Economics Research Project Ideas for High School Students | RISE Research

TL;DR: Economics research project ideas for high school students range from analysing public datasets to conducting original surveys on consumer behaviour. The difference between a publishable project and a classroom essay is a specific, narrow research question paired with an accessible method. If you want expert guidance to turn one of these ideas into a peer-reviewed publication, RISE Research pairs students with specialist mentors from Ivy League and Oxbridge institutions. Our deadline is closing soon.

Why Economics Is One of the Strongest Fields for High School Research

Economics research project ideas for high school students have one major advantage over many other fields: the data is already public. Government databases, central bank archives, World Bank datasets, and open-access trade records give motivated students access to the same raw material that professional economists use. You do not need a laboratory. You need a question, a method, and the discipline to follow through.

The field is also genuinely open. Questions about inequality, behavioural decision-making, local labour markets, and the economic effects of policy changes are actively debated by researchers at the world's leading universities. A focused high school project can contribute something real to these conversations.

The gap most students fall into is scope. A topic like "the causes of inflation" is a textbook chapter, not a research question. A topic like "the relationship between minimum wage increases and teenage employment rates in three US states between 2015 and 2022" is a paper. RISE Research helps students find that second kind of question from the start, matched to their interest and skill level, so no time is wasted on ideas that cannot be executed.

What Makes a Good Economics Research Project for a High School Student?

Answer Capsule: A strong, publishable economics project has three qualities: a specific and narrow research question, a method that relies on publicly available data or a well-designed survey, and an argument or finding that adds something new, however small. RISE Research mentors help students achieve all three from week one.

Narrow enough in economics means geographic, temporal, or demographic specificity. "Income inequality in the United States" is a library. "Changes in the Gini coefficient across rural counties in Appalachia between 2010 and 2020" is a research question. The second version has a defined scope, a measurable variable, and a time frame that makes original analysis possible.

Accessible methods in economics include secondary data analysis, regression modelling using free tools like R or Python, survey design and administration, comparative case studies, and document analysis of policy texts. None of these require institutional access or specialist equipment.

An original contribution at the high school level does not mean discovering a new economic theory. It means applying an established framework to a context that has not been studied in exactly that way before. A project examining how a specific local policy affected a specific population, using publicly available data, is original and publishable.

What Are the Best Economics Research Project Ideas for High School Students?

Answer Capsule: The strongest areas for high school economics research are behavioural economics, labour economics, and development economics. Each offers open questions, accessible public datasets, and clear publication pathways. RISE Research has specialist mentors across all three areas who have guided students to peer-reviewed publication.

1. How did the introduction of a local minimum wage ordinance affect small business employment in Seattle between 2015 and 2019?

This project uses the University of Washington Minimum Wage Study data and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) records, both publicly available. A student can apply difference-in-differences analysis using free statistical software. Labour economics journals such as the Journal of Labor Research publish policy evaluation studies at this level. A RISE mentor in labour economics can help you design the comparison group and structure the regression correctly.

2. Does financial literacy education in secondary schools correlate with lower household debt levels in OECD countries?

This project draws on OECD PISA financial literacy scores and World Bank household debt data, both freely accessible online. The analysis is cross-sectional and can be completed with Excel or R. Journals focused on economics education, such as the Journal of Economic Education, actively publish studies on financial literacy outcomes. A RISE mentor can help you control for confounding variables like income level and education system structure.

3. What is the relationship between mobile money adoption and women's economic autonomy in sub-Saharan Africa between 2011 and 2020?

The World Bank Global Findex Database and the GSMA Mobile Money dataset provide the primary data for this project. This is a development economics question with strong publication interest. The Journal of Development Economics and student-focused outlets like the Young Economists Journal are appropriate targets. A RISE mentor in development economics will help you frame the causal argument carefully and avoid overstating correlation as causation.

4. How did COVID-19 school closures affect the gender wage gap among recent graduates in the United Kingdom?

UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) graduate earnings data and the Annual Population Survey are publicly available and well-structured. This project sits at the intersection of labour economics and gender economics, two high-interest areas for journals. The Oxford Review of Economic Policy and similar outlets publish policy-relevant empirical work. A RISE mentor can help you isolate the pandemic effect from pre-existing trends in the data.

5. Do students in schools with mandatory personal finance courses show different savings behaviour than students in schools without them?

This project requires designing and administering a survey to students at two or more schools, making it an accessible primary research design for Grade 10 to 12 students. The Journal of Economic Education regularly publishes behavioural studies of this type. Survey design, IRB-equivalent ethical approval through your school, and basic descriptive statistics are the core skills needed. A RISE mentor will help you design a survey that produces statistically meaningful results.

6. How have remittance flows from the United States to Mexico responded to changes in US immigration enforcement policy between 2000 and 2022?

The World Bank Remittance Data and the Pew Research Center immigration enforcement records provide the dataset. This is a time-series analysis project suitable for students comfortable with basic econometrics. Development economics and migration economics journals are the target outlets. A RISE mentor in international economics can help you structure the policy event study correctly.

7. What effect did the introduction of sugar taxes in the United Kingdom have on soft drink consumption among households in the lowest income quintile?

The UK Kantar Worldpanel data and NHS Digital nutrition surveys are publicly accessible. This is a health economics project with strong policy relevance. Journals such as Health Economics and the British Journal of Nutrition publish tax incidence studies. A RISE mentor can help you apply a synthetic control method to isolate the tax effect from broader dietary trends.

8. Is there a measurable relationship between urban green space coverage and residential property values in three comparable US cities?

Zillow Research Data and US Census urban green space records are both freely available. This is an urban economics and environmental economics project that uses hedonic pricing methods. The Journal of Urban Economics publishes hedonic valuation studies regularly. A RISE mentor in urban economics can help you select comparable cities and control for neighbourhood income effects.

9. How did the 2008 financial crisis affect youth unemployment rates differently across Eurozone and non-Eurozone European countries?

Eurostat unemployment data by age group is publicly available and goes back to the 1990s. This is a comparative macroeconomics project using panel data analysis. The European Economic Review and student journals like Equilibrium are appropriate outlets. A RISE mentor will help you set up the panel regression and interpret the fixed effects results accurately.

10. Does the presence of a Walmart store within five miles of a small town correlate with changes in local retail employment over a ten-year period?

BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data and Walmart store location records are both publicly available. This is an industrial organisation and labour economics project. The Journal of Regional Science publishes studies of retail market entry effects. A RISE mentor can help you design the geographic analysis and address selection bias in the store location data.

11. How do framing effects influence willingness to pay for carbon offset schemes among high school students in Singapore?

This project requires designing a behavioural economics experiment using a structured survey with randomised framing conditions. It is accessible for Grade 11 to 12 students and requires no data beyond what you collect yourself. The Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics publishes framing effect studies. A RISE mentor in behavioural economics will help you design the experimental conditions and analyse the results using chi-square or t-tests.

12. What is the relationship between public transit investment and income mobility across US metropolitan areas between 2005 and 2020?

The Opportunity Atlas dataset from Harvard and Brown universities and the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database are both freely available. This is a development and urban economics project with strong social policy relevance. A RISE mentor can help you apply the Opportunity Atlas mobility metrics correctly and avoid reverse causality in the interpretation.

13. How has the gender pay gap in the technology sector in India changed between 2010 and 2022, and what role does educational attainment play?

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data and NASSCOM workforce reports provide the primary sources. This is a labour economics and gender economics project. The Indian Journal of Labour Economics and international development journals are appropriate outlets. A RISE mentor will help you decompose the pay gap using the Oaxaca-Blinder method, which is accessible with R or Stata.

14. Does exposure to economic news media correlate with risk tolerance in financial decision-making among adults aged 18 to 30?

This project uses a primary survey design and can be administered online to a sample of university students or young adults. Behavioural economics and media economics journals are the target. The Journal of Behavioral Decision Making publishes perception and risk tolerance studies. A RISE mentor in behavioural economics can help you design validated risk tolerance measures and control for financial literacy as a confounding variable.

15. How did the expansion of microfinance institutions in Bangladesh between 1995 and 2010 affect female entrepreneurship rates at the district level?

The Microcredit Regulatory Authority of Bangladesh and World Bank enterprise survey data provide the dataset. This is a development economics project with a clear causal story and strong publication interest. The World Development journal and the Journal of Development Studies publish microfinance impact studies. A RISE mentor in development economics will help you apply a difference-in-differences framework to the district-level panel data.

16. Is there a relationship between national happiness scores and public healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP across OECD countries?

The World Happiness Report data and OECD Health Statistics are both freely downloadable. This is a welfare economics project accessible to Grade 9 to 10 students with basic statistical skills. Cross-national regression studies of this type appear in journals like Social Indicators Research. A RISE mentor can help you control for GDP per capita and social trust variables that confound the relationship.

17. How did the introduction of universal basic income pilots in Finland and Kenya produce different labour supply responses, and what explains the difference?

The Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) published full trial data openly, and the GiveDirectly Kenya study data is publicly available. This is a comparative policy analysis project using published trial results. Labour economics and public policy journals are the target outlets. A RISE mentor in public economics can help you frame the comparative analysis rigorously and avoid overgeneralising from two case studies.

How Do You Turn an Economics Research Project Idea Into a Published Paper?

Answer Capsule: Four steps in order: narrow the idea to a specific research question, choose an accessible method such as regression analysis or survey design, collect and analyse data from public sources, then write and submit to an appropriate journal. RISE Research guides students through all four steps in a 10-week 1-on-1 programme with a mentor who specialises in economics.

Step 1: Narrow the idea. A researchable economics question names a specific dependent variable, a specific independent variable, a defined population or geography, and a time frame. "How does X affect Y in population Z between year A and year B?" is the template. Most students spend weeks circling a broad topic. A RISE mentor shortens this stage to days.

Step 2: Choose the right method. The most common methods in high school economics research are secondary data analysis with regression modelling, primary survey design with descriptive statistics, comparative case study analysis, and document analysis of policy texts. The right method depends on your question. A RISE mentor will match the method to the question, not the other way around.

Step 3: Collect and analyse. Key publicly available data sources for economics research include the World Bank Open Data portal, the OECD Statistics database, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Eurostat, the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) database, and the UN Comtrade trade statistics portal. All are free and well-documented. Analysis tools include R, Python, and Excel, depending on the complexity of the method.

Step 4: Write and submit. Economics journals value clear argumentation, precise variable definitions, and honest discussion of limitations. The literature review should be focused, not exhaustive. The methodology section must be replicable. Journals for high school researchers include the Young Economists Journal, the Journal of Economics and Finance Education, and the Undergraduate Economic Review. You can explore RISE's publications record to see the range of journals where RISE scholars have published.

RISE Research pairs students with a specialist mentor in economics who guides every step of this process. Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out whether your idea is ready to develop.

RISE Research mentors specialise in economics and have guided students to publication in peer-reviewed journals. Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.

What Journals Publish Economics Research From High School Students?

Answer Capsule: The most appropriate journals for high school economics research are the Young Economists Journal, the Undergraduate Economic Review, the Journal of Economics and Finance Education, and the American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings for exceptional work. RISE Research has a 90% publication success rate across 40+ peer-reviewed journals and will match your paper to the right outlet.

Young Economists Journal (YEJ) is published by the University of Birmingham Economics Society and accepts submissions from students at secondary and undergraduate level. It covers microeconomics, macroeconomics, development economics, and behavioural economics. Submission is free. It is indexed and peer-reviewed. URL: youngeconomistsjournal.com

Undergraduate Economic Review (UER) is published by Illinois Wesleyan University and accepts high-quality empirical and theoretical work from pre-university and undergraduate researchers. It is free to submit, peer-reviewed, and indexed in EconLit. URL: digitalcommons.iwu.edu/uer

Journal of Economics and Finance Education (JEFE) focuses on research about economics education, financial literacy, and pedagogy. It is appropriate for projects examining how economic knowledge is taught or applied. Free to submit and peer-reviewed. URL: economics-finance.org/jefe

Curieux Academic Journal accepts interdisciplinary research from high school students, including economics, policy, and social science work. It is free to submit and peer-reviewed. URL: curieuxacademicjournal.com

RISE Research has a 90% publication success rate across 40+ peer-reviewed journals. A RISE mentor in economics will help you identify the right journal for your specific paper and prepare a submission that meets the journal's standards. See the full range of RISE scholar publications for reference.

Frequently Asked Questions About Economics Research Projects for High School Students

Can a high school student publish original economics research?

Yes. RISE Research scholars publish original economics research in peer-reviewed journals regularly. A high school student can conduct rigorous empirical or analytical work using publicly available data and accessible statistical methods. The key is a specific research question and a well-executed method. Several journals, including the Young Economists Journal and the Undergraduate Economic Review, actively seek submissions from pre-university researchers.

Do I need lab access or special equipment to do economics research?

No. Economics research at the high school level requires a computer, free statistical software such as R or Python, and access to public datasets. Major sources like the World Bank Open Data portal, FRED, and Eurostat are freely available online. Survey-based projects require only a well-designed questionnaire and an appropriate sample. No specialist equipment or institutional access is needed.

How long does an economics research project take to complete?

A focused economics research project typically takes 10 to 14 weeks from question to submitted manuscript. The RISE Research programme is structured as a 10-week 1-on-1 mentorship. Week one focuses on narrowing the research question. Weeks two through six cover data collection and analysis. Weeks seven through ten cover writing, revision, and journal submission. Students who begin without a clear question often take longer.

What economics research topics are most likely to get published?

Projects that apply a clear empirical method to a specific, underexplored question have the strongest publication outcomes. Behavioural economics experiments, labour market policy evaluations, and development economics case studies consistently attract journal interest. Topics with a clear policy implication and a defined dataset are stronger than purely theoretical essays. Originality of context matters more than novelty of method at the high school level.

How does RISE Research help students with economics projects?

RISE Research pairs each student with a specialist economics mentor from an Ivy League or Oxbridge institution for a 10-week 1-on-1 programme. The mentor guides every stage: question development, method selection, data analysis, writing, and journal submission. RISE has a 90% publication success rate across 40+ peer-reviewed journals. You can review RISE admissions outcomes and meet our mentors before applying. Our deadline is closing soon.

Start Your Economics Research Project With RISE

Three things matter most before you choose an economics research project. First, your question must be narrow enough to answer with data you can actually access. Second, your method must match your skill level and the time you have available. Third, your project must contribute something specific, not just summarise what others have already found.

RISE Research is the first programme to consider if you are serious about publishing original economics research as a high school student. With a 90% publication success rate, specialist mentors from the world's leading universities, and a structured 10-week programme, RISE gives you the best possible foundation. You can explore past RISE research projects and scholar awards to see what is achievable. If you are interested in related fields, you may also find value in our guides to mathematics research project ideas and physics research project ideas for high school students.

Our deadline is closing soon. If you are a high school student with an interest in economics and want to turn that into a peer-reviewed published paper, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will tell you exactly what is achievable in your timeline.