15 Economics Competitions for High School Students
If you’re interested in economics and want a way to stand out without overloading your schedule, economics competitions can be a smart option. They give you a focused goal and a clear outcome, whether that’s presenting a solution, submitting an analysis, or competing with a team.
How can economics competitions for high school students be helpful for you?
One of the biggest benefits of these competitions is recognition. Awards, mentions, or shortlists help signal that your work has been evaluated and noticed. That kind of visibility can open doors to future opportunities and make your interest in economics easier to take seriously.
Why should you participate in economics competitions for high school students?
Economics competitions are also practical. Most don’t require extensive travel, and many are fully online. You can participate from home, which keeps costs low and makes it easier to manage alongside school. Even if you don’t win, being shortlisted or placing well adds weight to your college applications.
If you’re interested in economics research summer programs, have a look here. Or, check this out for economics internships.
With that, here are 15 economics competitions for high school students to check out!
Disclaimer: Some items below are economics programs that will help you develop the skills for excelling at economics competitions in the future.
15 Economics Competitions for High School Students
1. National Economics Challenge (NEC)
Location: U.S. national competition (state rounds, virtual national rounds, in-person finals in Atlanta)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: January–April (state rounds, national rounds, and finals)
Application Deadline: Opens January 1; state-specific deadlines for qualification
Eligibility: High school students; Adam Smith Division for advanced students and returning competitors; David Ricardo Division for first-time competitors with no more than one economics course
The National Economics Challenge is a tiered competition where you and your team are tested on how well you actually understand economics, not just how much you’ve memorized. You start at the state level, usually coached by a teacher or economics mentor, and work through timed exams and problem-solving rounds that cover microeconomics, macroeconomics, and global economics. Strong teams move on to national qualifying rounds, and the best performers advance to the National Semifinals, where scores determine the four teams invited to the in-person finals in Atlanta. Finalists receive covered lodging and program expenses and compete live for cash prizes and national recognition, with each round pushing you to apply economic models, interpret data, and make decisions under pressure.
2. Young Founders Lab
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
3. Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge (HPEC)
Location: International (virtual + in-person rounds hosted by Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association, Cambridge, MA)
Cost: Typically $125 per team (approximate; subject to change)
Program Dates: Spring (individual and team rounds across multiple stages)
Application Deadline: Early spring (varies; announcements shared through the HS Competitions Newsletter)
Eligibility: High school students worldwide interested in economics; no specific coursework required, though AP-level economics knowledge is beneficial
The Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge (HPEC) is an international competition that tests your understanding of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and real-world economic applications through a combination of individual and team-based rounds. Questions typically cover AP-level frameworks, economic news, historical events, and current research across fields like education, environment, and development. The event is organized by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association, giving you exposure to a collegiate economics community. Top-performing students gain recognition from a Harvard-affiliated organization. Final rounds are often hosted in person at Harvard.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote. Attend from anywhere in the world
Cost: Cost applies; Financial aid available
Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: Various cohorts including winter, spring, summer & fall
Application Deadline: Varies by your cohort type
Eligibility: High school students and gap-year students
Ladder Internships places you inside a real startup, working on projects that actually matter to the company. You are matched with a fast-growing startup in fields like tech, AI, health, marketing, journalism, or consulting, depending on your interests. These are not mock internships. You work directly with founders and managers, contribute to active projects, and get regular guidance from a Ladder Coach who helps you stay on track. Many of the startups are early stage but well funded, often led by founders with serious industry or startup experience. The program ends with you presenting your work to the company, giving you a clear sense of how startups operate and what it feels like to be part of a small, fast-moving team.
5. Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
Location: Global (virtual rounds + in-person Global Finale at Wharton, Philadelphia)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 30 – December 5 (Trading Period); Global Finale in April
Application Deadline: June 30–September 12 (advisor and team registration window)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12; teams of 4–6 with a registered teacher advisor
The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is a team-based economics and finance challenge that introduces you to portfolio strategy, industry analysis, and long-term investment planning. You and your teammates work through a case study centered on a real Wharton graduate, developing an investment strategy to meet the client’s goals using the Wharton Investment Simulator, which models real-world stock and ETF trades. The competition emphasizes strategic reasoning and communication rather than portfolio returns, requiring teams to submit both a midterm and final report. Judges evaluate clarity of analysis, depth of research, and the strength of your strategy narrative. Semifinalist teams present to experts in a virtual round, while finalists are invited to Wharton for the Global Finale, offering exposure to finance faculty and industry professionals.
6. International Economics Olympiad (IEO)
Location: Global (national selection rounds + international finals hosted in rotating countries)
Cost: Free to participate; travel costs depend on national organizers
Program Dates: National rounds held throughout spring–summer; international finals held in July–August
Application Deadline: Varies by country; national organizers set selection deadlines
Eligibility: High school students under age 20; must qualify through their country’s national economics competition
The International Economics Olympiad (IEO) is a global competition that evaluates your skills in economics, finance, and business decision-making through a multi-part assessment format. Each national team is selected through country-level contests, making the process competitive even before reaching the international stage. The Olympiad includes three components: a financial literacy test, theoretical economics problems, and a business case presentation evaluated by a panel of judges. These elements require you to integrate quantitative reasoning, applied economic concepts, and strategic communication. Beyond the competition rounds, you gain exposure to an international community of students, team leaders, and faculty from top universities. Medalists and finalists often receive recognition through national media, meetings with policymakers, or invitations to academic events.
7. High School Fed Challenge
Location: U.S. national competition (virtual submission process; national recognition through the New York Federal Reserve)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: September 9 – March 16 (theme announcement, registration, and paper submission period)
Application Deadline: February 17
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12; no prior economics coursework required; teams must participate with a faculty advisor
The High School Fed Challenge is a national research and analytical writing competition that teaches you how to investigate real economic themes using data-driven reasoning and academic research methods. Each year, the Federal Reserve announces a theme, such as labor markets, globalization, or the economics of music, guiding the direction of your submission. You participate as a team, authoring a fully researched podcast script or paper that applies microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts to the theme while incorporating reputable data sources. Submissions are evaluated by Federal Reserve reviewers, with select entries published in the Journal of Future Economists, a national platform showcasing student work.
8. World Economics Cup (WEC)
Location: Global (all modules conducted online; international participation from 55+ countries)
Cost: Free to participate; schools manage any optional travel or preparation costs.
Program Dates: March 31 –July/August (team formation deadline through Continental and Final rounds)
Application Deadline: January–March 31 (school registration and team formation window)
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; teams of six coordinated by a school adviser; participants must be under the age of 20
The World Economics Cup is a global, team-based competition where you’re tested on how well you can think through economics, finance, and business problems. You compete in teams of six, with each member completing individual online assessments that cover core economic concepts, deeper reading-based analysis, and an innovation module focused on applying economics to new challenges like climate policy, AI-driven markets, and global trade shifts. Part of the competition also involves submitting a joint video presentation, which pushes teams to explain ideas clearly and work together under shared constraints. Scores are averaged across all six teammates, so consistency matters as much as individual performance. In many countries, teams advance through national rounds before reaching continental and world finals.
9. National Personal Finance Challenge (NPFC)
Location: U.S. national competition (online first round, state finals, in-person national finals)
Cost: Free; all expenses covered at National Finals except travel to the host city
Program Dates: January–May (online challenge, state finals, and national Quiz Bowl)
Application Deadline: Opens January 1; deadlines are state-specific
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12; teams participate with a teacher-coach
The National Personal Finance Challenge is a team-based competition that tests how well you can apply personal finance concepts to real situations. You start with a timed online round covering income, budgeting, saving, investing, credit, and risk, and the strongest teams move on to state finals built around detailed household finance case studies. State winners advance to nationals, where you create a full financial plan for a fictional family, working through trade-offs like debt management, investment choices, insurance coverage, and long-term goals. The top teams then face an in-person Quiz Bowl with fast, scenario-driven questions that reward accuracy under pressure. Throughout the competition, you’re expected to read financial documents, weigh risk and return, and justify decisions clearly.
10. Northwestern Economics Tournament (NET)
Location: Evanston, IL (in-person competition hosted by Northwestern University)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: April 4
Application Deadline: January 12 - late January
Eligibility: High school students; teams participate regardless of prior economics exposure
The Northwestern Economics Tournament is a competitive, team-based event that tests how well you can actually use economics. You compete in two formats, the Power Round and the Econ Bowl, which cover microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic history, and current events at or above the AP level. Questions are timed and application-heavy, so you’re expected to interpret data, connect theory to real situations, and think quickly with your teammates. Beyond the competition, you attend talks led by Northwestern economics faculty and hear directly from current students about studying economics and career paths tied to it. Top teams earn cash prizes and certificates.
11. EconBowl (Youth Economics Initiative)
Location: Virtual (global participation through Zoom)
Cost: Free or low-cost, depending on YEI season
Program Dates: November 16 (written round and QuizBowl finals)
Application Deadline: November 12
Eligibility: High school students; teams of 3–4 students
EconBowl is a fall-semester economics competition that pushes you to apply economic thinking rather than memorize definitions. You compete as a team, starting with a 60-minute written exam of 60 questions that span microeconomics, macroeconomics, and real-world scenarios where economic logic actually matters. The top eight teams move on to a QuizBowl-style round, where speed, accuracy, and clear reasoning decide who advances as you answer both numerical and conceptual questions under pressure. Cash prizes for the top teams add stakes, but the real value comes from learning how to think on your feet with economics in a competitive setting.
12. Global Stock Pitch Competition (Young Investors Society)
Location: Global (state/territory events online; top 100 teams attend in-person Summit in New York City)
Cost: $25 registration fee per student
Program Dates: December 12–February 20 (registration and submission window); Summit on May 28–29
Application Deadline: December 12–February 20
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; compete individually or in teams of up to two students
The Global Stock Pitch Competition is an international investing challenge where you step into the role of an equity analyst and defend a real investment decision. You choose a publicly traded company, break down its business model, study its industry and competitors, and build a valuation that leads to a clear Buy or Sell call. Your submission includes a written pitch, a full slide deck, and a recorded presentation that explains not just what you think, but why the numbers support it.
Teams are judged by finance professionals who focus on the logic of your assumptions, how well you understand risk, and how clearly you communicate your thesis. Students compete through open or state-level divisions, with the top teams advancing to the Global Youth Investment Summit in New York, where pitches move through live knockout rounds. Alongside the competition, the Summit includes focused workshops and case sessions that show how investment decisions are made in real finance settings.
13. Husky Investment Tournament
Location: U.S. (virtual portfolio competition with in-person pitch at Michigan Technological University for finalists)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Fall semester (competition held during the fall term; exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: Varies; teachers contact Michigan Tech to register before the fall start
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12; teams of 3–4 students
The Husky Investment Tournament is a semester-long stock market competition run by Michigan Technological University, where you and a small team manage a simulated portfolio with $1,000,000 in virtual capital. Over the course of the term, you build a clear investment strategy, place trades, respond to real market movement, and justify your decisions as conditions change.
The competition is usually built into economics, business, or personal finance classes, so teachers actively walk you through concepts like diversification, risk, and long-term planning while you trade. At the end, the top-performing team is invited to Michigan Tech’s campus to present their strategy to students and business faculty, explaining not just returns but decision logic. All students who participate receive scholarships to attend Michigan Tech, while the winning team also earns a cash prize and formal campus recognition, making the tournament both instructional and tangible in outcome.
14. InvestWrite® (SIFMA Foundation)
Location: U.S. national competition (essays submitted online)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Fall and Spring cycles (essay writing and judging periods vary by cycle)
Application Deadline: Fall and Spring submission windows (deadlines vary by cycle)
Eligibility: High school students participating in The Stock Market Game; essays submitted through a registered advisor
InvestWrite is a national economics and finance writing competition where you apply concepts from The Stock Market Game to craft an analytical essay on long-term investing and personal finance strategy. You write about a scenario centered on saving, investing, diversification, or portfolio management, using economic reasoning to support your recommendations. Essays are evaluated on rationale, subject-matter understanding, and clarity of writing, which encourages you to translate financial concepts into well-structured arguments. Advisors first review student submissions internally, then forward top entries for national judging. Winners receive national recognition. Judges include industry professionals who score essays based on rigor and economic insight, offering a structured evaluation of your analytical thinking.
15. Berkeley Economic Review High School Essay Contest
Location: Global (online submission)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Prompt released in winter; submissions accepted until March 14
Application Deadline: Late March
Eligibility: High school students worldwide, including recent graduates who have not yet begun university
The Berkeley Economic Review High School Essay Contest asks you to respond to an annual economics prompt with a tightly argued, research-backed essay of up to 1,000 words. The topics usually deal with real structural questions like inequality, labor markets, or public policy, so you’re expected to move beyond opinion and ground your claims in economic reasoning and credible sources, using proper MLA format. Entries are judged on how clearly you frame a problem, how well you use evidence, and whether your analysis shows original thinking rather than recycled talking points. Selected essays are published in Equilibrium, the Berkeley Economic Review’s magazine, which makes this a concrete addition to your resume.
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