time is considered a serious breach of academic ethics and can result in permanent rejection from all journals involved. Submit to one journal, wait for a decision, and then submit elsewhere if needed. Review timelines for student journals typically range from six to sixteen weeks.

Does it matter if an economics journal charges a publication fee?

It depends on the journal. Some reputable open-access journals charge article processing fees to cover publication costs, and these are legitimate. However, some journals charge fees with no genuine peer review process, and admissions officers recognise these outlets. Before paying any fee, verify that the journal is indexed in a recognised database and that its editorial board includes credible faculty. The Free Journals That Publish High School Research guide covers strong options that charge nothing to submit or publish.

How long does it take to hear back from an economics journal?

Review timelines vary by journal. Student-focused journals like the Young Economists Journal typically respond within eight to twelve weeks. The Concord Review takes approximately three months. General academic economics journals that accept advanced student work can take four to six months or longer. Factor this timeline into your application planning. A paper under review at the time of application still carries weight if you can reference it accurately in your materials.

Conclusion

Economics journals that publish high school research exist, but the path to publication requires more than a strong paper. It requires choosing the right journal for your specific research question, structuring your submission to academic standards, and navigating peer review with enough domain knowledge to respond to feedback effectively. Students who approach this process without guidance frequently invest months in work that does not reach publication because of avoidable submission errors.

The journals worth targeting, including the Young Economists Journal and the Concord Review, reward papers that are specific, methodologically honest, and clearly positioned within existing economics scholarship. Meeting that standard as a high school student is achievable, but it is genuinely difficult without expert support.

For more on the broader publishing landscape, the Journals That Publish High School Research guide covers options across subjects. You can also explore Best Open Access Journals for High School Research 2026 for fee-free publishing options in economics and related fields.

If you want help navigating economics journal selection with a PhD mentor who has done this professionally, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will match you with the right mentor for your subject and publication goals. Summer cohort spots are limited.